Come in! Meet the family

Ghadir’s been pretty busy since he was 15 and now has a degree in Biomedicine (graduated 2012) and is a Doctor of Dental Surgery (graduated 2016). When it comes to performing dentistry Ghadir loves every aspect of it, from general check-ups to complicated dentistry and restoring smiles to their full glory.

And whatever your appointment entails, Ghadir promises to treat you like a VIP family member. He performs dentistry to a consistently high standard and thrives on learning new techniques to give you the very best treatment.

Between you and I, Ghadir also loves a good chat, and is interested in every. little. thing. Seriously, everything! If you’re used to dental appointments being boring, Ghadir promises the opposite. You’ll leave brimming with conversation and travel ideas, as well as a beautiful set of teeth.

Outside of work Ghadir likes to keep fit by powerlifting in the gym, playing indoor soccer with friends or nipping off to the cinema to watch the latest releases. He’s also a Hawks fan, and when he’s not at the games, you can find him in the pub cheering his team on. Except in the winter, because that’s the one time Ghadir loves to escape Victoria and find the sun.

With Ghadir and Anand’s conversational skills we’re wondering whether we need to open a cafe in the dentist…what do you think?

Mira says that a strong, supportive team is really important to her, and that’s exactly what she’s found at Warragul Dental Care. She calls her team ‘more like a family than a group of colleagues’, and we couldn’t agree more. *Group hug*.

Mira’s a free-spirited soul who loves to start the day relaxing with a hot coffee. A self-confessed cat-lover, she admits she loves nothing more than a snuggle with her furry felines before heading into work to start her day.

When Mira isn’t cuddling cats and her work family, you might find her dabbling with a paint palette. Mira enjoys a spot of painting and says it’s the perfect way to unwind. Mira also loves to relax in the great outdoors with long hikes surrounded by the beauty of nature. We’re definitely spoiled for choice here in Gippsland!

When it comes to choosing her favourite food, Mira shuns the usual pizza/parma options and goes straight for healthy, fresh Japanese cuisine. We’re yet to see her skills with chopsticks though! Mira keeps it closer to home when she’s organising her travel plans. When it’s safe to travel, she tells us that she’d love to explore more of Australia, and we couldn’t think of a better choice of country ourselves.

There’s being qualified – then there’s ‘Dr Matthew – qualified’. Yep, we’re super lucky to have Dr Matt on board! Matt studied dentistry straight out of school, graduated from La Trobe University then completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Implantology from Charles Sturt University.

BUT WAIT! There’s more. Dr Matt then went on to complete specific orthodontic training, the gIDE Master Implant Clinician program from Los Angeles and a PG Diploma in Implantology. Phew. You keeping up?

In case you hadn’t guessed, Dr Matt knows a LOT about dental implants and we love bringing this level of implant expertise to Gippsland. He also has a special interest in third molars (wisdom teeth) and full mouth restorations to help you eat, chew and smile to perfection.

Dr Matt understands the impact a great smile can have on your life, so he enjoys getting to know you and getting to the root (no pun intended) of your problem. Dr Matt takes special care of nervous patients to make sure your visit is calm and stress-free.

On weekends, Dr Matt can often be found teaching other Dentists with the aim of raising the standard of dentistry across Melbourne and Australia. When he FINALLY finds some downtime, Matt hangs out with his wife, son and friends, heads to church on Sunday, and kicks back to watch some sport (F1, cricket and AFL are his faves).

Mihar got into Dentistry because he loves looking after people. When you add in the chance to work with cutting-edge technology (which we have a lot of here at WDC) and the need for precision hand skills, Mihar knew he’d found his dream career. Mihar says, ‘I enjoy work because I can be completely myself. It’s my happy place’. And we’re so glad you chose to be happy at Warragul Dental Care.

Dr Mihar started his education at nearby Yarram primary school before undertaking his secondary schooling at Sale. He then made the big move to sunny Cairns to earn his Bachelor of Dental Surgery. Since then, Dr. Mihar has completed a two-year orthodontic training programme and now loves helping his patients improve the look and functionality of their smiles.

On weekends, you’ll find Mihar keeping fit at the gym, having long, lazy lunches with friends, cracking open a cold one or going on adventures with his two lovely dogs – Baloo and Taj.

And in the evenings, Mihar loves nothing more than relaxing on his favourite couch (we love the idea of a ‘favourite’ couch!) with a nice glass of red. Delightful.

