A litte more about me
I qualified as a Dentist in 1991 and a Periodontal Specialist in 2001.
I split my week 4 days in dental practice and one day academic, typically teaching in university teaching hospital, or research.
I’m a principled conscientious family man and a passionate supporter of the emerging generation. I have a pleasant friendly manner and would call myself a people’s person.
I love ‘people watching’. I especially like pondering over how relationships are formed and maintained. My MSc thesis in 1999, it was titled: “The Association Between Personality Dimensions And Patient Compliance With Oral Hygiene Instructions”
As a specialist periodontist my expertise is broad and lies at the cross roads between clinical dentistry, behavioural psychology and general wellbeing. Gum disease shares close links with many medical conditions and stress. The most significant part of the treatment is patient education, counselling, support and encouragement. In managing patients needs I often co-ordinate with their other care providers.
I am highly trained, experienced and versed in responding to and advising on matters of general medical, personal and social health which link to gum disease. I have gained 30 years of experience managing patients and students from diverse cultural, social and financial backgrounds. Helping them understand their expectations - which are often misguided and challenging. The experience has taught me to be realistic and pragmatic. Over time and with experience I have developed an ‘all things considered’; ‘win-win’; ‘make it happen’ approach.
Some of my previous experiences as a former whistleblower make me a ‘person of character’ and a ‘person of interest’; this will create perceptions of me that are good and also other ones that are potentially bad.
I have audited, analysed and reported on my work throughout my career in Practice and University. I pride myself on being able to communicate in a simple and effective way thus ensuring understanding and compliance.