Crash, Boom, Bop … deep inside the home of Siyad and Oksana Kanho, you hear the distinct beating of drums and crashing of cymbals as their eight-year-old son, David, shows off his prowess with his drum set. They tell me this is a typical Saturday afternoon, spending time together as a family, and they have invited me and my wife, Susan, all the way from Alabama, into their home.
Dr. Z and his familySiyad “Dr. Z” Kanho (’06) lives in Arnhem, Netherlands. He is currently on sabbatical from his periodontics practice, enjoying family time. They recently purchased an old church and converted it into their home. They’ve redone much of the church but kept the stained-glass windows and alcoves. Their home is a show piece.
“Z” was born in a Syrian Orthodox family. His father and mother were teachers. Because his father was involved in left wing politics, the family felt threatened, so they had to flee the country. The younger Siyad, Dr. Z, was the first to flee. He made his way to the Netherlands, where he eventually graduated from dental school. He had plans to specialize but first needed to figure out where. Kanho looked to the United States. He felt there was much more, so he began researching specialty programs in the United States. “My story started in 1998 when I had the chance to come to UAB as an exchange student. Dr Nico Geurs was at that moment my mentor and my guardian angel. Dr Marjorie Jeffcoat was chair of the Department of Periodontology, and Dr. Mike Reddy was the program director. After spending three months with them and the residents in the program I knew this is what I wanted to be,” he said.
The residency programs at UAB have always had the reputation of cultivating life-long relationships among the residents and faculty. Coming from another country, Dr. Kanho felt welcomed from the beginning. During his time at UAB he not only received the best clinical training possible, but he formed those lifelong relationships. “What I did like about UAB was the personal approach and the southern hospitality and politeness. During my training at UAB from 2003 to 2006 I made great friends and had many memorable moments with them outside the program too”, he said.
His mentor, Dr. Nico Geurs, is now serving as the UAB School of Dentistry’s ninth dean. “I remember the good food and all the parties at Dr. Geurs’ home every year. He had the personal approach, and was a friend and mentor. We did have a good mix of different cultures and schools represented, which allowed us to share our experiences and approaches on how to deal with patients and life,” said Kanho.
Dr. Z and Scott Huffman, Executive Director of Development at UAB School of Dentistry In 2006 after completing the program, Dr. Z returned to Amsterdam and began practicing as a periodontist. He said it was hard to adjust back to the Dutch way of life again. “It did take four to five years to adjust to the old system. In the meantime, I married and now have established a family and new home. That new home is the old church (circa 1899) that he and his wife, Oksana, a dental hygienist from Ukraine, have completely renovated. Dr. Z admits the renovation took a lot of patience and more energy than he could spare to rebuild it and make it their home. Now, they’re able to enjoy the many bright spaces, castle floors, and natural sunlight. Out back, their deck overlooks an overflowing garden of numerous species of plants and vegetation. On the day we visited, I had the privilege of sharing a Japanese whiskey with my new friend as he recalled what UAB has meant to him.
“The UAB program did have a substantial impact on my personal life and my professional life. UAB helped me form my philosophy of handling patients. I am the biggest advocate of how UAB handled students and patients.
What I admire about UAB is the understanding of allowing this mixture of cultures and influence of other schools to be integrated into part of the curriculum through there openness and tolerance,” said Kanho. I hope if other UAB School of Dentistry graduates ever find their way to the Netherlands, they will reach out to me. I would love to see them”.