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 reflections on mistakes, patient management, and work-life balance, the Attarianis offer invaluable insights into what makes a fulfilling career in dentistry while maintaining perspective on what truly matters in life.

In This Episode

00:01:55 - Meeting and getting together

00:05:40 - Martin's escape from Iran

00:25:25 - First reunion with family

00:31:40 - Vinnie's journey from Canada

00:43:35 - Balancing education and motherhood

00:51:45 - Swedish dental education

01:03:55 - Digital dentistry and scanning

01:11:35 - Blackbox thinking: Clinical errors

01:17:15 - Fitness to practice investigation

01:22:40 - Managing cosmetic patient expectations

01:31:25 - Partnership practice model

01:39:00 - Mental health in dentistry

01:51:40 - Fantasy dinner party

01:54:35 - Last days and legacy

About Martin and Vinnie Attariani

Martin Attariani fled Iran as a teenage refugee before qualifying as a dentist in Sweden, where he also holds a master's in biochemistry. 

Now practising in the UK for 17 years, he operates a beautifully refurbished listed building practice where he excels in complex dentistry, including implants, endodontics, and orthodontics. 

Vinnie Attariani, originally from Canada, moved to the UK through an arranged marriage at 17, qualifying in dentistry from Birmingham in 2000 while raising two sons during her undergraduate years. 

She practices in a partnership at Houston Place, one of the UK's oldest dental practices, established in the 1840s.