ABOUT US
Smilemakers is an aspirational practice with a strong service ethic. We believe our patients want and deserve the best treatment that can be provided and we provide this treatment in a sincere and caring environment as painlessly as possible. We respect our patients as people and respect the gift of the time and money that they are investing in pursuit of their dental well-being.
Our Dental Staff
Dr. Leonie Clark
Dentist ~ B.D.S
Dr. John Mader
Dentist ~ B.Sc B. Dent (Hons)
Dr Natalie Wong
Dentist ~ BMedSci (hons) DDS (Melb)
Victoria Dos Santos
Oral Health Therapist ~ BOH (CSU) GCertDenThrpy (UOM)
Dr. Leonie Clark
“I have over twenty years' experience in dentistry. I loved my job when I first graduated and I still love it today. The intricacy and accuracy required is always challenging and I love the problem solving aspect of dental treatment. To me, the biggest advancein dentistry is in vision. Using a microscope I can see cracks in teeththat may cause pain and I can see better to fix them.
All the new technology available makes dentistry a challenge and I try to respond to that challenge and constantly seek to lift thequality of the treatment I provide. To help me achieve the quality weaspire to in my practice, I employ the best staff and I have developed a very caring environment in which to work. This makes the experience more relaxing for both our patients and our staff.”
Dr. John Mader
I now call the Blue Mountains home although only residing here for a few years, but I already feel like a local. I enjoy the sense of community and the lifestyle that the mountains offer.
I have over twelve years’ experience in a variety of practices throughout my career, which have included the Aboriginal Medical Service and private practice in the Sydney CBD.
I strive to continue my education by regularly attending courses with the latest advances in dental technology and scientific research.
I prefer to take a considered approach towards treatment with my patients while also educating on the benefits and practices of preventative dentistry.
I enjoy comprehensive dental care for children of all ages providing each child with compassion and individual care.
My goal is to ensure that patients feel well informed, understood and at ease in a comfortable environment while also providing the utmost quality of treatment to suit your needs.
In my spare time when not chasing chickens or toddlers out of the garden beds, I enjoy cycling, climbing and photography.
Dr. Natalie Wong BMedSci (hons) DDS (Melb)
I am excited to join the team at Smilemakers and to become part of the mountains community.
I grew up in the lower Blue Mountains area and studied dentistry at the University of Melbourne before gaining a range of experience working for several years in public and private practice in Sydney.
I have a caring and gentle approach towards treating patients, focused on getting to know the individual and providing the optimal dental care for their needs. I always aim to make patients feel comfortable, relaxed and well informed during their dental visit.
I am passionate about dentistry and committed to continuous professional development to further my knowledge and skills.
I feel lucky to be able to use my skills to improve the oral health of those without access to dental care by volunteering with the Australian Dental Health Foundation and overseas in Cambodia.
Outside of dentistry, I enjoy exploring the great outdoors especially by hiking, skiing and ocean swimming. I also love art and am currently learning ceramics.
Victoria Dos Santos BOH (CSU) GCertDenThrpy (UOM)
Victoria graduated from Charles Sturt University in 2015 as a dual trained Oral Health Therapist and has spent the last 5 years practicing in private, mobile and public clinics within the suburbs of Western Sydney, West Melbourne and the Northern Beaches of Sydney. In 2018 she completed a post graduate degree in Advanced Clinical Practice at the University of Melbourne which removed pre-existing age restrictions on her restorative scope of practice. She has also previously undertaken additional training with The Australian Dental Association to be able to provide in-chair whitening treatments.
Victoria is especially passionate about preventative dentistry, the management and maintenance of periodontal disease and the treatment and management of TMD (Jaw pain and disorders) through orofacial myofunctional therapy.
She is also fluent in Spanish and has a moderate understanding of the Portuguese language.
In her spare time Victoria enjoys reading, working out; and being outdoors with her family, friends and two dogs. She has traveled extensively and particularly enjoys experiencing the many different cultures and cuisines the world has to offer.
