Kunal is the founder of the contemporary dental group Tooth Club, which has several locations in the UK including Suffolk, Essex, Hertfordshire, Kent and soon to be in Surrey. The ebullient CEO shared that he “loves the fact that the dental profession is people-centric and wanted to revolutionise it from this standpoint.” Indeed, the unique ethos of the business emerged from Kunal’s own desire to assuage his anxiety around being in the dentist’s chair and personal journey: “there’s normally the smell of disinfectant in the air, the sound of drilling and maybe a receptionist who just won’t look up at you and this is a common scenario. I wanted to combat that with an approach that was all about the satisfaction of the patient, creating a space that smelled, felt and looked welcoming while preserving the delivery of an excellent standard of care.” This sentiment resulted in a fully-fledged business that made the dental process friendly, comfortable and pleasant – fun even. Afterall, many of us are apprehensive about revisiting the dentist and going once can be taxing enough.
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Additionally, Kunal sought to introduce his model to areas that wouldn’t otherwise have access to an affordable local practice, dubbed ‘squat practices’, combining both NHS contracts and the efficiency of private care: “we wanted to be at the heart of community so ideally located on the high-street where people would find it easy to find us, with affordable private dentistry, and were struggling to find a dentist. Accessibility was key: our phone lines are open 12 hours a day and 7 days a week allowing patients to easily book appointments when they need. Tooth Club has been a huge hit with people which can be seen on social media with customers recommending the novel but high-quality experience to their friends.” The vibrant décor that externally defines the chain certainly emanates positivity. Kunal started his career in investment banking and the corporate sector, working for giant companies such as HSBC and Goldman Sachs. However, he could never ignore his “entrepreneurial spirit and made the switch to dentistry after taking some courses with a friend who was interested in the sector at the time.” Kunal elaborated: “I could have followed a very sure path to wealth and success but that entrepreneur in me wanted to take a risk, exploring the opportunity at hand.”
Here, the founder’s urban upbringing played a pivotal role: he grew up spending a lot of time in a video shop owned by his parents in East London on the famous hustling grounds of Green Street. “I was learning about business from a young age,” he commented: “I watched my father experience both the highs and lows as he ran his shop. Watching him, I really learned how to graft. However, being of a different generation, I also had to unlearn much of the individualistic thinking that comes with it: if you are doing everything yourself and not reaching out and connecting with others, you are not growing. Obviously, my parents who were first generation didn’t have much choice in terms of having to survive, but my generation are far more luckier and have more options. I could take risks and evolve and learn new skills: such as amicable and like-minded collaboration. Being able to build a strong mutually passionate team has truly allowed Tooth Club to go from its inception. I took a leap of faith, and it resulted in incredible growth.” The success of Tooth Club then lies in its exceptional approach of scaling up with a smile:
“It is better to work together and rely on others, motivating each other to deliver a shared vision. You needn’t put the whole burden on your shoulders.” Before Kunal started his current expansive venture, he had opened another dental practice. “I learned much from the mistakes I made in my old business such as the importance of clear and unapologetically authentic branding – you must always stay true to your values and core culture while keeping an eye on the rest of the competitive market. This is what allows you to disrupt and break through as a business.” Not only does the founder work to ensure the health of the public’s teeth, but also glowing up the tired image of dentistry itself.
What have been the biggest challenges of launching this franchise?
We’ve had the typical growing pains in terms of scaling up, especially during Covid. However, recruitment tends to be a particular challenge where Brexit hasn’t helped on that front. However we position our selves as an employer of choice, that creates valuable careers and growth opportunities for our team.
What have been some highlights?
Being a non-dentist but deeply emotionally invested in the cause has always been interesting – I’ve built up a very supportive community through my personal conviction which has only gone upwards in terms of financial growth.
Finally, have you encountered many barriers as a South-Asian led business in an already very competitive industry?
Not really. I have always been focussed on what I want to do and that’s been enough. It is a sector, like many, that is typically dominated by white middleclass men, but South-Asian professionals are doing very well here as well so the dynamic of the landscape has been organically swayed more towards equality and acceptance.
If you would like to find out more visit: W: https://www.toothclub.co.uk/
