The Business of Dentistry

In this episode of Dentology Andy and Chris are joined by Catherine Rutland, a leading figure in UK dentistry whose career has spanned clinical care, business leadership, and national policy.

As Clinical Director for Simplyhealth and Denplan, and Director of Policy and Research for the Association of Dental Groups, Catherine brings a wealth of insight into both the strategic and practical sides of the profession.

Catherine chats about her early life, including her time spent living in Kenya, and how those experiences helped shape who she is today.

From studying at Leeds to her hospital years in Newcastle, and nearly two decades as a partner in a private practice in Berkshire, Catherine reflects on the lessons learned at each stage.

She also talks about her current role and considers how the business of dentistry is evolving.

Finally, she shares her thoughts on the shift in partnership models and how her role has changed over time.

Topics:

·           Tell us about your childhood and early years living in Kenya

·           You went to Leeds University – what was this like?

·           You were a House Office and then SHO in Newcastle – what did this hospital experience teach you?

·           How was your experience as a partner in private practice for 19 years?

·           What does your current role encapsulate?

·           Is there an overlap between the business and clinical aspects of the business?

·           Do you miss treating patients?

·           How has SimplyHealth changed over the past 15 years?

·           You were also awarded a Fellowship of the College of General Dentistry in 2023 – so clearly a lifelong learner?

·           What is the mood among the UK dental corporate market at present?

·           If you can take only one learning from across your varied dental career - what is it?

This week’s guest is someone who has continually pushed the boundaries of what dentistry can be – a clinician, an author, a leader, and an innovator – James Goolnik.

James is the recent founder of Optimal Dental Health in Marylebone, past president of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (BACD), head judge of the Private Dentistry Awards, and author of ‘Brush and Kick Sugar’.

In this episode, Chris and Andy chat to James about his early years and the childhood influences that shaped his path, before moving on to discuss how he found dentistry and whether it was love at first sight or something he grew into over time.

James reflects on founding Bow Lane Dental Group to launching his latest venture, Optimal Dental Health.

He talks about his passion for changing the narrative around sugar and shares more on some of the insights that have shaped his book and led to his new practice model – one that integrates dentistry with nutrition, health coaching, myofunctional therapy, and psychotherapy.

He also chats about his trailblazing work in cognitive health. As the first and only UK dentist trained in the RECODE 2.0 Bredesen protocol for Alzheimer’s, James is leading the charge into new territory for the profession.

Topics:

-          Tell us about your childhood.

-          Why dentistry?

-          Did you love it from dental school, or have you grown to love it?

-          What was your career path up to the point where you founded Bow Lane Dental Group?

-          What was the inspiration for writing your book?

-          How has the food industry seduced us to love sugar so much?

-          What’s the safe alternative?

-          What was the inspiration for your latest venture, Optimal Dental Health?

-          How do the services offered join together to bring about optimal dental health?

-          What are some of the high-level connections between the mouth and body that will come as a surprise to some?

-          Tell us about being the first and currently the only UK dentist to be RECODE 2.0 trained to use the Bredesen protocol to help treat Alzheimer’s and reverse cognitive decline.

-          What was the thinking behind this extension to your profession qualifications?

-          Is there a need to get more dental care professionals to ask more diet and lifestyle questions?

In this episode, Andy and Chris are joined by someone who brings a powerful blend of clinical expertise, entrepreneurial grit, and boundless energy to the world of dentistry – Dr Rana Al-Falaki.

Rana is a specialist periodontist, an Optimal Performance Strategist, and the founder of MedDent – the Leadership and Wellbeing Academy.

She’s also recently launched Breathe Dental Wellness – a name that already tells you a lot about her mission to bring balance and purpose into the profession.

From being nudged into dentistry by her parents, to building and selling two specialist practices, to managing chronic illness and transforming that experience into a wellbeing movement – Rana’s story is nothing short of inspiring. She chats about her childhood and family life, some of her big career decisions made at a very young age, her time at Barts, and her journey from startup to practice ownership of 2 specialist practices and finally, her decision to sell.

She also talks about the NAIL-IT system – the framework she credits for helping her through tough times – and her vision behind MedDent.

In this episode, Andy and Chris are joined by Steve Davey, practice growth and marketing consultant.  Steve has over three decades of marketing expertise and followed a fascinating journey that’s taken him from the leafy suburbs to the heart of Devon, and from broader healthcare to a powerful niche within dentistry.

