The life of Dr. Fariah Gaba shows how people can adapt and endure through their life changes while maintaining connections with others. Before she became a dentist, her essential traits developed from her experience of growing up in a world where everything changed except her permanent relationships.
Her early dream about medicine developed into a medical career through various redirection paths. She discovered her true career path after completing her Biomedical Sciences Honours degree when she chose dentistry as her profession because it combined scientific knowledge with helping others. She studied throughout Europe starting in Spain and ending in Sweden before reaching the Netherlands where she completed her training to become a Dutch-speaking dentist who meets all official requirements through hard work and dedication.
She currently works as a Specialist Dentist in Aesthetic and Minimally Invasive Restorative Procedures at Mondzorg Hollandspoor, where she has earned recognition for her clinical skills and her dedication to putting patients first. According to her viewpoint, dentistry establishes a partnership that requires both parties to establish trust through their ability to hear each other and their capacity to understand each other’s feelings. Healthcare specialists need this ability to manage their work stress during healthcare process pressure situations.
Dr. Fariah Gaba shows how modern healthcare leaders combine family traditions with thankful attitudes to create their professional identities. Modern healthcare leaders assess their impact based on their professional credentials and their personal qualities and their dedication to continuous development.
Foundations Built on Love and Sacrifice
Dr. Gaba’s journey begins not in a dental clinic, but in the embrace of extraordinary parents who shaped her worldview from childhood. Constantly switching countries and changing schools became her norm as her father’s was in a profession which demanded constant relocation. Where most children might have struggled with instability, she discovered adventure. She recalls sitting on her father’s broad shoulders, sliding down his long legs, feeling invincible, a memory that continues to anchor her today. “I consider my father to be my superman,” she reflects, the warmth in her words painting a picture of a childhood built on unconditional love.
Her parents worked tirelessly to ensure that she and her sister never felt they were lacking anything, socially, educationally, or emotionally. This foundation cultivated in her an extraordinary ability to adapt, communicate, and build relationships qualities that would later become the cornerstones of her dental practice. Changing schools frequently taught her to revel in making new connections, transforming what could have been childhood trauma into a masterclass in human connection.
When Dreams Take Unexpected Turns
Dr. Gaba’s path to dentistry reads like a testament to life’s unpredictability. Coming from a medical background, she initially sets her sights on medical school during her sixth form years. The dream stemmed partly from her desire to mirror her older sister, whom she deeply admires and respects. “Looking back now I smile at the naivety of my thoughts,” she admits.
When UK medical schools rejected her applications, disappointment could have derailed her ambitions. Instead, it redirected them. She pursued a three-year Honours degree in Biomedical Sciences at The University of Sheffield, maintaining her connection to science and her desire to positively impact human health. A pivotal conversation with her personal tutor in her penultimate year changed everything. He suggested dentistry, believing her skill set and character would flourish in the profession. “Well, the rest was history, and my career path took a surprising turn for now what I consider to be the better,” she says.
This acceptance of redirection, this willingness to embrace the unexpected, became a defining characteristic of her professional journey. She graduated from UCHCEU Cardenal Herrera University in Valencia, Spain, and subsequently relocated to Holland, undertaking the formidable challenge of becoming a fully registered Dutch speaking dentist.
Balancing the Scales of Life
Dr. Gaba speaks candidly about the immense pressures facing dental healthcare professionals, pressures she believes remain largely invisible to the public. “In my opinion, the definition of excellence does not only refer to one’s clinical competence, but extrapolates to other more important soft skills,” she explains. Creating symbiotic relationships with colleagues and patients requires tactfulness, active listening, problem-solving abilities, and the capacity to provide mental and emotional support of which exact their toll over time.
Her solution lies in returning to her roots. Though she doesn’t visit her family often, she converses with them daily. They keep her grounded, leveled, and serve as her first part of call for advice and support. “My family members represent the solid foundations upon which I have been built,” she emphasizes. Socializing with close friends provides additional balance, preventing her from becoming overwhelmed in what she describes as a considerably overwhelming world.
This acknowledgment of vulnerability, this recognition that even accomplished professionals need support systems, adds a layer of authenticity to her narrative. She does not present herself as superhuman, she presents herself as someone who understands the importance of maintaining connections that sustain the soul.
The Business of Care
Dr. Gaba describes her appetite for business as a “slow burner.” As she entered the dental profession, she gradually recognized the importance of understanding the intricacies behind making the “well-oiled machine” work. Her interest evolved from a superficial understanding to a deep appreciation of managerial responsibilities, employee concerns, and the delicate balance required to maintain successful practice.
“Business is an emotional, mental and physical investment. Business is unpredictable, and it is this unpredictability which drives me to do better and work harder to succeed,” she states firmly. This pragmatic approach, combined with her fundamental desire to help others, creates a powerful foundation for sustainable professional growth.
