Dental Leaders Podcast

Prav and Payman chat with Siamack Bagheri, a highly successful orthodontist who owns ten large orthodontic practices with his wife. Siamack shares his story of coming to the UK from Iran in the 1970s and pursuing dentistry. He discusses the challenges he faced during dental school and how those experiences shaped him. The conversation touches on recruitment challenges, the shift toward temp agencies, the business advantages of new tech in aligner therapy, and more. Enjoy! In This Episode 00:02:15 - Backstory 00:04:35 - Choosing dentistry 00:07:40 - Dental School 00:14:50 - The next generation 00:18:00 - Case selection 00:21:35 - Practice management 00:31:35 - Ortho technology 00:35:50 - Referring cases 00:40:40 - Clinical work 00:44:45 - Recruitment 00:48:10 - Remote monitoring and aligner therapy 00:51:45 - Blackbox thinking 01:00:15 - Early interceptive orthodontics 01:02:25 - Fears 01:06:05 - Looking back 01:08:10 - Fantasy dinner party 01:10:15 - Last days and legacy About Siamack Bagheri Siamack Bagheri graduated from Bristol University in 1987. He then gained orthodontic qualifications from the Royal Colleges of England and Edinburgh and an MSc from the University of London. He is the principal of a group of 10 orthodontic clinics in London, Cheltenham, and Shropshire.

Rhona and Payman chat with Daniel Daggers, a successful luxury real estate agent, founder of Drew Global, and star of Netflix’s Buying London. Daniel shares his rise from humble beginnings in local authority housing to becoming a top agent, dealing with challenges like bullying and trolling along the way.  He discusses his people-centric approach to business, the importance of personal branding, and his philosophy of enabling others to achieve their potential. Enjoy! In This Episode 00:03:05 - Backstory 00:12:20 - Trauma and challenges 00:17:55 - Staring in property 00:33:35 - Personal brands  00:37:20 - High-end properties 00:41:05 - Building and running a business 00:53:45 - Dubai real estate 00:59:50 - Family, love, support and opportunities 01:06:05 - Netflix 01:10:35 - Low point 01:14:20 - People Vs property person 01:16:15 - Recognising potential 01:17:00 - Being recognised in public 01:22:20 - Lessons from high-net worth individuals 01:22:45 - Advice to younger self About Daniel Daggers Daniel Daggers is a luxury real estate expert and the star of Netflix's Buying London. With over two decades of experience, he has established himself as a leader in the prime and super prime property markets worldwide. His track record includes advising on the sale of more than $5 billion worth of high-end residential properties.

How do dental practices stand out from the competition in a fiercely competitive marketplace that’s becoming more crowded by the day? Join Prav for an in-depth discussion of defining and leveraging your clinic’s unique selling points to design unique, memorable customer journeys and stand out from the competition. Enjoy!  In This Episode 00:01:30 - TCO training—evolution and adaptation  00:09:00 - Creating unique patient journeys 00:17:25 - USP examples 00:20:30 - Leveraging USPs 00:26:15 - Consultation to closure 00:32:50 - Journey mapping and refinement About Prav Solanki Prav Solanki is a marketing scientist and dental growth specialist who has supported countless dental professionals and organisations to achieve stellar growth. He is a co-owner and director of IAS Academy and founder of The Fresh, the UK’s leading dental growth and marketing agency.   His latest project, Leadflo, is described as the world’s most advanced CRM for dental clinics.

We reach way back into the archives this week with a look back at one of Payman and Prav’s favourite conversations with Green Beret-turned-dentist, Danny Watson. Danny looks back on his first meeting with Prav, recalls how seeing military dentists at work inspired him to join the profession, and discusses burning his military bridges in hot pursuit of his newfound passion. Enjoy!  In This Episode 0.34 - Early years 07.27 - Army days 14.59 - Discovering dentistry 21.25 - Getting started and burning bridges 26.01 - The military mindset 36.19 - Highs and lows 44.47 - Lambos & love at first sight 48.28 - On PT 53.47 - New challenges 57.08 - Last day on earth About Danny Watson Danny Watson graduated from Manchester University in 2018 and went on to practise at Manchester’s Kiss Dental. Before becoming a dentist, Danny enjoyed a long and distinguished military career including service with the Green Berets and active service in Iraq and Afghanistan. He is passionate about cross fit and personal training, and is the current world-record holder for the greatest distance travelled on the Concept-2 indoor rower in one minute.

Specialist orthodontist Annika Patel shares her journey of being a career-focused woman in dentistry, discussing sacrifices, family, and mental resilience. Topics include ortho training challenges, marriage, motherhood, and the importance of support and camaraderie within the profession.

