Skrypnyk Iryna Leonidivna is the founder of the Iris Dent clinic, an orthodontist, and a lecturer at the Department of Orthodontics at the Bogomolets National Medical University. She created a family medical business that went through a revolution, a pandemic, and a full-scale war, but retained its principles, team, and patients’ trust.
In a conversation with Business Woman — about a profession “against fashion”, responsible implementation of innovations, medicine without stream-of-consciousness thinking, and the role of health in the country’s recovery.
Today dentistry is considered a prestigious and financially attractive field. But you chose it when it was not popular. Why?
When I entered medical school, dentistry did not have the status it has now. On the contrary, it was considered an unpopular specialty. Often, those who did not pass the medical faculty entered it.
I made this choice completely consciously — and from the first time. The impetus was personal experience. During my school years, I had a very unpleasant visit to the dentist. It was fear, pain, a feeling of defenselessness. But later I met a doctor who completely changed my perception of the profession. I saw that a dentist can work delicately, carefully, without a traumatic experience for the patient.
Then I decided: I want to become that kind of doctor. I want to create a different standard — without fear and pain.
Interestingly, at the same time I had the opportunity to enter the pedagogical institute without exams. I had abilities in biology and chemistry, I participated in Olympiads. Many people saw me in pedagogy. But I chose medicine.
And at the same time, to some extent, fate still brought me back to teaching – today I combine practice with academic activities.
Why orthodontics?
Because orthodontics is not just a direction in dentistry. It is a different philosophy. Therapy or surgery work with consequences. Orthodontics works with development, with harmony, with the formation of correct functions of the dento-maxillary apparatus. It is a strategic specialty. It requires foresight, systemic thinking, and a deep understanding of physiology.
As a student, I was actively involved in science: I worked in clubs, participated in research, and helped teachers prepare scientific papers. It was then that my conviction was formed: a true specialist should rely on fundamental knowledge.
Today, when I teach at Bogomolets National Medical University, I try to convey this same position to my students. Practical skills are important. But without a deep theoretical base, they can turn into mechanical execution of procedures.
The medical technology market is rapidly developing. What is your attitude towards innovation?
I always say: innovation does not equal novelty. Today, there are a lot of new materials, devices, and techniques. Manufacturers are actively promoting them. And often young doctors perceive this as an opportunity to make a quick buck. But medicine is not a place for experiments for the sake of fashion.
At Iris Dent, we only introduce new technologies after a thorough analysis of the evidence base, international experience, and clinical results. We give ourselves time to evaluate the effectiveness of the technique and understand its long-term consequences for the patient.
For me, innovation is not a shiny device. It is a deep understanding of physiology and maintaining human health.
Iris Dent Clinic is a family business. How did this idea come about?
The clinic was founded in 2011. It was a conscious family initiative. The first director was my husband, a gynecologist-oncologist. Today, my daughter, an orthodontist with international education (Spain, Italy, Great Britain), has joined the team.
The name of the clinic combines the names of our family: Iryna, Serhiy, Tamara. But at the same time, it is associated with the iris flower — a symbol of harmony, elegance, and depth.
From day one, we chose a strategic path: to work legally, invest in equipment, in quality standards. We received a grant from the European Development Bank to undergo international accreditation. It was a difficult but very important step.
We fundamentally employ employees officially. We invest not in external pathos, but in equipment, training, and patient comfort.
Are you deliberately not building a network?
Yes. I do not support the flow model of medicine. We have large offices, comfortable space, a personalized approach. We know our patients: we provide them with comprehensive care. Medicine is not a factory. It is a personal responsibility for each person. For me, it is more important to maintain quality and trust than to scale for the sake of quantity.
Your business has survived revolution, Covid, and war. What helped it survive?
We have never worked in conditions of complete stability. But this is what has shaped our resilience. We reinvested everything in development: first a simple X-ray machine, then a panoramic, and later a computed tomography scanner. We grew gradually and carefully. And this strategy has become our foundation.
You are members of the Inbound Medical Tourism Association. Why was this area important?
The location of the clinic was chosen taking into account logistics – proximity to the train station, airport, and the availability of a hotel nearby. Before the pandemic and the war, the development of medical tourism was actively considered. And we are strategically ready to return to this direction after the situation stabilizes.
Ukrainian medicine has great potential. But this requires security and stability.
What role do you think medicine plays in post-war reconstruction?
Key. Health is the foundation of rebuilding a country. Dentistry is not just about aesthetics. For people returning from the front or who have experienced traumatic experiences, quality treatment means returning to a full life: the ability to speak, smile, and eat without pain.
But it is very important not to look for quick solutions. You need to start with diagnostics, understanding system processes, and working as a team.
What advice would you give to those who are planning to open a medical business?
The first is to invest in fundamental knowledge. The second is to build a strong team. The third is to work legally. The fourth is not to chase quick profits. And the fifth is to create a space of trust, not flow.
Because medicine is not just a business. It is a responsibility for human health and the long-term quality of life.
Iryna Skrypnyk has created a clinic that has become an island of stability in times of change. Her model is a combination of science, family values, and strategic vision. And it is precisely such approaches that can become the basis of the future of Ukrainian medicine.
Photo: from the archive of Iryna Skrypnyk