Doctor Solmaz Samae embodies the power of authenticity in dentistry—someone who speaks her truth with refreshing honesty. From building a successful business empire in Iran to studying dentistry in Latvia at 30, her unconventional journey reveals what happens when passion meets persistence. Now practising across multiple settings whilst building a thriving YouTube presence, Solmaz demonstrates that happiness in dentistry comes from genuinely caring about the patient experience. Her candid reflec...
Jun 25, 2025•1 hr 26 min
This compelling episode features Lala, the anonymous voice behind "Lalalaletmeexplain" - a former social worker turned influential author who's helped thousands recognise red flags and find their worth. Rhona and Payman explore deeply personal territory as Lala shares her childhood trauma, decade-long career in child protection, and the systemic failures she witnessed firsthand. The conversation weaves through heavy topics, including misogyny, male influencers like Andrew Tate, and the recent co...
Jun 20, 2025•1 hr 55 min
Andrew El-Khanagry's journey from anxious young associate to confident practitioner reveals the transformative power of purpose-driven dentistry. Five years out from dental school, this Egyptian-born dentist has navigated the challenges of perfecting his craft while building Mobile Smiles, a charity bringing dental care to underserved communities worldwide. Through candid conversations about clinical mistakes, the value of communication over technique, and finding balance between profit and purp...
Jun 18, 2025•1 hr 47 min
Sonia Rajput shares her journey from being a self-described introvert from Birmingham to becoming a dentist at two of London's most prestigious dental practices. Throughout the conversation, she reveals how she balanced ambition with prioritising work-life balance, leveraging social media to advance her career despite her natural introversion. Sonia offers valuable insights into building a private dentistry career, discussing everything from clinical techniques to patient communication, while be...
Jun 11, 2025•1 hr 25 min
Stina Sanders, a former dating app co-founder turned therapist and mental health advocate, joins Rhona and Payman for a raw conversation about love, trauma, and the difference between chaos and genuine connection. From selling her relationship-focused business Huggle to studying therapy after her own healing journey, Stina unpacks why we mistake dysfunction for passion, how trauma bonds keep us stuck, and whether AI can replace human connection in healing. This episode challenges everything you ...
Jun 06, 2025•1 hr 2 min
In this captivating episode of Dental Leaders, Payman sits down with Dr Moj Dehghanpour, a dentist whose journey from immigrant child to practice owner embodies resilience and entrepreneurial spirit. From navigating tough comprehensive schools to founding the premium Your Dental Wellness practices, Moj shares how his background shaped his ability to connect with patients across social divides. Throughout the conversation, he offers refreshing insights into clinical mistakes, practice positioning...
Jun 04, 2025•2 hr 12 min
In this captivating conversation, Payman welcomes Alan Clarke, the innovative founder of Paste Dental in Belfast and creator of Paste Presents. Alan shares his journey from growing up in Northern Ireland to developing a global mindset through international experiences. Throughout the episode, he discusses building a lifestyle dental brand, his groundbreaking international dental mastermind events, and his passion for community building within dentistry. Alan's entrepreneurial spirit, faith-drive...
May 28, 2025•1 hr 50 min
Payman welcomes renowned restorative aesthetic dentist Richard Lee to the Dental Leaders podcast. Richard shares his journey from an unintentional entry into dentistry to becoming one of the UK's top cosmetic clinicians. With refreshing candour, he discusses the endless pursuit of excellence, his formative education under mentors like Chris Orr, and his approach to balancing artistry with practicality. Throughout the episode, Richard reflects on how his international experiences, including a rec...
May 21, 2025•1 hr 53 min
Payman speaks with Anni Seaborne, Head of General Dentistry at Bupa. Anni shares her unconventional journey from international childhood to sports dentistry, including her work with elite athletes and Formula One teams. The conversation weaves through her transition into corporate leadership, her honest reflections on being fiercely competitive, and how she balances multiple career paths while navigating personal choices. Throughout, Anni reveals how her sporting background has shaped her approa...
May 14, 2025•1 hr 29 min
In this emotionally rich and refreshingly candid episode of Mind Movers, Julius Cowdrey joins Rhona and Payman to explore everything from public vulnerability to private pain. Once a singer-songwriter and Made in Chelsea star, Julius opens up about chasing validation, generational trauma, the pressure to provide, and the chaos of early success. Now a transformational coach, he reflects on the personal work it took to leave reality TV behind and step into purpose. Expect unfiltered honesty on mas...
