Meet the Smile Solutions Team - Melbourne's Largest Multidisciplinary Dental Practice product guide

Smile Solutions — Melbourne's largest multidisciplinary dental practice

Meet the Smile Solutions team — Melbourne's largest multidisciplinary dental practice

Smile Solutions is Australia's largest single-location private dental practice, spread across five floors of the Manchester Unity Building at 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD. Dr Kia Pajouhesh founded it in 1993 with just eight patients. Today the practice serves over 300,000 patients and employs more than 82 clinicians — specialists, dentists, hygienists, dental technicians, and allied health professionals. What makes it genuinely different is that every one of them works under the same roof, which means real collaboration on your care rather than a chain of disconnected referrals.

This guide introduces the clinicians, ceramists, technicians, and allied health professionals who make Smile Solutions what it is.

Founder and principal dentist

Dr Kia Pajouhesh — founder and managing director

Qualifications: BSc, BDSc (Melb) | General Dentist

Dr Kia Pajouhesh is the founding principal dentist and managing director of Smile Solutions. He graduated with first-class honours in both Science and Dentistry from the University of Melbourne, receiving the WJ Tuckfield prize for prosthodontics. His decision to pursue dentistry came from a difficult childhood experience as a dental patient — a personal motivation that still drives his commitment to ensuring every patient receives careful, considered care.

Dr Kia established Smile Solutions in 1993 and built it from a single-chair practice into Australia's largest single-location private dental clinic. He is the official dentist to the Australian Open and the Collingwood Football Club. In 2014, Smile Solutions won the Telstra Victorian Business of the Year award, and Dr Kia was nominated for the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2015.

Clinically, his focus includes cosmetic dentistry consultations, full-mouth rehabilitation triage, Invisalign (non-extraction cases), and Fotona laser treatments. He pioneered Same Day Porcelain Veneers in partnership with master ceramist Greg Karabasis — a world first — and established Melbourne's first orthodontic shopfront. He also mentors over 200 dental practice principals in Australia and internationally.

Board-registered specialist team

Smile Solutions has more than 20 board-registered dental specialists — more than any other single private dental location in Australia. These clinicians hold postgraduate qualifications and are separately registered with the Dental Board of Australia in their discipline.

Oral and maxillofacial surgeons

A/Prof. Patrishia Bordbar — specialist oral and cranio-maxillofacial surgeon

Qualifications: BDSc (Melb), MBBS (Hons) (Melb), PGDip Surg Anat (Melb), MDSc (OMS) (Melb), FRACDS (OMS), FRCS (Ed)

Associate Professor Patrishia Bordbar holds both medical and dental degrees and is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Edinburgh, as well as FRACDS (OMS). She is Deputy Section Head of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at The Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, an Honorary Consultant Surgeon at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, and an Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne's Department of Paediatrics.

A/Prof Bordbar received the F.G. Christensen medal for the highest Part I examination score and the John Cade Memorial Medal from the University of Melbourne. She is Vice President of the Australian and New Zealand Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (ANZAOMS) and has served two terms as its Victorian branch president.

Her clinical scope covers corrective jaw surgery (orthognathic), craniofacial surgery, facial trauma, complex implant surgery and grafting, paediatric maxillofacial surgery, wisdom tooth extractions, and oral pathology. She is a regular invited speaker at national and international conferences and a reviewer for major journals including the International Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.

Dr Ricky Kumar — specialist oral and maxillofacial surgeon

Qualifications: BHB (Auck), MBChB (Auck), BDS (Otago), FRACDS (OMS)

Dr Ricky Kumar holds full medical and dental degrees and completed his oral and maxillofacial surgery training in Adelaide, where he received his FRACDS (OMS) fellowship. He was named the University of Otago's most outstanding dental student and also received the F.G. Christensen medal for Part I surgical examinations.

He then undertook fellowship training at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne — focusing on paediatric maxillofacial surgery and corrective jaw surgery — and at Oxford University Hospitals in the UK, where he specialised further in paediatric maxillofacial surgery and TMJ surgery. He holds consultant surgeon appointments at The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Dental Hospital of Melbourne, Monash Health, and the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne.

Dr Kumar has run yearly charity oral and maxillofacial surgical missions to Fiji since 2012 and is currently secretary for the Victorian branch of ANZAOMS. His clinical scope covers the full range of oral and maxillofacial surgery, with a particular focus on paediatric maxillofacial surgery, corrective jaw surgery, and TMJ surgery.