Since then Kerry has been a Senior Dental Assistant, studied at LaTrobe University (claiming the Bendigo Oral Health and Dentistry Society Academic for her cohort) and is qualified with a Bachelor of Oral Health Science. Pretty busy hey? And that’s not all, she’s also worked in Stockholm (Sweden) learning the Swedish approach to Dentistry. Meatball anyone?

After all that Kerry has landed back where she began, at Warragul Dental Care, and we couldn’t be happier. Becoming an Oral Health Therapist was a natural progression for Kerry as she enjoys expanding her skills and educating patients about the importance of preventative dentistry.

The thing Kerry loves most about her job is working with nervous patients and kids. She makes it her mission to show how relaxed the Dentist can be and always makes it a fun and positive experience. Kerry enjoys making appointments interactive for her younger patients. It goes down a treat with our mini VIP’s and helps them understand the importance of great oral hygiene.

When she’s not helping people have tons of fun at the Dentist, Kerry loves to head to Gumbuya World with her family and hang out with her dog Marley and two cats Shadow and Baby Cat. She also loves a trip to the Big City to visit the zoo or kick back in Gold Class at the cinema. Her perfect end to a Melbourne day out is heading to Lygon Street to sample all the delicious food.

And can you guess Kerry’s favourite film? She’s a loyal Aussie for sure. It’s ‘The Castle’! Kerry says it’s hilarious and a true classic. We can’t argue with you there!

Kerry has a Bachelor in Oral Health Science and can perform all hygienist work and, most importantly, is specially trained to work with our VIP patients – the kids. Kerry loves working with children. She has spent time working with kids in Cambodia and has also worked with the Royal Flying Doctor Service in Northern Victoria.
Kerry says ‘I love having a chit chat with the kids, they always show genuine appreciation for their treatment and there’s nothing like a big high 5 at the end of an appointment’.
Outside of work Kerry is a budding Ginger Rogers. She enjoys all forms of ballroom dancing, but her favourites are the cha-cha and rumba. In fact, she found her husband through dancing – although they’re still debating who swept who off their feet with their dazzling dance moves. Kerry and her partner got engaged in late 2016 in the middle of the South Pacific Ocean and married in 2019. We hear the first dance was spectacular!
Kerry has a friendly, comfortable style with all her patients and always takes the time to explain exactly what’s happening in your mouth. She might even show you some dance moves if you ask nicely…

Ben has a Bachelor in Oral Health Science and came to Warragul Dental Care after reading about his teammate, Dogtor Bruce, in the dental magazines. After also hearing good reports from his partner (a patient of ours), he decided he’d found his new home.

When the time came to relocate to Drouin, Ben jumped at the opportunity to join the WDC team. Luckily for us, Ben loves his WDC teammates and says ‘the dental assistants are all super helpful and the reception team do a brilliant job, so I can focus on my patients’.

As an OHT, Ben is all about getting your teeth and gums looking sparkling clean and super healthy. He says there’s nothing more satisfying than seeing his patients leave with beautiful clean, white teeth. Apparently, it satisfies his OCD (you’d better keep up to date with your flossing too – no pressure). Ben also loves working with our younger patients and showing them a great dental experience, the same as he experienced growing up and that drew him to the world of Dentistry.

Outside of work Ben likes to relax with a few glasses of wine, or a movie and popcorn on the couch at home. If he invites you over for dinner, we highly recommend you accept. Ben is a great home cook and can create culinary magic without a recipe. And for dessert, it’s ice cream all the way, Ben loves any flavour, at any time of year (scarf optional).

Any fruit-growing tips? Ben’s hoping to harvest his first fruit soon from trees he planted during COVID isolation. We’re sure our patients have some great tips to share. If it’s safe to travel next year Ben’s planning his first overseas trip to Italy or France. Ohhh la la, send us a postcard Ben!

Sean says,  ‘my awareness of dental anxiety growing up has gifted me with a unique understanding of how my patients feel.’ Now Sean holds a Bachelor of Science in Physiology from Monash University and a Bachelor of Oral Health Science from La Trobe University AND a job he really loves. Hurray for us! 

Sean tells us that the best part of his job is changing patient’s outdated perceptions of what dental is and showing them what a great experience it is now. He also loves building a rapport with his patients – so expect to stay a while and have a lovely natter!