Payman chats with the world-renowned professor Avijit Banerjee, who shares his journey in academia, discussing his research focused on applying scientific findings to patient care.  As you’d expect from a polymathic mind like Prof. Banerjee's, the conversation ranges far and wide, covering challenges in dental education, the role of new technologies in diagnosis and the public's perception of fluoride. Prof. Banerjee also wisdom on clinical judgement, patient communication, the value of documenting cases, and much more. Enjoy!  In This Episode 00:03:45 - Academia, research and curiosity 00:10:00 - Research, commercialisation and sharing  00:18:15 - Recent studies  00:28:11 - Oral health messaging 00:31:25 - Shift towards whole patient care and holistic dentistry in education 00:33:30 - Training: past, present, UK and abroad 00:42:20 - Advice for young dentists 00:43:20 - NHS funding  00:48:10 - International teaching and research 00:55:40 - Minimally invasive dentistry  01:16:40 - New technologies 01:20:10 - Danger of undertreatment 01:23:20 - Experimentation and evidence 01:26:05 - Bureaucracy and red tape  01:28:05 - Misunderstanding and misinformation 01:34:00 - Fluoride and fissure sealants 01:44:10 - Black box thinking  01:50:25 - Teaching style  01:51:25 - Fantasy dinner party  01:58:40 - Last days and legacy About Professor Avijit Banerjee Professor Avijit Banerjee, a global authority in minimally invasive dentistry, leads the Cariology & Operative Dentistry research program at King's College London Faculty of Dentistry, Oral & Craniofacial Sciences.  He serves as Head of Conservative & MI Dentistry, Director of Education (UG), and Programme Director for the KCL distance-learning Masters in Advanced Minimum Intervention Dentistry. Banerjee's research focuses on MI operative caries management and adhesive dental biomaterials, resulting in over 120 publications and £2.5 million in research funding. He collaborates with international Industry partners as an R&D KOL and is the primary author of the widely respected text, Pickard's Guide to Minimally Invasive Operative Dentistry. Banerjee holds editorial positions in several prominent dental journals and maintains a specialist clinical practice in Restorative Dentistry, Prosthodontics & Periodontics. He currently serves as the President of the BDA Metropolitan Branch Section.

Simon Chard shares his journey through the challenges and triumphs of running a dental practice, his presidency of the BACD and thoughts on the potential of new technologies and methodologies in shaping the future of dentistry. His passion for personal development, both for himself and his peers, shines through as he discusses the potential for dentistry to improve lives. Enjoy! In This Episode 02.00 - Entrepreneurial challenges 15:25 - Personal development 22:00 - Family time and personal values 29.05 - BACD presidency and future teaching ambitions 00.31.15 - Digital dentistry material science 00.33.05 - Well-being and personal development 00.49.00 - Innovation, change and dogma 01.00:00 - Relationships and personal and professional growth 01.02.05 - Future trends 01.07.40 - Black box thinking 01.10.25 - Fantasy dinner party 01.14.00 - Last Days and Legacy   About Simon Chard Cosmetic dentist and former president of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, Simon Chard, is passionate about using digital technology to simplify cosmetic and implant dentistry. He regularly teaches digital dentistry, dental photography and minimally invasive aesthetic techniques.

Reality star, TV presenter, and writer Amber Rose opens up about life as Love Island contestant and winner. Amber shares the story of how she was cast on Love Island and how subsequent attention and criticism led to what she considers her lowest point. Amber, always true to herself, shares her current career pursuits in entertainment, writing, and brand deals, the process of writing her first novel, and seeking opportunities that better align with her authentic self. Enjoy! In This Episode   [00:02:05] Backstory [00:10:25] Love Island [00:30:00] Highs and lows [00:36:50] Friendship [00:39:40] ADHD [00:50:50] Social media, societal pressures and mental health [00:57:05] Authenticity  [01:00:20] Career and plans [01:05:35] Reality TV [01:08:45] Longevity About Amber Rose Gill Amber Rose Gill is a TV personality and author famed for winning the fifth series of Love Island. In 2022, Amber released her debut romance novel, Until I Met You.

Payman chats with dental coach and communication expert Barry Oulton. Barry shares his journey into dentistry, despite his artistic nature, and how his father influenced his career choice.  He discusses his education in the UK and the US, overcoming limiting beliefs and the challenges of running a practice. Enjoy! In This Episode [00:01:10] Backstory [00:09:05] Study [00:11:25] Journey to practice ownership [00:15:40] Personal life and personal development [00:28:40] Coaching greatness [00:33:20] Limiting beliefs [00:42:30] Patient journey and communication [00:51:50] Blackbox thinking [00:55:00] Practice management [01:07:05] NHS to private transition [01:09:40] State of the industry [01:15:20] Fantasy dinner party [01:17:15] Last days and legacy About Barry Oulton Dr Barry Oulton is a dentist, business owner, lecturer, coach, and mentor who has worked with Henry Schein, Septodont, DMG, S4S, Biohorizons, Bupa Dental, and Colosseum on B2B sales success in dentistry.

Rhona catches up with long-time friend Sarita Stefani, co-founder of Amelis, a platform that makes egg freezing and fertility treatments more accessible and affordable for women.  They delve into Sarita's remarkable journey as a female entrepreneur, highlighting her resilience and determination, especially during the challenging fundraising process while pregnant.  The conversation also explores the societal impact of Amelis, shedding light on the increasing popularity yet lingering stigma around egg freezing, the high costs involved, and how Amelis is championing women's health by providing transparency and education.  Enjoy! In This Episode [00:01:40] - Backstory [00:04:10] - Working in finance [00:08:25] - Gender pay gap [00:14:15] - Female representation [00:16:55] - Founding Amelis [00:22:00] - Fertility—personal and social perspectives [00:30:30] - The male fertility factor [00:32:55] - Egg freezing and age [00:36:20] - Personal experience [00:37:55] - Affordability and accessibility [00:44:05] - Fundraising and entrepreneurial journey [00:57:05] - Plans and ambitions [01:00:20] - Competition and popularity [01:03:55] - The increasing popularity of egg freezing in recent years [01:07:15] - Global Dental Collective [01:09:00] - Dentistry and mental health [01:11:30] - Finding Amelis online About Sarita Stefani Women’s Health Ultimate Role Model winner 2024, Sarita Stefani, is the CEO and founder of Amilis, which supports women through the egg-freezing process. She is also an angel investor in life sciences, healthcare and medtech.