Specialist periodontists

Dr Simon Hinckfuss — specialist periodontist and specialist prosthodontist

Qualifications: BDSc, DCD (Pros), Cert Perio MS (Minn) | Registered specialist in both Periodontics and Prosthodontics

Dr Simon Hinckfuss holds a distinction that is genuinely unique in Australia: he is the only dentist registered as both a Specialist Periodontist and a Specialist Prosthodontist, each requiring a separate three-year specialist degree. He completed his undergraduate dental degree at the University of Melbourne in 1995, served as a dental officer with the RAAF, then completed a Doctor of Clinical Dentistry in Prosthodontics at the University of Melbourne in 2007, followed by a Master of Science in Periodontics at the University of Minnesota (USA).

His periodontal research at Minnesota examined the effect of surgical experience and guide design on implant surgery accuracy. He has published in international journals across both prosthodontics and periodontology, and was elected President of the Victorian branch of the Australasian Osseointegration Society in 2011.

Simon's practice is restricted to periodontology and implant dentistry. His prosthodontic background means he approaches treatment planning with a level of restorative insight that most periodontists simply don't have — which matters considerably in complex cases, including All-on-4 full-arch rehabilitation.

Dr Ahmed El Hadidi — specialist periodontist

Qualifications: BDS, MRACDS (GDP), DCD (Perio)

Dr Ahmed El Hadidi completed his specialty degree in Periodontics at the University of Melbourne after 15 years in general dental practice. He graduated from Cairo, moved to Australia in 2010, practised in Launceston and Sydney, and settled in Melbourne in 2016. His research thesis focused on identifying DNA mutations that increase susceptibility to periodontal disease — work pointing toward personalised medicine in periodontology.

Dr El Hadidi provides the full range of periodontal services: non-surgical and surgical periodontal therapy, regenerative procedures, hard and soft tissue grafting, aesthetic gum procedures including crown lengthening and recession management, and all aspects of implant dentistry. He is a member of the ADA, Australasian Osseointegration Society, Australian Society of Periodontology, and the International Team for Implantology (ITI).

Dr Peishan Jiang — specialist periodontist

Qualifications: BDSc (Griff), DClinDent (Griff)

Dr Peishan Jiang completed both her dental degree and her Doctor of Clinical Dentistry in Periodontology at Griffith University, graduating with academic excellence. During her postgraduate training she was active in clinical teaching, undergraduate supervision, and the Academic Policy Steering Group at Griffith, and has presented translational dental research at the International Association of Dental Research.

Her clinical work covers non-surgical and surgical treatment of periodontitis and peri-implantitis, dental implant placement, bone grafting, sinus lifts, gum grafting, crown lengthening, and periodontal regeneration. She is committed to long-term patient maintenance and works closely with other clinicians at Smile Solutions to coordinate your care.

Specialist endodontists

Dr Gregory Tilley — specialist endodontist

Qualifications: BDSc (Melb), LDS (Vic), FRACDS, MRACDS (Endo)

Dr Gregory Tilley is one of Australia's most experienced endodontists, with more than 35 years of specialist clinical experience. He trained at the University of Melbourne and has been practising as a specialist endodontist since 1979. He is an Honorary Senior Fellow in the Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health Science at the University of Melbourne and has supervised and mentored endodontic specialist trainees for over 20 years.

A past president of the ADA Victorian branch, Dr Tilley has lectured across all Australian states and internationally, chaired sessions and presented at conferences in the United States and throughout Asia, and serves on an international committee for the development of endodontic instruments and materials. He is a member of the American Association of Endodontists, Australian Society of Endodontology, and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Endodontists.

Prof. Chankhrit Sathorn — specialist endodontist

Qualifications: DDS, Grad Dip Dent, DClinDent, PhD, MRACDS (Endo)

Professor Chankhrit Sathorn is an Adjunct Professor of Endodontics at La Trobe University. He completed specialist endodontic training and a PhD at the University of Melbourne and has previously served as Convenor of the Predoctoral Endodontics and Graduate Certificate in Clinical Dentistry programmes there.

His research focuses on evidence-based endodontics, systematic reviews, and the effectiveness of clinical interventions — work recognised with the Ernest Joske Research Award for contributions to dental science. He sits on the editorial boards of the Journal of Endodontics, International Endodontic Journal, Dental Traumatology, and European Journal of Dentistry, and has been invited to speak at IFEA, ESE, and other major international endodontic congresses.

Dr Aovana Timmerman — specialist endodontist

Qualifications: BDSc (Melb), FRACDS, DCD (Melb), GCert ClinTeach, MRACDS (Endo)

Dr Aovana Timmerman graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2001 and completed her Doctorate of Clinical Dentistry in Endodontics at the same institution. She received the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Endodontics JM Booth Award to attend the IADT Congress in Turkey in 2013.