On weekends, Sean likes to stretch his legs on rambling nature walks, fit in a little workout, enjoy a coffee with friends, and listen to live music (such a treat after COVID!). He also has a touch of wanderlust after travelling around Europe when he was a student and would love to travel more. Just don’t stay away too long, Sean!

As Practice Manager, Jasmin is the brains behind the day-to-day running of the WDC team, and trust us, those Dentists need a little coaxing sometimes (we love you really)! If you’re wondering how Jasmin runs such a slick operation, there is a reason. Before becoming our super manager, Jasmin was a trainee dental assistant right here in Warragul Dental Care! After that she was a senior dental assistant, so she knows the ropes like the back of her hand.

So, what lured Jasmin back to Warragul Dental Care? She says she enjoys how innovative the practice has become over the years. ‘WDC is all about how we can do things differently, how we can do things better for our patients, and how we can be leaders in the industry. I love that’.

The family culture is also a big win for Jasmin, she says she finds it supportive, nurturing and, oh yeah, there are dogs! Who doesn’t love Dogtor Bruce and Dave hey?

On the weekends Jasmin likes to relax with a lie-in, a good book, a little me-time with her plants and lovely long walks with her Labsky puppy, Miska. What she actually does however, is stand by a footy field watching her two kids playing footy! It’s a good job she loves watching them play.

The great news is that Miska would definitely be besties with Dave. She thinks Bruce would like Miska but might find her a little rough around the edges (Bruce is very posh). Jasmin calls Miska, ‘an extremely affectionate bogan’, which we think is the best definition we’ve ever heard for a dog.

Belinda is local to the area. She grew up in Gippsland and loves to get involved in local community activities. She was lucky enough to complete the Gippsland Community Leadership Program, which turned out to be a great reminder of why we’re so lucky to live in this beautiful part of the world.
Belinda’s life outside of Warragul Dental Care is equally exciting. She’s been lucky enough to take a 12 month break to trek around the world. One of her greatest memories was trekking in the Patagonia region in South America and the south coast of Turkey, but her favourite place to trek is right here on our doorstep – Tasmania. Belinda loves to explore and is always planning the next adventure with her fellow adventurer and partner in crime, Anand.

Tamsin says picking up the phone is the hardest part of overcoming a fear of the Dentist,  but she truly believes you can face and overcome your fears…cos she’s seen it happen!

Tamsin joined the Dental industry at the age of 19 and has never looked back. She loves being part of your smile journey and says it’s a real privilege to be able to improve people’s quality of life. 

When it’s time to relax, Tamsin goes to church with her lovely husband and family or meanders around the local markets, including the wonderful Warragul Farmers market on a Saturday.  On a cooler day, Tamsin loves to curl up with a good book (she’s a self-confessed book nerd) and a cup of steaming Earl Grey tea. 

Tasmin and her husband share their home with Shelby, a much-loved fluffy, cuddly Australian Shepherd – don’t worry, we won’t tell Bruce. Just keep the cuddles coming…

Amelia’s a happy soul who loves coming to work because of her fabulous co-workers. She says they always make her laugh and smile…except for Dr Anand when he’s telling his dad jokes (she’s kidding, Anand. You’re hilarious).

At home, Amelia has her beautiful fur-boy, Shadow who is an American Rottweiler. While it would be tough to ever leave him, she would somehow manage to drag herself away for a trip to the sunny Maldives (she’d miss you though, Shadow).

When Amelia isn’t busy laughing at Anand’s dad jokes and welcoming you lovely patients, you’ll find her riding motorcycles and snowboarding! We think she’s ready for Team Redbull.

When asked what her favourite cuisine was, Amelia replied, ‘blue cheese’. Amelia, you are OUR kinda person.

You’ll spot Baili’s smiling face as soon as you walk in the door, and if she’s on the phone you might also detect her South African accent. That’s right, Baili isn’t just cheerful and great at her job, she’s also well-travelled!

Baili’s favourite part of working at WDC are her lovely teammates. Oh, and the morning dance parties, the giggles throughout the day and, of course, interacting with all YOU awesome patients. So much to enjoy!

She says, ‘nothing makes me happier than leaving people better than when I found them..I’m so proud to be part of a team that shares the same outlook and philosophy’.

Outside of work you’ll find Baili surfing, reading, playing piano and guitar and (the best part for us…) baking! Hurray for cakes. Baili says her favourite Disney Princess is Moana, cos ‘she’s living the dream!’. But we think we’re living the dream working with you, Baili.

