Orthodontics at Otago

10/08/2025

August started with frost outside and chaos inside… in the best way possible.

Snap pick of how we started August. Coldest month of the year, but the week still managed to feel pretty warm in spirit.

Our final-year residents — Amir, Amal, Woody and Daniel — finally hit “submit” on their theses, a moment that brought more relief than they’ll probably admit. Our so-much-missed Winifred popped in with flowers and hugs that made the whole place feel a little less like winter.

We celebrated with cupcakes from . Thanks to Janny across Australia for ordering them and to Criollo for the generous gift.

In true Otago tradition, the festivities continued as the class rang the historic bell 🔔 (and didn’t break the hammer this time) and collected their iconic chocolate fish treats. We ended the day with Amir’s special birthday celebration, the perfect finish to a week packed with milestones, good company and sweet surprises 💛

Now it’s back to business with research presentations at the NZAO Conference, Clinical Excellence Day in September, plus symposiums and final exams on the horizon.

13/07/2025

✨ A memorable visit from Mithran Goonewardene! ✨

Last month, we had the pleasure of welcoming Mr Mithran Goonewardene from University of Western Australia to Otago as part of the A*O Heads of Department teaching rotation program.

Mithran truly needs no introduction — a highly respected name in the world of orthodontics, known not only for his deep expertise in the surgical-orthodontic interface but also for his humble, engaging, and generous teaching style.

We learnt so much — not just clinical pearls, but also about the value of collaborative learning and lifting each other up as a community. 🙌

The visit ended in classic Otago style — at Prof’s home, with his legendary hospitality and that unbeatable homemade pizza (dough fermented for days… hands down the best pizza in NZ 🇳🇿🍕).

This year’s karaoke tradition was fashionably late, but well worth it — first years performed under the watchful (and playful) judgment of the final years, Prof Mauro, and Mithran himself… who, to everyone’s surprise, showed off some serious karaoke skills too! 🎤🎶

These moments are what make the AUS/NZ orthodontic community so strong — united through learning, laughter, and lifelong friendships.

Thank you again, Mithran, for making the journey from Perth to Dunedin. We look forward to seeing you again next month at NZAO! ✈️🦷

*o

24/05/2025

Scenes from our beautiful South Island. A reminder of how lucky we are to live and study in a place like this. Proud to call this stunning landscape part of our orthodontic training journey at Otago.

15/05/2025

24/04/2025

It’s not every day you get to learn from someone like Tony Weir, and it was a privilege to do so here in Otago. His visit reminded us of what truly thoughtful, evidence-based care looks like when delivered with warmth and humility, values that also define the remarkable career of Winifred, who has quietly shaped the face of orthodontics in New Zealand.
 
Though she’d be the first to slip out the back door unnoticed, we couldn’t let her retirement pass without sharing just a glimpse of the legacy she leaves behind.
 
Over the past 40 years, Winifred has helped train 101 postgraduate orthodontists in a country with only 102 currently practising. Her real impact lies in the way she’s mentored, supported, and genuinely cared for her patients, students, and colleagues.
 
On the 11th of April, we marked Winifred’s final clinical day. And last night, we raised a glass at a warm, down-to-earth farewell with the postgraduate team, filled with stories, laughter, hugs, and a garden-and-cat-themed cake handcrafted by Zina, who captured Winifred’s loves perfectly.
 
We were especially lucky to have Dr. Tony Weir and his wonderful wife Sharon join us for the celebration. A long-time friend and colleague, Tony shares Winifred’s deep commitment to evidence-based care, kindness in practice, and lifelong learning. Their presence made the occasion all the more special.
 
Winifred may be retired from the less glamorous university duties, but as she put it, her door is always open, whether it’s to talk ortho, have a vent, or simply catch up over a cuppa.
 
Thank you for showing us not just how to practise orthodontics, but how to embody compassion and integrity in our profession. Your legacy lives on in ever one of us.

19/04/2025

From our ortho fam to yours, Happy Easter, and keep those smiles egg-stra bright!

21/09/2024

When the dental squad prescribes Kit-Kats for that perfect bite – orthodontics has never tasted better!

13/09/2024

Men in Orthodontics: Olivia and Lulu are honorary members—keeping us all in line!

11/09/2024

🎉Happy Birthday to Zoë, our amazing final-year orthodontic resident! 🎂 This week we celebrated with a fun cow-themed cake, and of course, Zoë was the star of the show 🐮. Big thanks to for the beautiful and delicious cake! 🎂🎈

11/05/2024

Captivated by the mesmerizing dance of the Southern Lights in Dunedin! Nature’s enchanting spectacle never fails to leave me in awe.

30/04/2024

Do you grind your teeth in your sleep? Do you find yourself clenching your teeth during the day?

We are looking for staff and students over the age of 18 to participate in a research project to find out more about jaw clenching and tooth grinding (e.g. bruxism).

Participants will be required to attend three sessions at the Dunedin Campus Dental School; the first will take about 30-45 minutes, the second and third are much shorter, 5-10 minutes. You would need to wear a small wireless EMG recorder over your cheek as you go about your normal daily routine and when you go to sleep (see attached photo).

Participants who complete the study will receive a $100 supermarket gift voucher for their time.

Interested participants should not:
• Be currently undergoing orthodontic treatment.
• Be wearing a removeable orthodontic retainer. (Fixed retainers i.e. wire retainers glued behind your teeth are allowed).
• Be missing more than 5 teeth (not including wisdom teeth).
• Have conditions which affect the normal function of the jaw muscles (e.g. history of stroke, muscular dystrophy, epilepsy).
• Be currently experiencing pain from a tooth, the gums, or mouth ulcers.
• Be taking medications that might affect nerve or muscle function (Caffeine is allowed 😊).
• Have an implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker.
• Have facial hair over the cheek, or make-up they are unwilling to remove.

If you normally wear an occlusal splint during sleep (also called a nightguard or bite splint) you will be asked to stop wearing it 1 week prior to and during the study.

If you are interested in participating, please follow this link to complete a short questionnaire, which we will use to confirm eligibility:

https://otago.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_d55J5CMM7Tbfpki. If you are eligible to participate, we will invite you to enrol in the study.

Ethical approval has been received from the University of Otago Human Ethics Committee (reference H23/131).

05/10/2023

🔔🍫 It's a sweet ending to a long research journey! 🎓 Carrol and Luci, our final year residents, submitted their thesis today. 📚 As per Otago tradition, they rang the bell at the historic quadrangle and collected their chocolate fish treats! 🎉 Congrats to them for this monumental milestone and their impactful research! 🌟 #