Our Team

If you’ve already looked around at other dentists’ profiles you’d note a similar pattern emerging. We’re all passionate.

We’re all looking to produce the finest dentistry possible. We’re all highly qualified.

My story is no different than many. I entered university in 1983 as the youngest in my year with the highest enter score. I had just become dux of Essendon Grammar. I breezed through university, and having a constant need for knowledge in all areas of life, I’ve done countless hours of continuing education over the last 30 years.

But does any of this matter? Well yes. But…one thing I noticed as I neared the end of my time at university was that heightened knowledge does not necessarily transfer through to great hand skills and decision making. So it’s these two areas that I have tried to really concentrate on improving over my whole career. I believe that it’s honing these skills that actually produces great dentistry.

We all have pivotal moments in life that at first appear innocuous. For me, one of these was a casual discussion that I had with a final year university mentor. At the time (and even more so now with high education fees) many young graduates were out to immediately make an impact and make some money. Most employees were looking for the same outcome and pushed the fresh graduates to produce. My mentor’s advice… to make sure my first job allowed me to take my time. To resist the push for speed from an employee. To perfect my techniques and then speed would come later.

He was reminding me that only perfect practice makes perfect. I started my career on this path, and I continue on it to this day.

This doesn’t mean that I’m slow. But great dentistry takes time and strict adherence to process. And newer technologies that promise faster results, rarely deliver the best results.

Great decision making is much harder to hone than hand skills. Anyone can plan a couple of fillings, a teeth clean, and a recall to check things over again in 6 months. But overseeing a complex plan where multiple specialists are involved…that’s something completely different.

I was extremely lucky to be invited to participate in the Melbourne branch of the Seattle Study Club in the early 2000’s. Each local group around the world has an experienced specialist in every field, along with a small number of more experienced clinicians. And the primary aim of the group…collaboration. Discussing complex cases, and working through ways to get the more difficult things done as a team.

This group has defined my later career. Getting to see these top end specialists at work has convinced me of another important fact. Trying to be a one-stop-shop in dentistry is a poor idea. It’s far better to surround yourself with experts in their field so that you can offer your patients the very best that modern dentistry has to offer.

But what about life about outside of dentistry? I’ve been married to my lovely wife Sarina since 1996, and we have two beautiful daughters together. Sarina has a masters in Fine Art, is a practicing artist and teaches art and design at tertiary level. We both enjoy regularly walking our Staffy’s. If you’re looking for a great breed of dog, this is it. But don’t go to a breeder. Rescue one from Stafford Rescue Victoria. We’ve rescued four to this point! I try to keep fit by attending Taekwondo classes. I’ve done this for the past 9 years and I love the club atmosphere at Halls TKD. Their motto is “Fitness with meaning”. And they really do achieve this. There’s the traditional art, mixed with self defense and HIIT classes. It’s a great club!

Keeping active and fit is important when you love food as much as I do. My wife’s a great cook, and I also love to experiment in the kitchen. Particularly if it’s complicated. People look at me like I’m mad when I say this. But to me, it’s just like one great big fun chemistry experiment, with awesome smells, and a great taste to finish.