From Clinic to Startup: How Dr Zanab Malik Is Reimagining Dental Care for People with Special Needs
For Dr Zanab Malik, working with patients with special needs has always felt like the right fit - meaningful, challenging, and deeply fulfilling. It was never just about dentistry. It was about making a difference where it mattered most.
“I’d always felt a sense of purpose in this space,” she says. “But it didn’t sit right with me that there were so few of us doing this work - only 29 specialists in the whole country.”
That realisation shaped her path. With a strong clinical foundation and a desire to create meaningful impact, Dr Zanab has now spent more than a decade working full-time in Special Needs Dentistry. No day - or patient - is ever the same. And that’s what keeps her going.
But working in South West Sydney revealed a pressing gap: demand for specialised dental care far outweighed supply.
“I was the only Special Needs Dentist for the entire region,” she says.
“It became clear we needed a scalable way to support those who rely on carers for their daily oral hygiene.”
That’s when the idea began to take shape: what if the specialist knowledge usually kept within the clinic could be shared more widely - giving carers the tools they need, wherever they are? That vision became My Special Needs Dental Home - a digital platform designed to upskill carers with practical techniques to support daily oral care. By making preventive care more accessible, it aims to reduce hospital visits, improve health outcomes, and ease the strain on an already overburdened system.
Dr Zanab shares stepping into the founder role was daunting. “It’s been a big learning curve; I’ve had to get comfortable being uncomfortable. But the UNSW Founders community has been a game-changer. Programs like Impact X and New Wave gave me the tools, support, and belief to move forward.”
When Dr Zanab Malik stepped onto the Pitch Night South West stage it wasn’t her experience and résumé that captivated the crowd - it was her mission. Driven by a deep sense of purpose and a love for challenge, Pitch Night became an opportunity to share her vision publicly, connect with the local community, and build momentum. Winning the competition helped validate her solution and take the idea to the next level.
“The support and feedback I received was incredibly humbling,” she says. “It gave me the motivation to push even harder to bring this to life.”
In under a year since Pitch Night South West 2024, Zanab has completed the UNSW Founders New Wave program, refined her vision, and is now preparing to launch her MVP. She’ll be showcasing My Special Needs Dental Home at the 2025 Digital Health Festival in Melbourne, a major milestone hoping to attract funding and partnerships to help scale the platform across Australia and beyond.
“We often don’t give ourselves permission to think beyond clinical practice,” Zanab reflects. “But entrepreneurship has allowed me to be creative, to be innovative in ways that clinical work alone doesn’t always allow. If you have an idea, even in a niche space, speak to UNSW Founders. You never know where it could lead.”
Inspired by Dr. Zanab’s story?
Applications are now open to pitch at Pitch Night South West 2025 – the only innovation event of its kind in the region.
If you’ve got an idea, now’s your chance to bring it to life!
🎤 Apply to pitch by 28 July 👉 here
🏆 Win cash prizes, expert coaching, and community support
Keen to support the founders and attend the Pitch Night? Grab your FREE ticket!
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