How dental teams become behaviour-change coaches for patients

James Goolnik is a London-based dentist, holistic health advocate and #1 Amazon-bestselling author who helps people understand the powerful connection between the mouth, diet and whole-body health.

He is the founder of Optimal Dental Health in Marylebone, London, where dentistry is integrated with nutrition, sleep, airway health, oral microbiome testing and prevention-led care. His core message is simple: oral health is not separate from the rest of the body. The mouth often reveals what is happening systemically, and lasting dental health requires more than fillings, whitening or cosmetic fixes.

James moved into holistic and nutrition-focused dentistry after years of seeing how sugar, diet, stress and everyday habits affected his patients’ mouths and overall wellbeing. This led him to write Kick Sugar, a practical cookbook designed to help families and patients reduce sugar without feeling deprived. He is also the author of Brush, a book on marketing in dentistry, with profits donated to dental charity work.

With more than two decades of clinical and business experience, James brings a rare mix of authority, warmth and practical insight. He previously founded Bow Lane Dental Group, is a past president of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, head judge for the UK Private Dentistry Awards, and was voted the most influential person in UK dentistry by Dentistry Magazine in both 2011 and 2012.