Steve chats about the early influences that shaped his career and the marketing truths he’s uncovered that most still overlook. With a career that spans both offline and digital worlds, Steve shares what’s changed – and what’s stayed the same – in the ever-evolving marketing landscape.

He also talks about how he found himself working with dental practices, how they can grow by focusing on their existing patient base, and why clear aligner marketing might just be the most crowded space of all.

Plus, he also reflects on some of the current challenges in dentistry… and there’s a bit of sports chat too.

Topics:

-          Tell us about your early years.

-          Why did you move to Devon? What was the attraction to leave the leafy suburbs?

-          What’s the one marketing thing you’ve figured out that most others probably haven’t?

-          What has changed and what has stayed the same over this period?

-          Are the broader healthcare needs the same as dentistry?

-          How did you find yourself in the niche of dentistry?

-          What’s your view on online vs offline marketing?

-          From a marketing perspective is clear aligners a niche that is ultra-competitive and challenging?

-          In which ways do you help dental practices?

-          Is there a trend in dentistry to attract new patients, and not giving attention to the 000’s they have already registered?

-          Can most practices meet their growth goals through organic growth from their existing patient base?

-          From a dental viewpoint - what are you worried about at present?

-          Which is your sport of choice?

Andy and Chris chat to Dr Adam Nulty in this latest episode of the Dentology podcast.

Adam, a true pioneer in digital dentistry, is a highly experienced clinician with a special interest in Restorative & Aesthetic Dentistry, Digital Dentistry and Implantology and has been at the forefront of advancing technology in dentistry, shaping the way modern practices operate today.

In this episode, he chats about his journey - from growing up in a household with a dentist father to becoming a leader in digital dentistry. He explains what first sparked his passion for digital workflows, the impact of digital transformation on patient care, and how his vision led to the creation of the International Digital Dental Academy (IDDA), the IDDA Lab, and an R&D centre.

Beyond his clinical expertise, Adam is also an innovator with patents on several dental products and shares more about his entrepreneurial mindset, the key skills he believes every business owner should master, and what truly makes him happiest.

Topics:

-          Tell us about your childhood and what family life in the Nulty household looked like?

-          You father was a dentist – were you always destined to follow this path?

-          Where was digital dentistry at the time you qualified?

-          What was the spark that excited you about the application of digital dentistry and it’s future impact?

-          What is the biggest impact the digital transformation of dental practices has had to improve patient outcomes?

-          Is your personal obsession with digital dentistry the driver to create the International Digital Dental Academy (IDDA)?

-          How does this differ from other (digital) labs?

-          You’ve also create the KISS workflow – what is this?

-          What was your journey from qualification through to owning Dentist On THE ROCK & Digital Smile Studio?

-          Would you do it the same again?

-          What is the one activity you do that makes you the happiest?

-          Which is the critical skill to master as an entrepreneur?

In this episode of the Dentology podcast, hosts Andy and Chris chat to Bilal Ahmed, a chief accountant with a passion for financial literacy and a knack for breaking down complex money matters.

Bilal shares his journey from growing up in a family business to navigating the complexities of accountancy and eventually finding his niche in the dental industry.  

He chats about the state of financial literacy in dentistry - why so many professionals struggle with managing personal finances, tax planning, and budgeting, and why these crucial skills aren’t taught in schools or even business education. He also shares some of the financial pitfalls he’s seen dentists fall into and how a shift in mindset can turn tax from a burden into a tool for growth.

With a strong presence on social media, Bilal has also built a reputation for making accountancy engaging and accessible. He explains more about his strategy for educating and demystifying financial topics online and discusses the balance between being data-driven and running a business with human intuition.

Topics:

-          Tell us about your childhood

-          What was it about numbers that inspired you to go deep and study accountancy?

-          How did you happen upon the dental niche?

-          What is your strategy with social media?

-          What is your view on the general levels of financial literacy?

-          Why is there such a lack of emphasis on manging your personal finances, how much tax will I pay, how much should I save, how do I budget and so on? In schools, dental schools, even business education.

-          You must have seen some horror stories over the years, what pitfalls do dentists fall into?

-          Discussing money and numbers tends to be a private matter in the UK, is this part of the issue with people getting into troubles?

-          Tell us about the 3 principles your practice is built on?

