Kiavash Hossini, DMD 2017; MSc Dip Endodontics 2023, and Sadaf Kashani, DMD 2019; MSc Dip Prosthodontics 2024, first met at UBC Dentistry, started dating after graduation and are now married and co-own Dentists in Point Grey. We connected with them to learn about their passion for dentistry and what advice they have for current students.
What first inspired you to go into dentistry?
KH: My first degree is in architecture, but I always wanted to be in healthcare. Dentistry felt like the perfect combination of art and science, offering the opportunity to be creative. I remember when I walked into the UBC Dentistry clinic, my first thought was, ‘wow, this is the first clinic I’ve been in that has windows all the way around, this is the place I want to be!’
SK: Funnily enough, when I was in high school, I also wanted to be an architect! But I ended up liking the lifestyle dentistry offers, the opportunity to communicate with patients and the chance to run my own business.
Tell us how you two met at UBC Dentistry.
KH: Sadaf was doing research with Dr. Hannu Larjava during the summer when I was in dental school and she was in her undergrad. We would pass each other in the hallway, and I was always curious about her, but we never spoke. That fall, I noticed she was a first-year DMD student, but we didn’t start dating until after we both graduated in 2019. Meeting Sadaf shows that you never know what life has in store for you—I had applied to many dental schools in the United States and wasn’t sure about coming to UBC, but I’m very glad I did!
SK: When I was in second year, we would assist the fourth-year students in the clinic, which was Kiavash’s year. At this point, some of the fourth-year students would let us help with things like anaesthesia and rubber dams. All my classmates wanted to assist Kiavash! He was exceptionally skilled and had many interesting cases. But I never wanted to be partnered with him. At the time, I was intimidated and felt like my hand skills weren’t the best, so I avoided working with him, which is funny to think about now.
What encouraged you to specialize?
KH: I like the attention to detail and precision that endodontics requires, and I feel like endodontists are the most fun to hang out with.
SK: In fourth year, I was miserable doing dentures, so I never thought I would specialize in prosthodontics. But once I started working, I realized I wanted to learn more about treatment planning and complex cases, so prosthodontics felt like the right fit.
Kiavash, you work at UBC Dentistry as a Clinical Assistant Professor. Why did you come back to teach?
I’ve always enjoyed teaching—I used to tutor math and physics during undergrad. I started teaching at UBC Dentistry right after I graduated in 2017, so it’s like I never left. I love spending time with students and learning from them. Teaching is also a great way to give back to the school. As rewarding as it is to alleviate a patient’s pain with a root canal, the reward I get from teaching students often feels even greater.
What advice would you give to current dental students?
KH: It’s overwhelming when you first start working, but don’t be intimidated by what you need to do or by what’s asked of you—being a dentist is a lifetime of learning. And remember, there are always people willing to help. When I graduated, I emailed instructors asking for advice on cases I wasn’t sure about, so finding good mentors is very important.
SK: Don’t give up and don’t take things personally—I think I took criticism too personally in dental school. Go to conferences and expose yourself to as much as you can, because you might be surprised by what interests you.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
KH and SK: We love to travel! We’re going on a mission trip this year to Morocco. We’ve both done mission trips separately, but this will be our first time doing one together. We’re also big foodies and love to try new restaurants. Our big dream these days is writing a book together—now that we’ve said it out loud, we have to do it!