Leadership Page – Smiles First Corporation

Leadership Team

Dr. Azim Parekh

Founder and CEO

Azim attended the University of Toronto and has a bachelor in Mathematics and Physical Chemistry. In 1996, he graduated Western University with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree. Azim leads and mentors the Practice Community from a clinical perspective and has a loyal patient following. Azim has a solid understanding of the key components of what makes a business successful and has demonstrated this time and time again through consistent revenue growth and exceptional margins. Through his journey, Azim has learnt that the success of any business is people and relationships, which breeds passion, vision and innovation.

Leslie Carrafiello

Vice President, Operations

Leslie joined Smiles First from the dental sector, where she led the National Operations Team, overseeing 150+ practice locations and over 300 dentists. Leslie was able to improve EBITDA margins by 9%. Her ability to identify opportunities and create solutions in all areas of the business is a contributing factor to her success. Some specific examples include, double digit increases in top line revenue, reducing consumables and staffing costs by 2% and 2.5%, respectfully. Prior to dental, Leslie worked in the retail industry at a national level, overseeing a multitude of departments where she optimized each department for long term success. Leslie is known for her inspirational leadership and driving results through relationships and team building.

Mohamed Razakazi

Managing Director, Operations

Mohamed graduated from Carleton University with a Bachelors in Business Commerce and Marketing. Mohamed focuses on stream lining the operations as a whole and maximizing the Dens ‘N Dente’s efficiencies. Mohamed is an excellent coach and works with the leadership team to develop their leadership and management skills.

Prajesh Rajput

Director of Operations, DENS ‘N DENTE

Prajesh has a Bachelor of Commerce, specializing in Corporate Accounting and Economics. He has also completed his post graduation in International Business Management, Marketing Research and Analytics. Prajesh has worked with our Dens ‘N Dente division for over 5 years carrying vast experience in procurement, logistic and accounting. Prajesh’s main focus is to build strong relationship with our vendors, increasing our product assortment as well as a large focuson developing new product lines for our D2 private label.

Donya Rashidi

Director of Dental Acquisition & Practice Community

Donya is a distinguished professional who earned her Bachelor of Commerce degree with a Major in Marketing from Saint Mary’s University in 2008. With a remarkable career spanning over 10 years, she has demonstrated her managerial expertise and established a proven track record of success. Donya’s diverse experience has empowered her to implement effective strategies that consistently yield positive outcomes.

Fluent in both English and Farsi, and possessing working proficiency in Arabic and Hindi, Donya’s linguistic abilities contribute to her effectiveness in cross-cultural communication. Her passion lies in fostering the growth and prosperity of businesses and individuals.

Donya joined the Smiles First team in 2017 and has played a pivotal role in managing all three divisions throughout her career with us. These divisions include Dens ‘N Dente Healthcare, Smiles First Academy, and Smiles First Practice Community. Her leadership and dedication have significantly contributed to the success and growth of our organization.

Wasim Seedat

Director of Procurement, DENS ‘N DENTE

Leonardo Inoue

Director of Sales & Marketing

Leonardo has a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, with an MBA in consumer behavior. Over 7 years of experience with several global brands in the pharmaceutical industry. Multidisciplinary professional with finance, business intelligence, I.T., and project management background. Leo`s focus is building and developing brands and delivering results that improve the company’s top and bottom lines.