Aovana has been involved in endodontic education since 2011, completing a Graduate Certificate in Clinical Teaching in 2019. She is currently a clinical demonstrator for the Doctor of Dental Surgery Endodontic program at the University of Melbourne and examines dentists in the Membership (GDP) program for RACDS and the Australian Dental Council. She is also fluent in Mandarin Chinese.

Dr Areti Vrochari — specialist endodontist

Qualifications: DDS, MS (Endo), DrMedDent

Dr Areti Vrochari completed her dental degree at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece. She undertook advanced training in restorative dentistry and aesthetics at Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Germany, where she also completed a Doctorate in Dental Biomaterials (DrMedDent). She holds a Master's degree in Endodontics from Athens, has worked as a Clinical Instructor at the University of Athens, and lectured at Griffith University's School of Dentistry.

Dr Vrochari has authored and co-authored research on dental biomaterials, aesthetic and restorative dentistry, and prosthodontics, and is co-author of a textbook on all-ceramic restorations. She brings over 17 years of clinical experience in contemporary restorative and endodontic dentistry.

Specialist orthodontists

Dr David Austin — specialist orthodontist

Qualifications: BDSc (Melb), MDS Orth (HK), MOrth RCS (Edin)

Dr David Austin completed his dental degree at the University of Melbourne in 2004 and pursued specialist orthodontic training at the University of Hong Kong. He has worked in specialist orthodontic practice across Melbourne, Hong Kong, and Shanghai, and was recently inducted as a member in orthodontics with the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh. He is a member of the World Federation of Orthodontists, European Orthodontic Society, Hong Kong Society of Orthodontists, and the Australian Dental Association. David treats both children and adults and speaks English, French, Italian, and Spanish.

Dr Andrea Phatouros — specialist orthodontist

Qualifications: BDSc (WA), MDSc Orth (WA), FRACDS

Dr Andrea Phatouros completed her Bachelor of Dental Science at the University of Western Australia in 1991 and her specialist orthodontic training at UWA in 2005, where she received the Postgraduate Clinical Award for Excellence in Clinical Presentation. She subsequently worked in specialist private practice in Perth and maintained teaching responsibilities across both the undergraduate and postgraduate orthodontic programs at UWA.

Dr Joshua Ch'ng — specialist orthodontist

Qualifications: BDSc (Melb), FRACDS, D Clin Dent (Melb)

Dr Joshua Ch'ng graduated from the University of Melbourne in 2013 and received the Kenneth Sutherland Prize for achieving the highest marks in General Dentistry when he obtained his RACDS fellowship in 2017. He returned to Melbourne to specialise in orthodontics, during which time he travelled to Michigan to collaborate on a 3D image analysis research project with the Dental and Craniofacial Bionetwork for Image Analysis (DCBIA). He has presented at the Australian Society of Orthodontists and European Orthodontic Society conferences. Dr Ch'ng has a particular interest in digital orthodontics and clear aligner therapy, and speaks Mandarin.

Dr Katie Xu — specialist orthodontist

Qualifications: BDSc (Hons) Melb, D Clin Dent (Orth) Melb

Dr Katie Xu graduated from the University of Melbourne with first-class honours in 2013, receiving the Cato Graduate Scholarship and the Des Crack Memorial Prize for the highest marks in Paediatric Dentistry and Orthodontics. After practising as a general dentist across Melbourne, she completed a three-year specialist Doctorate in Orthodontics at the University of Melbourne. She has presented at national orthodontic conferences, published in the Australian Orthodontic Journal and International Journal of Oral Science, and is an examiner for the Australian Dental Council. She speaks Mandarin Chinese.

Specialist prosthodontists

Dr Jamie Foong — specialist prosthodontist

Qualifications: BDSc (Melb), DClinDent (Melb)

Dr Jamie Foong completed a three-year specialist degree in Prosthodontics at the University of Melbourne. He is a visiting lecturer and clinical supervisor at the University of Melbourne Dental School and a member of the Australian Prosthodontic Society. His clinical work covers crown and bridge, occlusal rehabilitation, porcelain veneers, and dental implants. He places particular emphasis on diagnosis, communication, and treatment planning that works for you — not a generic template.

Dr Foti Angelis — specialist prosthodontist

Dr Foti Angelis is a board-registered specialist prosthodontist at Smile Solutions with extensive experience in full-mouth rehabilitation, complex crown and bridge work, dentures, and the prosthodontic component of All-on-4 full-arch implant cases.

Dr Vasileios Chronopoulos — specialist prosthodontist

Professor Vasileios Chronopoulos is a specialist prosthodontist with more than 30 years of experience, bringing considerable depth to complex All-on-4 and full-arch implant rehabilitation at Smile Solutions. His focus on implant-supported prosthetics represents one of the most experienced skill sets available in Melbourne's private sector.

