Meet Our Team

Andrew graduated from Otago University with a Dental Degree in 1984, and joined a private practice in Masterton before spending 8 years in a group practice on the Kapiti Coast near Wellington.

Given the rural nature of the clinic, Andrew was required to become highly skilled in a wide array of procedures and ever-changing patient needs. While on holiday in Northland in 1992, Andrew and his family discovered Kerikeri and fell in love with the area. They made a decision to return and live here, and three years later in 1995 Andrew became a senior partner in Kerikeri Dental Centre.

Andrew's Bahai faith is central to his life and practice. Together with his wife and four children, he is actively involved in International Taekwon-Do, sailing & water activities, an organic sustainable lifestyle that includes straw-bale housing, and numerous community activities.

He is a Member of the International Assoc. of Orthodontics (IAO), the New Zealand Dentists Orthodontic Society (NZDOS), and founding member of INVISALIGN in NZ – being the first to introduce the system to Northland.

Kate graduated as a dentist from the University of Manchester in the UK with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) in 2016. Since then she has worked at 2 practices providing dental care to her local community, the first in Manchester and then in Portsmouth, both in the UK.

Kate previously practiced as a physiotherapist within the National Health Service in the UK as well as privately. Later on in life she decided to follow her true calling and studied to become a dentist. Kate’s not alone in her family, as she now joins her brother, uncle and grandfather in the family trade. 

Something she really loves is providing general dental care to a local community, seeing patients regularly, getting to know their needs and helping them to improve and maintain good oral health.

Kate is a strong advocate of good oral health and its importance to a patient’s overall health and wellbeing. Providing good information, educating and helping to start good habits from a young age are also a key part of her practice. 

Importantly to her, is making sure that patients' visits are not stressful occasions, making sure they are listened to and cared for in a comfortable environment.  

Having left New Zealand as a child, Kates went on to travel a lot and having lived in many countries, she and her husband decided that New Zealand and The Bay of islands was the place to put down some roots and raise their daughter. As a keen sailor, she obviously took the slow route and sailed here from the UK which was an amazing journey. Being on, in or around the sea is a big part of her life. She also enjoys yoga and has recently taken up mountain biking. 

Samaria graduated from AUT, North Shore Campus in 2012.

She enjoys working with first time hygiene patients where she is part of a patient's journey to restoring their periodontium to a healthy condition, from the beginning. 

Samaria loves the diversity of her patients as well as the background and dental conditions she is exposed to. She enjoys being able to deliver a variety of services to her patients and being able to make a difference to a patients aesthetics, health and self-esteem.

Samaria is motivated by making a difference to a patient’s life, whether in relation to aesthetics, relief of pain or self-esteem.

Outside of the practice, Samaria enjoys spending time with family and friends - she is part of a large family with 8 brothers and 4 sisters. 

She loves mind-challenging games and activities (quizzes, cryptic crosswords, board games etc) as well as Crossfit and social sport including Netball and Touch Rugby. She also loves singing and a good music jam session.