“We treat each patient as an individual”
Cosmetic dentist Dr Kiran Shah invites Eileen Leahy to his Molyneux Park Road practice to tell her about the specialist work he does for both his general dentistry patients and for those seeking a transformative same-day smile…
Kalon Dental, which is located in the quiet leafy enclave of Molyneux Park Road, in the heart of Tunbridge Wells, could, quite possibly, be the smartest and most stylish practice I have ever set foot in. At the heart of it is some pretty impressive state-of-the-art dental equipment including an Itero 5D scanner and a KaVo X Ray system, as well as a variety of the latest innovative digital tech to enhance a patient’s experience – whether they are having a regular check-up or undergoing cosmetic treatment.
But in contrast to all the gleaming white specialist equipment the space is actually incredibly welcoming – and dare I say it for a dentist’s surprisingly relaxing. That’s certainly helped by the attention to detail that’s been put into the décor. A magnificent potted orchid takes centre stage in the seating area while the walls are adorned with beautiful mirrors and some stunning artwork. Then there’s the marble splashbacks, glossy cabinetry and a funky wooden slatted feature wall which boasts the Kalon logo. “We are very proud of how the practice looks,” smiles its owner Dr Kiran Shah who qualified as a dentist 13 years ago. Since then Kiran has trained alongside world-renowned clinicians and local practices and gained multiple qualifications to advance his dentistry skills.
“During my time I have worked in a number of different places, so when I was looking for premises of my own I knew this space, although fairly small, was just right. ”Kiran adds that it has always been his ambition to work for himself and have the opportunity to pursue his speciality of composite bonding, composite veneers, Invisalign, edge bonding, teeth whitening and general cosmetic dental work.
“Cosmetic dentistry is now becoming enormously popular but there aren’t too many dentists in Tunbridge Wells or the surrounding area who specialise in this like I do,” explains Kiran. “There are lots of traditional practices but very few carry out the cosmetic work I do which means I get clients coming from further afield. ”Kiran adds that the ‘Hollywood smile’ effect is something that more and more people are now looking for. And by opting for either composite bonding, which corrects spaces, fractures and discolouration, or going for composite veneers which is when the whole tooth is covered, that mega-watt smile is an achievable goal. You can opt to have the upper teeth and/or lower teeth done. And the average time is around three hours for each.
But before we get into more detail Kiran says that he’s very keen to dispel some of the myths that surround these procedures. “You don’t need to spend a fortune, you don’t need to go abroad and it’s definitely not a case of one size fits all. Here we are very much about working with each individual client in a more prescriptive and holistic way in order to achieve transformative results for them.” Kiran says he is very much driven by educating his clients – even the youngest ones. “I’ve done a lot of work in schools and it’s something I would like to continue to do because great teeth starts with great hygiene.”He adds that word of mouth is a big driver to growing his patients list. “There’s been a huge rise in dental aesthetics so if people have faith in what you are doing, despite it being relatively new, then they will tell others.” And in truth someone’s gorgeous and natural looking new smile will speak volumes for the skilled work Kiran is able to do. It’s almost a calling card if you like…
“Yes that is key,” he responds. “And I think that given the fact so many of my patients, and staff, have travelled around with me from different places I’ve worked says a lot about their loyalty to me. I must be doing something right,” Kiran laughs revealing his own picture-perfect smile.
“Our staff here share the same vision and long-term plans for growth as me.” His team includes practice manager Donna and dental assistants Monica and Lula.
Despite his numerous qualifications and skills, Kiran is very down to earth which must put his patients at ease when they are in the chair. “Yes I think a lot of people see me as relatable. Some practices are very target driven but I’m not. I think being transparent and honest with my clients and giving them the opportunity to choose what they want without the hard sell has really paid off. In addition to working in corporate dentistry I also did seven years working in the NHS, and that was very formative and really helped me to develop my skill set, but even in that environment, there were targets to achieve. I’m very much a strong believer that healthcare shouldn’t be like that. It should always be aimed towards patient-centred choices. We have a duty to be empathetic. ”Kiran and his small team have been at the Molyneux Park Road practice since May 2023 and in that time they have seen their client list grow exponentially. This, says Kiran is mainly through word of mouth as discussed earlier but also because he is very keen on promoting his business through social media as well as more traditional advertising. “I had a lady call me the other day saying she’d seen my ad in the Tunbridge Wells Business Magazine so that works! And our Instagram account has been instrumental in attracting new clients – including influencers and footballers too. That’s given me a lot of confidence that we’re doing the right thing here. Having people like that come and put their faith in me and have their treatment kind of legitimises me in the eyes of those who are following them on social media or are their fans. ”Eventually Kiran has plans to expand further and move to a bigger premises to carry out what he calls his ‘same day smile’ treatments but he says that there is something special about the Molyneux Park Road practice.
“Having this single surgery set-up has given me a really lovely location where people can walk to from town or find a free parking space. If I was more central to Tunbridge Wells then I don’t think I would have had any of those bonuses.
