OHT Pathways Focus #3 – Business ownership with Salik Faniad

The Dental Head Start Podcast

Welcome to the OHT pathways focus series by Dental Head Start. Listen to a limited series of interviews with OHTs that have taken the less traditional general practice pathway and used their scope to endeavour into a unique, different and fulfilling career.

Hosted by Christina Potestas

In this episode, I chat with dental hygienist Salik Faniad @sydneyhygienist who returns to the podcast with some pretty big changes in his career. Salik shares how his experiences and lessons learnt so far has helped him on his pathway of business ownership. We talk about how his business operates and the joys and challenges of running his very own dental practice as a hygienist, with nothing in his way to slow him down.

NOTE: The discussions had in these series of interviews is only general advice and should not be considered an official outline of your scope upon graduating your Oral Health Therapy degree. Your university defines your scope of practice and should be your ultimate point of reference should you be unsure of what dentistry you are allowed to perform post graduation.

Key moments

1. 0:00:32 – Introduction of guest Salik Faniad, a dental hygienist who has opened his own practice.
2. 0:01:49 – Salik’s journey into dentistry, including his work experience with Dr. David Moffett and his time in university.
3. 0:07:04 – Salik’s first job experiences after graduating, working in both specialist and general practices.
4. 0:10:00 – Salik’s initial challenges as a new graduate hygienist, feeling like just a “car wash” in the practice.
5. 0:11:22 – Salik’s motivation and decision to start his own business, Sydney Hygienist, rather than pursue dentistry.

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Salik Faniad

Salik H. Faniad is an entrepreneurial force in the dental industry, co-founding Hills Dental Boutique and becoming widely known as “Sydney’s Hygienist” on social media. With over 13 years of experience, Salik has mastered the art of connecting oral health with overall wellness, specializing in periodontal therapy and preventative care.

Beyond his clinical expertise, Salik’s business acumen has made him a successful practice owner and leader. His passion for patient care extends to building a dental practice that values integrity, innovation, and patient-centered service. Through his journey from clinician to entrepreneur, Salik has gained deep insights into what it takes to manage and grow a thriving dental business, while always keeping the patient’s well-being at the forefront.

Salik is an advocate for evidence-based practice, continuous learning, and personalized care. Outside of dentistry, he enjoys playing soccer, watching Manchester City, traveling, and spending quality time with his family.

Listen to Salik’s first Dental Head Start episode here

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Esesson Foundation Annual Gala 2024

In Australia, the Queensland Health publicly released adult waiting lists are approximately 150,000 people long and have an up to a 24-month wait for the initial appointment for comprehensive treatment. There is an identified need for emergency and comprehensive dental services that unable to be accessed by vulnerable groups of people within South East Queensland. These vulnerable groups include children, Refugee and Asylum Seekers, Children in Care and others from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds and individuals or families who have been impacted by domestic & family violence.
Tickets include:
– Three-course dinner
– 4-hour drink package
– Music, performances, and entertainment
– Silent and live auctions

The Esesson Foundation will host its Annual Gala Ball on Saturday, 28th of September 2024. The charity event will raise essential funds for administering basic healthcare for children of vulnerable and underprivileged backgrounds.

2023 – Esesson Foundation Annual Gala

Purchase tickets here

https://events.humanitix.com/esesson-foundat

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