Not only does Rebecca do a brilliant job of welcoming and caring for patients, outside of work she’s also a bit of a high flier. On weekends Rebecca likes to jump out of perfectly good airplanes and is a skydiving instructor! She’s done over 870 jumps and has competed for New Zealand in the women’s formation team (where they make formations in the air before popping the parachute). Isn’t that amazing??

While competing to be the most friendly, helpful person in Warragul Dental Care (she’s doing pretty well), she’s also aiming to compete at an international level with her skydiving. We think she’ll excel at both.

Rebecca grew up in New Zealand before being poached by Australia for her sky diving skills and moving to Cairns in 2015. She enjoys travelling and taking photos, and fell in love with snapping wildlife after a trip to Africa where she had the opportunity to go on a safari.

Rebecca takes lots of trips home to beautiful New Zealand to see her family and friends and always asks her mum to make her famous mac and cheese, because no one does it as good as mum.

In fact, Mackenzie is already a great artist and enjoys drawing outside of work, as well as giving great massages. Hmm, maybe we should add them to our comforts menu?

Mackenzie says she enjoys caring for all her patients and making a positive difference to their dental experience, which is what Warragul Dental Care is all about. If you ever need anything during your visit, Mackenzie will be there to support you and hold your hand.

In her downtime, Mackenzie hangs out with her dog, Chopper, and cat, Dimmy, and catches up with her friends and family. Preferably eating her favourite food = American BBQ! We’ll get the barby fired up!

It turns out the role of Patient Concierge suits Adriana perfectly because she loves helping people feel comfortable and relaxed. She’s also known for giving nervous patients a comforting pat on the shoulder, which our patients love!

Adriana is known to the team as the “reaching nurse” because she’s 6.1ft. Her height makes her really handy for reaching stuff, including spiders and top shelf items. She keeps an eagle eye view on everything happening in the practice and doesn’t miss a trick.

When Adriana isn’t busy patting patients and reaching things, she likes to watch live music or chill out at home playing video games. When it comes to animals, Adriana’s heart is firmly in the world of floof; she adores her three feline scallywags – Ruby, James and Ozzy (check them out at @houseofmeows) – and has a blossoming relationship with our very own Dogtor Bruce.

Adriana grew up in America until the age of 4. She’s been in Gippsland since then and after months of close observation we can’t detect any sign of an American accent. She’s even passed the Vegemite test.

Adriana’s tips for a fun Dental visit: ‘bring me photos of your pets and I’ll show you mine’. Now that’s an offer you can’t refuse.

Rheannon joined WDC after stalking our website and social media. She loved that we were changing people’s lives and enhancing the way dentistry is perceived. She’s also into all the cool tech we have here (who isn’t?!).

While some of us crave our daily coffee, Rheannon reaches for her daily chocolate – especially chocolate cookies. Good job she knows a good dentist! After a busy day of fixing and cleaning teeth, Rheannon heads home to her menagerie of animals.

And when Rheannon isn’t working, you can find her tending to her 50 indoor plants, going on adventures, creating amazing TikTok’s or relaxing with Netflix, especially documentaries. Oh, and buying shoes! Rheannon adores her shoes (14 pairs so far!) and is always happy when people stop to ask where she bought them from.

Haylee has always wanted to help people and is keen to learn everything she can about her role. One of her motivations was seeing her Mum and Nanna struggle with a dental phobia. She said they found it helpful having Haylee there with them, which made her want to help others get the dental treatment they need.

Haylee loves it when nervous patients say, ‘that wasn’t as bad as I thought it was going to be’.

Haylee has always lived in Warragul and loves exploring the area because of the easy access to the beach and city. Outside of work Haylee loves shopping and often heads to Fountain Gate with her friends browsing for clothes and her one true passion – handbags…oh, so many handbags! Haylee currently has one for every possible occasion (always room for more though hey?).

Haylee also collects house plants, and I think we’ll ‘leaf’ you with that!

Ruby’s always here to remind you that you’re in safe hands when you visit Warragul Dental Care. She says. ‘Dentists aren’t the scary place they used to be – when you come to visit, we do everything we can to make you feel comfortable and relaxed’.

