What happens when you turn the microphone on the man who's spent years behind it? In this episode of the NAIL-IT podcast, Rana and Bav get Payman Langroudi — host of Dental Leaders and Clinical Director at Enlighten — firmly in the hot seat. 

It's a wide-ranging, refreshingly candid conversation that moves from the origins of Enlighten and the relentless pursuit of world-class quality to the very real mental health pressures that underpin life in dentistry. 

Payman reflects on leaning into his strengths, trusting his instincts, and why, after 320 episodes, the Dental Leaders podcast has become the thing he's most proud of. 

Find Rana on Instagram at @drranaalfalaki, and on Facebook and LinkedIn as Dr Rana Al-Falaki. Follow Bav on Instagram at @drbav83. You can also follow the NAIL-IT podcast at @nailit_podcast.

In This Episode

00:01:05 — Introductions and the Dental Leaders origin story

00:02:10 — Why Payman started a podcast — and what it's become

00:05:20 — Leaning into strengths, owning your quirks

00:07:00 — Starting Enlighten at 28 and the philosophy of doing one thing brilliantly

00:10:25 — The sacrifices behind world-class quality

00:14:10 — Being number two — and the decision to become the best

00:16:15 — Favourite quote: Oscar Wilde and the art of being yourself

00:20:25 — Identity, self-awareness and shedding the layers

00:21:50 — Dentistry as a kingdom — and why practices are anything but the same

00:23:10 — Mental health in dentistry: burnout, suicide and the stress bucket

00:27:40 — The emotional drain of being "on show" all day

00:30:20 — Kids, careers and the realities of dentistry as a profession

00:35:40 — Knowing yourself before you can lead others

00:36:10 — Intuition as a leadership skill — and how to train it

About Dr Rana Al-Falaki and Dr Bhavin Patel

Dr Rana Al-Falaki is a periodontist and internationally recognised pioneer in the use of lasers in periodontal treatment, having presented her research to audiences from the British Society of Periodontology to the American Academy and European Federation. 

After pushing herself to the point of chronic illness in pursuit of excellence, she channelled that experience into developing the NAIL-IT programme — a performance and leadership system built around optimising energy and helping dental professionals truly thrive. 

Dr Bhavin Patel is a dentist and educator who ran a practice on Wimpole Street for nearly eight years before stepping back to prioritise family life. Together, they host the NAIL-IT podcast — a show dedicated to helping dental professionals live fully, lead better, and laugh more.