Elysia Arnott ~ Dental Hygienist ~ BOH (UON)
Elysia completed her Bachelor of Oral Health at the University of Newcastle in 2014. Her interest in the dental industry first arose during primary school when she would spend afternoons shadowing her grandfather at work, who was head of the dental department at Armidale Hospital.
During her tertiary studies Elysia worked as a dental assistant and receptionist on the Central Coast, NSW. After graduating as a Dental Hygienist, she commenced treating patients in private cosmetic practices before overseeing the hygiene aspect of the dental department at St Vincent’s Hospital. Primarily she looked after the dental health of patients prior to surgery, living with infectious diseases, suffering from mental illness, or struggling with homelessness. Most recently she has been working in practices around the Hills and Hawkesbury regions providing care to patients in private practice.
Elysia is passionate about educating patients on improving their oral health and maintaining their smiles in a comfortable, relaxed environment. She has a keen interest in non-invasive periodontal treatment and strives to alter the perception that routine dental appointments are painful and unenjoyable experiences.
Outside of dental hygiene, Elysia’s interests include: singing, reading, travelling and spending time with her family, friends and dogs.
HIGHEST STANDARDS OF DENTISTRY
Smilemakers provide the highest quality dentistry techniques currently available. These include not only the provision of treatment but also education on how to care for your teeth, as the care that you do at home is as important as the quality of the dental work done in our surgery.
We believe in educating our patients so that the decision about treatment is a joint one with our staff explaining and guiding the patient to their choice. We make ourselves available to answer any questions that the patient has about their treatment.
Our staff will always assist the patient to make the treatment phase of the work as painless and comfortable as is possible.
FOR YOUR COMFORT
Smilemakers understand that dental treatment can make people feel very stressed and that laying in a dental chair can be quite tiring if the appointment has to be a longer one.
For this reason our practice has a welcoming home-like atmosphere with lots of natural light and garden views from most rooms.
In addition to this we have these optional aids:
- Music in all treatment rooms
We listen to music while treating our patients and, if the appointment is a long one due to the complexity of the treatment, we encourage our patients to bring a CD with them of their favourite or most relaxing music. We also have a large collection of music available in-house. - Nitrous oxide
(Happy gas) is available for those patients that require it however it does need to be pre-booked. Our staff will discuss any anxieties with the patient and how best to alleviate them and formulate a treatment plan to make it easier for the patient to cope. - Heated neck pillows
To alleviate neck tension we can
provide heated neck pillows
for patient comfort. - DVD movies
In some surgeries patients can
watch DVDs if they wish. In the
rooms without screens we have
ceiling murals. Murals and lots
of art on the surgery walls
creates a more relaxing
home-like environment.
MINIMISING STRESS
We try to make our professional teeth cleaning service as pleasant as possible. There are four ways to do this:
- Professional cleaning can be done more frequently so that there is less deep cleaning required each visit.
- Keren, our hygienist, can apply a desensitising gel to reduce the sensitivity of the teeth during the cleaning process. Many of our patients have found this to be extremely beneficial.
- Anaesthetise extremely sensitive areas, e.g. lower front teeth, to minimise discomfort. We have short acting anaesthetics which numb teeth for approximately forty minutes.
- Apply moisturiser to lips to prevent cracking during the appointment.
To decrease anxiety we always explain what we are going to do before we do it so that the patient always know what will be happening to them. We understand that dentistry is a scary unknown to a lot of people so we try to break the procedure down to steps that can be explained and easily understood by the patient.
If a patient has a complex procedure carried out, our clinical assistants will check in with them by phone to see how the patient is going and to answer any questions the patient might have.
CHILDREN
We treat children early in the day when they are more able to cope. After school may sometimes be easier for parents to organise, but it is not the best time to treat children. If necessary “happy gas” is available.
Some of the Specialists we use:
Dr. Gary Clark, Penrith Orthodontics
Dr. Peter Aquilina, Oral Surgeon
“We strive to build long-term relationships with our patients. Healthy pink gums supporting strong teeth is our goal.”