Passion Rooted in Gratitude
When asked about the passion that drives her, Dr. Gaba’s answer is immediate and unwavering it is her parents. “My desire is solely driven by my determination to be able to care for my parents as they have always cared for myself and my sister,” she reveals. This circular relationship of care, where the nurtured becomes the nurturer clearly demonstrates a profound understanding of life’s ultimate success metrics.
“Irrespective of all of the success that the world may bestow upon any one of us, the greatest success anybody could possess is the unconditional love and support of a mother and father, this is priceless,” she reflects. This perspective keeps her grounded, reminding her that professional accolades, however impressive, pale in comparison to genuine human connection.
Navigating the Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic tested professionals across all sectors. Working in the Netherlands at the time, Dr. Gaba experienced lockdowns and strict regulations like the rest of the world. However, she seized this unique opportunity to hone her communication skills with Dutch patients, focusing on building lasting patient-dentist relationships rather than maintaining the “clinical and sterile practicality” of the profession.
Strengths Forged, Weaknesses Conquered
Dr. Gaba credits her parents as her key strengths, the architects of all she has achieved. They instilled values that became her professional compass like, respecting others, working ethically, maintaining punctuality, cultivating confidence, passion, and determination, persevering despite setbacks, listening effectively, and acknowledging one’s faults.
Yet she candidly shares a vulnerability. She admits that public speaking challenges her. Despite being sociable, she describes herself as quite shy. Rather than accepting this limitation, she consistently pushed herself into situations requiring public speaking. “In business one has to be prepared to overcome their weaknesses in order to succeed. If I avoided public speaking invitations completely, then I would never be able to connect, learn, evolve and develop with esteemed individuals from across the globe,” she explains.
Her rhetorical question resonates: “There are plenty of individuals out there who will speak negatively and discourage one from pursuing their dreams…so why should I add myself to that list?” This self-awareness, coupled with actionable change, demonstrates true leadership.
A Constellation of Achievements
Dr. Gaba’s academic achievements read like a roadmap of consistent excellence. During her university years (2012 2018), she received ten ‘Matricula de Honour’ awards as the top individual in her subjects within the Spanish University System. In 2017, she earned a scholarship to study at the Dental Hospital at Karolinska Institute in Stockholm, Sweden.
In 2018, she received “El Premio Fin de la Carrera,” an award reserved for the top 1% of Spanish university students, and a nomination for the National Award for Best Degree in Spain. Her research garnered Top Cited Article Awards from Wiley Publishers in 2020-2021 and 2023 for her systematic review on salivary biomarkers.
International recognition followed with Best Researcher Awards at summits in Berlin and Dubai (2022-2023), Asia’s Distinguished Research Award, and the International Outstanding Young Dentist & Researcher Award (2023). In 2024, she joined the American Chamber of Research and received the International Most Prominent Scientist of the Year Award.
The year 2026 brought two crowning achievements. First one is fellowship into the elite Pierre Fauchard Academy which is extended to fewer than 1% of dentists internationally and secondly a Leadership Recognition in Healthcare at the Global Excellence & Leadership Awards in Dubai.
Wisdom for Aspiring Leaders
Dr. Gaba’s advice to aspiring leaders carries the weight of lived experience. “Never give up and always try to do the very best you can. If you have a vision/dream, hold onto it, and do not be afraid to push yourself out of your comfort zone, because you never really know how much you can achieve in life unless you dare to try,” she advises.
Her mantra emphasizes patience “Life is not a sprint, it is a marathon.” She encourages focusing on controllable factors, seeking solutions in problems, and maintaining positivity. She warns against letting others’ insecurities overshadow one’s development while advocating for intelligent emotional regulation.
Most importantly, she counsels against comparison. “Avoid comparing your timeline to others. In an era of obsessive competitiveness and the desire to attain everything immediately, remember never to lose yourself in the noise.”
The Essence of Humility
Dr. Fariah Gaba concludes with a reflection on humility and gratitude. She reminds aspiring professionals that every person possesses unique talents. “Work on self-awareness and gratitude. Collaborate, learn and grow alongside your peers,” she advises.
She recognizes that the best leaders embody humility, groundedness, self-awareness, and gratitude. Being placed and counted among them, she says, is an absolute honor and privilege—one for which she is truly grateful.
In Dr. Fariah Gaba, we witness not just professional excellence, but the embodiment of values that transcend any field. Her journey from a young girl on her father’s shoulders to an internationally recognized dental professional demonstrates that success stems not from technical skill alone, but from character forged through love, resilience, and unwavering commitment to growth.
She defines what it means to be truly influential in 2026 not through dominance, but dedication; not through self-promotion, but service; not through seeking recognition but earning respect.
