Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Pasha Hakimzadeh and Dr. Ben Reyhani.
Hi Dr. Hakimzadeh and Dr. Reyhani, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
We met on the first day of dental school and the rest is history! We became fast friends and quickly realized we had similar views on the future of dentistry and the opportunities we could create for ourselves if we invested in our ideas as business partners.
We’re unique in that today we are both aesthetic dentists (specializing in smile makeovers and porcelain veneers at Apa Aesthetic LA) and dental entrepreneurs. In dental school, we had a group of friends that were considered ‘outsiders’ because we saw through the institutional bureaucracy of the school and the lack of training for real-life scenarios.
We were essentially being taught by a group of dentists that mostly failed in the outside world therefore they went into academics. This wasn’t the case for everyone, but it was clear that most of the so-called leaders and educators didn’t have our best interest in mind and we saw through that.
Once we graduated, we started to really educate ourselves by attending clinical courses taught by world-class clinicians as well as business and leadership courses. We both worked for large corporations when we graduated and learned a lot about how we wanted to emulate as well as differ from them in our own practices.
Today, we have nine dental practices in the Southern California region in addition to being founding partners at Apa Aesthetic Los Angeles in Beverly Hills where we practice aesthetic dentistry.
We are also co-founders of Simple Systems Management, dental management, and marketing consulting firm that provides support to area dentists helping them further their customer base, grow their operations, and enhance their marketing channels.
Our brand Smile Makers LA is our one-stop shop for all things aesthetic and anti-aging dentistry. We have a lot going on but it’s great for us because every day is different and we both get to work on each area of the business that we’re passionate about.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Life is full of obstacles and challenges and we’ve definitely had our fair share, especially in the beginning, but we always learn from our challenges and find something to take away.
We’ve been business partners (and friends) for over a decade now but in the beginning, we were both working at large companies while trying to build our first practice on the side- nights, weekends, you name it, we were doing it. We were working 7 days a week at times and invested all of our savings into our first office.
We were trying to teach others while also figuring things out for ourselves like insurance, cash flow, and marketing. We were the ones painting the walls, installing computers, building furniture, etc.
By the time we opened our doors to that first office, we barely had a cent to our names but our original vision – which was to bring quality dental care to areas that needed it most – resonated with the community and from there we were able to build upon that.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
We have a saying that goes, “It’s not what we do, it’s how we do it”, and we really live by that.
In LA, and Beverly Hills especially, there are a ton of options when it comes to aesthetic procedures and cosmetic dentistry but we take pride in our craft and know we offer something truly unique – which is the art of aesthetic dentistry.
We specialize in natural-looking, thin porcelain veneers, and smile makeovers and work with our patients hand-in-hand along the way, creating their custom dream smiles. Everything from the shape to custom color is created in our in-house lab, which really sets us apart from others and cuts down the time between appointments.
You will never see someone leaving our office with fake-looking, too-white teeth.
What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
We believe in the elevated experience we’ve created at Apa Aesthetic LA – from the interior design and amenities to the quality and attention to detail of our dentistry services – and that really sets us apart.
When you walk into our offices it feels like a spa, not a dentist’s office, and we want to prove that fixing your teeth doesn’t have to be scary.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.smilemakersla.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/smilemakersla/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/smilemakerslosangeles
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCknHsGmGC1HQnARhcT-DTHQ
Image Credits
Apa Aesthetic
