Today we’d like to introduce you to Shabnam Pedram.
Shabnam, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My story is probably a little unconventional. I was born in Toronto, Ontario, to immigrant parents who fled Iran during the revolution. They left everything behind and made their way to Canada, where my siblings and I were born. My mom eventually studied and became a dentist, and my dad became a chemist, so I grew up in a household where science, healthcare, and education were always a big part of our lives. Naturally, I was drawn to biology and science from a young age.
I initially pursued a master’s degree at UC San Diego because I thought I wanted to go into academia. Somewhere in the middle of my program, however, I had a pretty honest realization: I absolutely hated research! I knew I needed to completely redirect my career path, but I wasn’t sure what that looked like. My mom encouraged me to consider dentistry. At the time, I remember thinking, “What do I have to lose?” So, somewhat on a whim, I applied to dental school and was accepted to USC’s Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry. I graduated in 2017.
After dental school, I worked in corporate dentistry for about 10 months and quickly realized it wasn’t the right environment for me. I was fortunate to have an incredible mentor, Dr. Bocash, who taught me so much about digital dentistry and helped shape the way I approach clinical care today.
Eventually, I had the opportunity to work alongside my mom in her practice, and that experience was truly transformative. She encouraged me to broaden my clinical skills and become comfortable treating a wide range of cases rather than limiting myself to one area of dentistry. Over time, I developed experience in orthodontics, endodontics, extractions, implants, cosmetic dentistry, full-mouth rehabilitation, and even Botox for TMJ pain and cosmetic purposes.
Today, I’m fortunate to own my own practice, Gentle Dentistry of Poway. I genuinely love dentistry, but one of the biggest challenges of my career has actually had very little to do with dentistry itself. Learning how to run a business, manage a team, navigate HR, be a boss, and still show up every day as a clinician has been a huge learning curve.
What I’m most proud of is the team I’ve built. I’ve created an environment where people genuinely enjoy coming to work, and that means a lot to me. One of the greatest compliments I can receive is when a patient trusts me enough to refer their friends and family to my practice. I never take that for granted. Every time someone intentionally chooses me to take care of their health, I see it as an honor and a responsibility.
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?
It definitely hasn’t been a smooth road. I would be lying if I said I haven’t thought about selling my practice at least once a week and going back to being an associate! Owning a practice is a completely different challenge from being a dentist. You’re the clinician, business owner, boss, HR department, and problem solver all at once.
I’ve also learned that it really does take a village. My husband has been my HR sounding board, my sister and a close friend are lawyers who have helped tremendously with the legal side of the business, my mom still does a lot of the “dirty work” that I absolutely despise, and my kids are a huge part of what motivates me to keep going.
Clinically, I think the first couple of years after dental school are a huge learning curve for every dentist. There’s a certain amount of “fake it till you make it” in those early years—not because you don’t know what you’re doing, but because there is simply no substitute for experience. I’ll never forget the first time I found myself in the middle of a procedure and realized I had to figure out how to finish it. Those moments can be terrifying when you’re early in your career, but they force you to learn, problem-solve, and grow incredibly quickly.
But I’ve learned that the difficult parts are often where the most growth happens. Every challenge has forced me to become more adaptable, more confident, and more intentional about the kind of practice I want to build. Today, I’m incredibly proud of where we are and, most importantly, of the team and culture we’ve created. The road hasn’t been smooth, but I honestly wouldn’t want to change the path that got me here.
As you know, we’re big fans of Gentle Dentistry of Poway. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Gentle Dentistry of Poway is a comprehensive dental practice, and one of the things I’m most proud of is that we’re able to provide such a broad range of care under one roof. Cosmetic dentistry is really my bread and butter, but I also provide endodontic, orthodontic, and oral surgery treatment. We also have a periodontist in-house who handles more advanced procedures including full-mouth implant cases, gum grafts, and sinus lifts. My goal is to make comprehensive dentistry accessible without patients feeling like they have to be sent all over town for different parts of their treatment.
But if there’s one thing I want our practice to be known for, it’s being gentle—and I mean that in every sense of the word. Our name is Gentle Dentistry of Poway for a reason. The compliment I hear most often from both patients and my team is that I’m caring, compassionate, and gentle. I’m actually a little uncomfortable bragging about that, but it means more to me than any compliment about a particular procedure or result. I want people to feel safe, heard, and genuinely cared for when they’re in our office.
Another service I wish more people knew about is Botox for TMJ-related pain and muscle tension. Botulinum toxin injections can be very effective for certain patients dealing with jaw pain, clenching and grinding, headaches, and related neck and shoulder tension. It can also be used for some cosmetic concerns, such as slimming the appearance of the jawline. Many people don’t realize that their dentist can be a resource for these treatments, so educating patients about options they may not have known existed is something I really enjoy.
Ultimately, I want Gentle Dentistry of Poway to be a place where patients can receive high-level, comprehensive dentistry without losing the human side of healthcare. We can do advanced dentistry, but we never want patients to feel like they’re just another case or procedure.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I think the biggest thing I’d want readers to know is that I genuinely love what I do. Dentistry has given me so much more than I ever expected when I applied to dental school almost on a whim. I’ve gotten to build a career that combines science, creativity, medicine, and, most importantly, relationships with people.
I also don’t take it lightly when someone chooses me as their dentist. There are a lot of dentists out there, and when a patient intentionally chooses me, trusts me with their health, and then sends their spouse, children, friends, or family to me, that means everything. That trust is something I never want to take for granted.
I’m also incredibly proud of the community we’ve created at Gentle Dentistry of Poway. I want our patients to feel like they’re walking into a place where people know them, care about them, and genuinely want to help them—not just a dental office where they come in, get a procedure, and leave.
If there’s one thing I hope people take away, it’s that you don’t have to be afraid of the dentist. Dentistry can be gentle, personal, and even enjoyable. That’s what I’ve tried to build, and I’m excited to keep growing it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gentledentistrypoway.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gentledentistrypoway/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/share/1Dhpftz2qs/?mibextid=wwXIfr
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@gentledentistryofpoway