Kiran says that the cosmetic side of his dentistry makes up for around 50% or so of his workload with regular check-ups, crowns, cavities and hygiene work making up the rest. And although he still greatly enjoys the latter, Kiran admits that he is very excited to be one of the pioneering dentists at the forefront of this shift towards more cosmetic procedures. “As with everything we are probably five years or so behind the Americans but the pursuit of that Hollywood smile is definitely high on the list for a lot of people here in the UK. And with the advances in dental materials, technology and bonding agents we are able to carry out very impressive work – which doesn’t come with a Hollywood price tag any longer. “I think it was cost prohibitive for many which is why you saw an increase in teeth tourism with people going to Turkey but thankfully now people are able to look for this specialist work closer to home thanks to the advances in digital dentistry as a whole as well as the techniques we use. ”Kiran says he is always looking at how to improve his technique and knowledge in order to enhance his skills and what he has learned after graduating from his five-year dental degree. He adds that this applies to general dental work as well as his growing interest in cosmetic dentistry. “I was kind of doing it already given that I was working on patients who had developmental defects on their teeth so I would do build-ups for them but it was my nurse at the time who said ‘what you are doing is very similar to this new trend of composite bonded teeth.’ So she showed me these perfect smiles on social media and I was like ‘oh wow, so these dentists are doing what I am but just in a more cosmetic context.“Back then I was working in another practice locally but again I was a bit disillusioned with the whole target driven structure that was in place there so I just thought ‘right, I am going to give his a go.’ As I mentioned, I had been dabbling in it in a natural way to help people improve their teeth and their quality of life but not in the same sort of aesthetically focused way. So I enrolled on some courses and invested in Invisalign training with the intent of focusing on it as a niche offering and it really just snowballed from there.”
That was just over four years ago and since then Kiran has branched out on his own, launching Kalon last year. I ask him what the significance of the name is and he tells me it is a Greek word which reflects the ideal of beauty, especially in the context of moral goodness or nobility. The word also possesses the initials of Kiran’s two young daughters.
Talking of family, Kiran says that his patients are just like that to him and his staff, which is another driver for being totally transparent with them re pricing and offering the best value for money.
“We’ve always been really competitively priced and one of the first things we introduced was free consultations for our cosmetic work. This gives us the opportunity to assess a patient’s teeth, talk about the treatment options they would like and their outcomes – and how realistic they are. I will give a patient my opinion on this and we will then go through the pros and cons and create a treatment plan that they can then take home with them to study in more detail.” But, Kiran states, if someone comes to see him and it is clear they don’t need composite bonding or Invisalign treatment then he will tell them so. Again, transparency is key at Kalon.
For those opting for any of Kiran’s specialist treatments he says there’s never a one-size-fits-all all policy with each client receiving a totally bespoke service. “We’ve also recently introduced finance for the work we carry out as we realised that cost is a barrier to some patients. And now they can opt for interest free payments for the first 12 months. There are other options too and again they are all competitively priced.”And on the subject of price how much are we looking at for a basic composite bonding job? “We have tried to be in the middle of the price spectrum so classically composite prices can range from between £200 to £400 per tooth so currently we are pitched at £250 for each one. All clients will know how much their treatment will cost so there is no ‘ouch’ moment at the end.”Post treatment, patients will return to Kiran for a check-up to ensure all is well and he encourages those who have had cosmetic work – whether that be composite bonding, Invisalign, or teeth whitening to have at least an annual check-up. “I would always encourage patients to pop in – it’s a bit like having an annual MOT.” Because so much time and care is taken in getting the right shape and colouring for each client’s new teeth the process culminates with what Kiran calls ‘a big reveal’ which is when the patients sees their new teeth in the mirror for the first time.
“Sometimes we get tears – of joy – and others are totally ecstatic! People see what a difference it makes and although they need a bit of time to adapt to the change every single client I have worked with has loved the results.”
Kiran says the composite bonding service option he offers, which takes around three hours with no need for an anaesthetic, is less costly than fitting traditional porcelain teeth and comes with less risk to the original teeth being damaged. “We’ve literally had people fall asleep in the chair while I am doing their teeth,” he laughs.
The average longevity for composite bonding is around four to eight years while for porcelain it’s approximately 10 – although Kiran says dentists will never guarantee that as some might last longer – or indeed shorter – than that and then there’s the teeth’s infrastructure to consider. By that he means the state of the gums, grinding, social factors like smoking and the natural receding that takes place as we age. “Any dentist should be offering a one-year warranty on whatever work you have done.”
And would Kiran ever consider further enhancing his medical skills? “I’m quite interested in facial aesthetics given I have a decent awareness of the head and neck anatomy and I am always looking to upskill but for now I am very happy doing this.”
Before I leave Kiran recounts one of his favourite moments since running Kalon and that’s when one patient returned to see him for a check-up after she’d had composite bonding done.
“She looked really great so I asked her if she had done anything in particular and she replied that her teeth treatment had been so transformative for her that she had started going to the gym again and dressing up more. She told me she felt so much more confident and that’s really inspiring to hear. Self-care is such an important part of life so being entrusted with people’s smiles is a blessing and being able to give someone something that empowers them is priceless.”
GET IN TOUCH:
KALON DENTAL
DR Kiran Shah
5a Molyneux Park Road
Tunbridge Wells
Email: info@kalondental.co.uk
Instagram: @DR.KIRANSHAH