May 09, 2025•1 hr 35 min
In the second part of this enlightening conversation, Martin and Vinnie Attariani dive deeper into their professional lives and personal passions. They discuss their experiences as judges for dental awards, their perspectives on industry recognition, and Martin's surprising side career as a professional magician. The conversation explores their charitable endeavours, reflections on effective altruism, and their vision for a more holistic approach to healthcare that extends beyond dentistry. With...
May 07, 2025•1 hr 4 min
In this deeply personal first part of a two-part interview, Payman Langroudi sits down with the dental power couple Martin and Vinnie Attariani. They share their remarkable journey to the UK - Martin's harrowing escape from Iran as a 14-year-old refugee to Sweden, and Vinnie's move from Canada to the UK through an arranged marriage at 17. The conversation explores their paths into dentistry, their approach to clinical excellence, and their philosophy about practice ownership. With candid reflect...
Apr 30, 2025•2 hr 2 min
Prav sits down with husband-and-wife team Drs Mumta and Amit Jilka, the owners of Abbey House Dental. From humble beginnings working in corner shops to building a successful multi-practice dental business, the Jilkas share their inspiring journey of entrepreneurship, resilience, and growth. They candidly discuss how their business flourished organically before adopting a more strategic approach, including the challenges they faced during a financial crisis in 2024 that nearly led to bankruptcy, ...
Apr 23, 2025•1 hr 20 min
Prav Solanki returns as host to interview Dev Patel, CEO of Dental Beauty Partners, about growing and scaling dental practices. This episode effectively distills the regular conversations Prav and Dev have about practice growth, offering listeners a fly-on-the-wall experience of their candid discussions. Dev shares his straightforward approach to practice growth, emphasising the importance of leadership, financial literacy, and a patient-first mindset. They discuss everything from evaluating pra...
Apr 16, 2025•54 min
Payman chats with Kaival Patel, the dynamic force behind Kana Health Group. Kaival opens up about his journey from an enthusiastic associate dentist to the leader of a thriving dental empire comprising five large practices and 130 staff members. With refreshing candour, he shares the challenges of creating a positive culture, the emotional lows of practice ownership, and his innovative approaches to team building and referral marketing. What truly shines through is Kaival's passion for developin...
Apr 09, 2025•1 hr 34 min
In this powerful episode of Mind Movers, Rhona and Payman speak with Jacqueline Hurst, one of the UK's leading life coaches and mindset experts. Jacqueline shares her remarkable journey from addiction, anorexia and self-destruction to becoming a force for change who has helped thousands transform their lives. With raw honesty, she explains how she hit rock bottom at 25, found recovery, and developed her no-nonsense approach to mindset work. The conversation explores how our thoughts create our f...
Apr 04, 2025•1 hr 11 min
In this captivating episode of Dental Leaders, Payman sits down with specialist endodontist Ammar Al Hourani. Born in Syria and raised in Scotland, Ammar shares his journey from reluctant dental student to passionate endodontics specialist. The conversation weaves through his life-changing experiences in refugee camps, the challenges of specialist training, and his current success running courses in the UK and India. Throughout the discussion, Ammar offers valuable clinical insights on everythin...
Apr 02, 2025•1 hr 40 min
In this Dental Leaders episode, Payman sits down with Sam Cope, a dentist whose journey to dentistry began in physiotherapy. Known for his focus on minimally invasive cosmetic dentistry, Sam discusses the habits that keep his clinical days finely tuned, the influence of mentors, and his obsession with detail. He reflects on how his background in physio shaped his approach to patient care, back health, and long-term sustainability in dentistry. The conversation ranges from composite techniques an...
Mar 26, 2025•1 hr 46 min
Sarovi Davda, a general dentist with a special interest in periodontics, joins Payman for an insightful conversation about the evolution of periodontal treatment and the art of balancing professional expertise with personal growth. From her journey through dental school to establishing herself as a medico-legal expert witness, Sarovi shares candid reflections on career choices, parenthood, and divorce. Her passion for periodontics combines technical skill with psychological understanding, emphas...
Mar 19, 2025•1 hr 35 min
In this captivating episode, Payman Langroudi sits down with Bhavnish Waghela, owner of Natural Smiles practices in Leicester and Corby. Bhavnish shares his journey from NHS to private dentistry, discussing his philosophy of "Michelin-starred dentistry" and how his faith has guided significant business decisions. With refreshing candour, he explores the challenges of opening squat practices, his evolution as an implantologist, and the importance of balancing professional success with family life...
