# #310 The Long Road Home — Sara Khandan and Mahan Mohaghegh

An episode of [Dental Leaders Podcast](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1482901418), 24 Sep 2025, 1 h 26 min.

Audio: https://anchor.fm/s/f47b45cc/podcast/play/108173911/https%3A%2F%2Fd3ctxlq1ktw2nl.cloudfront.net%2Fstaging%2F2025-8-11%2F3157e9fb-6779-a8ec-85c8-64fd23e1fec7.mp3

Two Iranian dentists who took the scenic route to British dentistry, Sara Khandan and Mahan Mohaghegh's story reads like a masterclass in adaptability. From Tehran to Debrecen University in Hungary, then straight into the UK without ever having set foot in the country before, their journey showcases both the challenges and rewards of international dental careers. Now transitioning from NHS to private practice, they share candid insights about navigating visa dependencies, cultural differences between healthcare systems, and why being top of your class doesn't guarantee an easy path. Their conversation reveals how different countries approach dentistry, from Hungary's more invasive techniques to the UK's preventive focus, and why sometimes the most circuitous routes lead to the most rewarding destinations. In This Episode 00:01:15 - Arriving in the UK without ever having visited before 00:03:30 - Why they chose Hungary for dental education over Iran 00:05:30 - First impressions of Hungary and cultural differences 00:08:25 - Military service requirements forcing early departure from Iran 00:10:15 - Financial challenges of studying abroad 00:13:10 - Hungarian education system: oral exams and luck factors 00:17:00 - Working in Hungary's NHS-equivalent system 00:19:15 - Cultural differences: Eastern European "egg" vs Western "peach" 00:25:15 - The decision to move to the UK post-Brexit 00:29:50 - Landing NHS jobs sight unseen 00:34:10 - Learning UK dentistry systems and mentorship importance 00:38:30 - NHS complaint system challenges 00:40:25 - The band system frustrations 00:43:25 - Visa dependency limiting job opportunities 00:47:00 - Transition to private practice 00:52:55 - Future aspirations: cosmetics vs surgical specialisation 00:59:15 - Darkest day: fear and uncertainty in early UK days 01:03:25 - Blackbox thinking 01:06:40 - TMJ dislocation during extraction 01:10:25 - Being top of class vs visa reality check 01:14:20 - Best dental lectures and mentorship value 01:18:20 - Fantasy dinner party 01:20:55 - Last days and legacy About Sara Khandan and Mahan Mohaghegh Sara Khandan and Mahan Mohaghegh are Iranian-born dentists who graduated from the University of Debrecen in Hungary before relocating to the UK. After three years of practice in Hungary's public healthcare system, they moved to the UK and completed two and a half years in the NHS before transitioning to private practice. Sara is pursuing advanced cosmetic dentistry training, whilst Mahan is focusing on surgical procedures and implant dentistry. Both are planning to eventually open their own practice within the next five to six years.

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