Don’t expect Ruby to be too perky first thing in the morning though, she admits she’s a bit of a night owl. On the weekends, Ruby hangs out with her family and mentally packs her case for her dream holiday in Fiji (thongs, book, toothbrush, toothpaste, floss). Oh, and if you see Ruby around town with two cute men, she’s probably with Ziggy and Bowie, her two miniature dachshunds. Also known as her surround-hound system. He he.

Steph is a proud member of the WDC team, she says, ‘everyone is so lovely and the service is amazing, so you’ll even forget you’re at the Dentist’.

Outside of work, Steph is a true blue and loves exploring Australia. If she magically won $1,000,000, she says she’d buy a new car and caravan, pack the family up and hit the road to travel Australia for a few years. Until that day (keep doing the Lotto!), Steph and her family will keep adventuring and camping – with the occasional shopping and brunch trip thrown in for good measure.

Paige says she enjoys being part of the team at WDC and finds everyone super welcoming. She likes watching Dogtor Bruce in action and seeing how he provides comfort and support to our nervous or anxious patients. 

Outside of work (and breaking bones), Paige likes to hit the road on a camping trip with her partner and friends, or mix it up with a fun night out in the city with the girls. When it’s time to chill, she makes her favourite pasta and cuddles up with her gorgeous cavoodle, Riley.

As well as adoring our very own Dogtor Bruce and Dave, Ebony has her own labradors at home called Digger and Jax. When she’s not busy walking or cuddling them, Ebony likes to head off camping or hang out with her family. Especially when her Mum is making her favourite lasagne. Nom. 

Ebony’s dream trip would be to see the northern lights in Canada, and if she won the lottery she says she’d still work at WDC forever – kidding, she’d buy herself a lovely new house and a dream holiday (and stay with us, we’re sure). 

Ebony loves the friendships she’s made at WDC, and we love having her on the team!

Emily goes by the nickname, ‘Robbo’ (we’ll let her explain that one) and is a keen netballer with Neerim South. We think she must be pretty agile on the court cos Emily says if she was an animal, she’d be a cat. We think that’s pretty pawsome.

Emily knew WDC was the place for her because she was a patient here before joining the team. We’re so glad we made a good impression, phew!

When it comes to food, Emily’s go-to is a good parma. Her favourite quote is Live, Laugh, Love, which we think is a brilliant outlook on life. We’ll just add ‘Smile’ to the end to make it perfect.

Montanna is our super-keen Dental Assistant who’s learned loads since joining the WDC team, including a give-it-a-go attitude (heck yes!) and taking the initiative to make sure our patients are happy and relaxed. We think she’s doing a brilliant job!

Outside of work, Montanna lives her personal mantra of ‘make memories not dreams’ by going on lovely long walks, sleeping in, and making travel plans for the future. If Montanna was stuck on a desert island, she says she’d take two things: her phone and her family.  One to make memories with, and the other to capture them.

Bruce is a qualified therapy dog and is a familiar face here at Warragul Dental Care. Bruce is the first dog in Australia to be registered as a dental therapy dog and is here to help nervous patients get the treatment they need.

Bruce was born on the 16 July 2017 and started training as a therapy dog at just 8 weeks old. He applied for the position from his native New South Wales and was chosen from a very competitive field of applicants. Lucky for us he was happy to move to the rolling hills of Gippsland and call Warragul his home.

Bruce was chosen for his impressive skill set, which include looking amazingly gorgeous, keeping fit and an ability to chew empty milk containers (with a preference for Gippsland Jersey of course).

He spends his days honing his therapy dog skills and going out with family members Belinda and Dr Anand to meet lots of new people. His favourite pastimes are feeling the salty air flapping in his ears at the beach and being bribed with chicken meatloaf. The Dogtor is a social animal, so if you see us around please say Hi and give a little ear tickle.

Bruce is a pretty switched-on fella and runs his own social media. You can follow him at @dogtorBruce on Facebook and Instagram. Woof.

Like Dogtor Bruce, Dave is a qualified Dental Therapy Dog. That means, he loves meeting new people and helping you stay calm and relaxed during your visit. He’s great with adults and kidlets, and loves a good head pat and game of chasey.

At home, Dave’s No. 1 pastime is annoying his big brother, Bruce. Lucky Bruce. Dave’s hoooman owners, Belinda and Dr Anand have to be very careful what they leave lying on the ground as Dave can’t resist chewing AND eating things. Yep. His toileting is always exciting.

You can follow Bruce and Dave’s adventures on their social media by following @dogtorBruce on Facebook and Instagram.