THE DANCING DENTIST Student editor Kishan Sheth chats with Dr. Shiraz Khan about breakdancing and competitions. Kishan Sheth: Thank you for talking with me, and congratulations on your appointment onto the honorary editorial board of DentaltownUK. Dr. Shiraz Khan: Thank you! KS: Where do you currently work? SK: Ten Dental and One Stop Doctors. KS: Where and when did you qualify? SK: University of Birmingham in 2013. KS: How would you sum yourself up in just three words? SK: Aspirational, tenacious and grateful. Dr. Shiraz Khan KS: Do you have any fears? SK: I'd say my biggest fear in life would be to stagnate, to be constant, whether that's clinically or with family. I'd hate to be standing still. KS: What time do you usually get up on a weekday and how do you get to work? SK: I'm normally up by 5:30 a.m. I travel by national rail or London underground. KS: What do you find most challenging in dentistry? SK: I'm always striving for perfection and that can sometimes be difficult to manage. KS: What first appealed to you about a career in dentistry? 24 MARCH 2018 // dentaltownuk.com SK: The initial appeal was the fact that there was the engagement with people and the manual creativity. KS: Has anything surprised you so far? SK: The ability to travel with dentistry. I've been lucky in that sense-I get to travel a lot in my professional work either giving or attending courses. KS: Favourite areas of dentistry? SK: Adhesive and minimally invasive operative dentistry. KS: How did you get involved with competitive dance? SK: My friend told me about a class on break dancing. I'd never tried it, but was amazed by the moves I'd seen in break dance competitions. I went to dance class by myself, because everyone I'd asked had refused to come along. I was a university student (studying medical sciences at the time) amongst hardcore hip-hop dancers! That was quite nerve-wracking. I've come a long way since then. One highlight was when several of my close dental friends and I appeared on Diversity Presents Steal the Show. I usually enter things with low expectations, but I have a good work ethic. I've always said to young dentists: Work hard but don't expect big things. If success comes from what you've done, it's a bonus.http://www.dentaltownuk.com