Mar 12, 2025•1 hr 28 min
In this captivating conversation, young dentist Sarina Kiani shares her journey from GSK dental rep to working in two of London's most prestigious practices. Her remarkable story is one of resilience, authenticity and quiet confidence. From knocking on 120 practice doors to secure her first private position to navigating challenges as a newly qualified dentist in high-end clinics, Sarina offers refreshing insights into building a successful career while maintaining mental wellbeing. Her philosop...
Mar 05, 2025•1 hr 34 min
In this compelling episode of Mind Movers, Rhona Eskander sits down with Dr Philippa Kaye, a GP, author, and menopause expert who's become a powerful voice in medical communication. Their honest conversation traverses the landscape of women's health, from medical misogyny to the science of menopause. Dr Kaye shares her personal cancer journey with raw vulnerability, offering profound insights on resilience and self-discovery. The discussion challenges societal stigmas and highlights how historic...
Feb 28, 2025•1 hr 13 min
Payman chats with three dental professionals from mydentist—Claire Stenhouse, Parin Shah, and Alyssia Willis—each offering a unique perspective on working within a corporate dental environment. Claire shares how she expanded her role as a hygiene therapist into whitening and restorative procedures, while Parin reflects on her journey from owning a practice in India to adapting to the UK system. Alyssia discusses her transition from dental nursing to therapy and the opportunities available within...
Feb 26, 2025•1 hr 56 min
In this episode of Dental Leaders, Payman welcomes Nyree Whitley, Chief Clinical Officer at mydentist, to discuss the realities of corporate dentistry, leadership, and the evolving role of clinicians in large-scale dental organisations. Nyree dispels common misconceptions about corporate dentistry, emphasising the balance between clinical freedom and structured support. She shares insights into the challenges of managing thousands of dentists, the importance of mentorship, and the shift toward l...
Feb 19, 2025•1 hr 30 min
Georgia Meacham opens up about her journey as a deaf model and actress, sharing her transformation from hiding her hearing aids to becoming a proud advocate for disability visibility. Through honest conversation with Rhona and Payman, Georgia reveals how embracing her identity has improved her mental health and inspired others. Her story touches on themes of authenticity, representation in media, and the importance of normalising difference in society. In This Episode 00:01:35 - Early diagnosis ...
Feb 14, 2025•1 hr 3 min
In this deeply moving episode, Sharon Walsh shares her journey from being a successful private practice owner to experiencing a devastating personal and professional crisis that led to practice loss, divorce, alcoholism, and a seven-year GDC case. With remarkable candour, she discusses her path to recovery, spiritual awakening, and finding meaning beyond material success. Her story is one of resilience, acceptance, and the profound understanding that sometimes we must be completely broken to dis...
Feb 12, 2025•1 hr 15 min
From fleeing revolution-era Iran to building an eight-surgery practice in Norwich, Fariba Zolfaghari shares her remarkable journey of resilience and reinvention. Through arranged marriage, divorce, immigration, and starting over as a single mother, Fariba pursued her dental education in Sweden before establishing herself in the UK. She opens up about overcoming personal and professional challenges, including a difficult business partnership dissolution and bankruptcy, to emerge stronger. Today, ...
Feb 05, 2025•1 hr 41 min
Nutritional scientist Dr Federica Amati shares her journey from aspiring medical student to becoming head nutritionist at Zoe. She discusses the importance of evidence-based nutrition, the challenges of public health communication, and the complexities of dietary advice in the age of social media. Through personal anecdotes and professional insights, Amati emphasises the value of consistent, varied eating patterns and the critical role of prevention in public health. In This Episode 00:00:25 - I...
Jan 31, 2025•1 hr 11 min
Claire Nightingale, a consultant orthodontist and former practice owner, shares her remarkable journey through dentistry spanning over three decades. From her early experiences as a patient that sparked her interest in dentistry, through to her recent venture into stand-up comedy, Claire offers candid insights into practice ownership, clinical excellence, and embracing change in orthodontics. She discusses her transition from NHS to private practice, her pioneering adoption of Invisalign and dig...
Jan 29, 2025•2 hr 13 min
In this engaging episode, longtime dental industry professional Joe Lovett shares his journey from his early days at FMC Publications to founding his own consulting business, Catalyst. He discusses the evolution of dental media, the importance of maintaining authentic relationships in business, and his passion for helping young dentists advance their careers. Through candid stories and reflections, Joe offers insights into corporate culture, ethical business practices, and the changing landscape...
Jan 22, 2025•1 hr 34 min