-          Does this purely apply to tax or general business advice?

-          What is the crossover between being completely data-driven and the person running the business?

-          What are the practical ways for dental professionals to shift from reactive to proactive planning?

-          Is there a cultural mindset shift needed to not see tax not as a burden but as a natural part of a well-planned and thriving business?

-          What keeps you busy away from work?

In this episode of the Dentology podcast, Kunal Thakker, CEO and founder of Tooth Club, shares more on his entrepreneurial journey in dentistry.

He discusses the influence of his upbringing, the lessons learned from his career to date, and his transition from a high-pressure investment banking career to building a dental group.

He discusses the complexities of growing a dental business while maintaining a strong company culture and emphasises the importance of kindness in leadership, the challenges of outgrowing team members, and the unique perspective he brings as a non-dentist owner.

Finally, he considers where he sees dentistry going over the next 5-10 years and shares insights on learnings from influential figures and the importance of industry success stories.

Topics:

-          Can you tell us about your upbringing and early family life?

-          Working in investment banking - did your education route lead you down this path?

-          How did this world set you up for starting a dental group?

-          Are there core behaviours that universally apply and things all business owners could learn from this sector?

-          What did the plan look like for Tooth Club before you started?

-          What do you have to obsess about when scaling a business?

-          Who was kind to you when you first came into dentistry?

-          Where do you see dentistry going over the next 5-10 years?

-          How do you balance work and business commitments?

-          What is non-negotiable in your personal diary?

-          If you got your time again, would you do Tooth Club differently?

In this episode, Andy and Chris delve into the critical role of money in the dental profession, emphasising the importance of understanding cash flow versus profit.

They discuss common misconceptions among dentists regarding financial management and the necessity for financial literacy to ensure the sustainability of dental practices.

The conversation highlights the need for dentists to analyse their financial data regularly and to be comfortable discussing money within their teams.

In this episode of the Dentology podcast, Dr. Simon Chard returns to discuss his journey with Parla, a sustainable oral care brand, and the challenges and triumphs of being a startup founder.

He reflects on his experience on Dragon's Den, the importance of sustainability in the dental industry, and the connection between oral health and overall wellness.

Simon talks about what has happened with Parla in the past two years (he was a previous guest with us back in March 2023) and chats about plans for the future.

He also explains about the Dental Growth Retreat aimed at addressing mental health issues in dentistry, what drove him to lead this initiative and what the inaugural event was like.

Topics:

-          Update us on Parla

-          Your experience on Dragon’s Den: Do you still stand by your decision to not take the money?

-          You are now a Cert B business - to the uninitiated what does this mean?

-          What else has happened at Parla in the past 2 years?

-          Is the mainstream competition catching up?

-          Does the life of a founder always feel like ground zero or do to feel the gains?

-          Tell us about the Dental Growth Retreat

-          What drove you to lead this initiative?

-          What was the inaugural event like?

-          How do you keep in touch with your own risk of burnout?

In this episode of the Dentology podcast, Dr. Yewande Oduwole shares her inspiring journey into dentistry with hosts Andy and Chris.

She discusses the influence of her family, her academic achievements, and the challenges she faced in her pursuit of a dental career.

She talks about her time at dental school, her student scholarship from the Afro-Caribbean Dental Association and how this then led her to embarking on a project in Ghana to provide free dental care and oral health education to communities, schools and orphanages.

She also talks about clinical work and the support she now does with the dental student community.

Finally, she shares her secrets to successfully balancing her clinical work alongside her growing social media presence and considers her aspirations for the future.

Topics:

-          Have you always been ultra-positive and was this instilled in you as a child?

-          Was there a time you can look back on your childhood and say this is why I am the person I am today?

-          How was this in terms of helping you build resilience for what can be a brutal world?

-          Which dental school did you go to and did you enjoy the experience?

-          Tell us about your student scholarship from the Afro-Caribbean Dental Association in your third year of dental school.

-          Tell us about the project in Ghana to provide free dental care and oral health education.

-          Was something missing from your dental school experience that led you down a path of giving back to the student community?

-          How disruptive was Covid for you as someone just finishing their training?

-          What does your typical week look like now?

-          How has social media helped you connect with patients and the profession?

-          Any downsides?

-          What does the future hold for you – ambitions on the business side of dentistry? Ownership?