Specialist paediatric dentist

Dr Susan Hinckfuss — specialist paediatric dentist

Qualifications: BDSc (Melb), DCD (Melb)

Dr Susan Hinckfuss graduated from the University of Melbourne in 1995 and practised in general dentistry in the Geelong area for eight years before returning to complete a Doctor of Clinical Dentistry in Paediatric Dentistry at the University of Melbourne, including clinical training at the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne. She subsequently spent three years as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of Minnesota's School of Dental Science.

Dr Susan Hinckfuss performs all aspects of paediatric dentistry and has particular experience with anxious children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorders. She is skilled in dental trauma, complex conditions including enamel defects and early childhood caries, and places zirconia crowns as a gentler alternative to stainless steel crowns. She is the sister-in-law of Dr Simon Hinckfuss.

General dentists with special interests

Dr Philippa (Pip) Robinson — group clinical director

Qualifications: BSc, DDS (Melb), MBA (La Trobe), MHlth and Med Law (Melb)

Dr Pip Robinson is both a highly experienced general dentist and the Group Clinical Director of Smile Solutions, bridging clinical and management responsibilities across the practice. She holds a Bachelor of Science, Doctor of Dental Surgery, Master of Business Administration, and a Master of Health and Medical Law — a combination that positions her to advocate for both clinical quality and your experience as a patient.

Her clinical interests cover cosmetic and preventive dentistry, CEREC same-day ceramic restorations, Fotona dental laser treatments, and therapeutic and cosmetic injectables. She has a particular commitment to anxious and phobic patients, offering nitrous oxide sedation and oral medication for suitable patients. If dental anxiety has kept you from seeking care, Dr Pip's approach makes her a good first point of contact.

Dr Jaclyn Wong — implant surgeon

Qualifications: MBBS, BDSc (Hons), Post Grad Dip Surg Anat

Dr Jaclyn Wong holds both medical and dental degrees from the University of Melbourne. After completing her medical degree, she trained for three years in general and specialty surgery with the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons before completing her dental degree with Honours. She then worked as a registrar in oral and maxillofacial surgery for six years across The Royal Melbourne Hospital, Royal Dental Hospital, and Austin Hospital.

Her research has focused specifically on All-on-4 implant surgery, including the functional and clinical outcomes of zygomatic implants. She trained with the inventor of the All-on-4 system at the Malo Clinic in Portugal and has been performing All-on-4 surgery for over 15 years. Her practice is restricted to oral surgery — complex extractions, wisdom teeth, single and full-arch implant procedures, complex grafting, and pre-prosthetic surgery. She is also an AADFA mentor in cosmetic injectables.

Dr Casey Edgar — general dentist (GA-accredited)

Qualifications: BBiomed, DDS (dist) (Melb)

Dr Casey Edgar graduated with distinction in dentistry from the University of Melbourne and is accredited to perform treatment under general anaesthesia — giving you the option of being fully asleep for complex or anxiety-inducing procedures. She provides comprehensive general dentistry with particular expertise in nitrous oxide sedation and surgical extractions.

Dr Ryan Sherry — general dentist

Qualifications: BDS (Glas), MFDS

Dr Ryan Sherry trained in Glasgow and holds the Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery. He has a strong interest in endodontics and performs both routine and complex extractions as part of his general dental practice at Smile Solutions.

Dr Jacques Theron — general dentist

Qualifications: BChD (Pret)

Dr Jacques Theron graduated from the University of Pretoria and has developed a particular clinical interest in dentures and extractions, working closely with the specialist prosthodontists on prosthetic rehabilitation cases to coordinate your treatment from start to finish.

In-house dental laboratory — the Smile Lab

One of Smile Solutions' most practical advantages is its fully operational in-house dental laboratory. All ceramic restorations, veneers, crowns, and implant prosthetics are made on-site by the laboratory team — no overseas outsourcing, no waiting weeks for results, and direct collaboration between the ceramists and your treating clinicians. For patients, this means faster turnaround times, better aesthetic outcomes, and a genuinely integrated approach to care.

Greg Karabasis — master ceramist

Greg Karabasis is the master ceramist behind the Smile Lab, with over 32 years of experience in dental ceramics. Holding a Diploma in Dental Technology from RMIT, Greg co-developed Same Day Porcelain Veneers with Dr Kia Pajouhesh — a system that delivers hand-crafted, permanently bonded porcelain veneers in a single day, which won the 2024 Australian Business Award for Business Innovation.

Greg works directly with patients on digital smile design and crafts all cosmetic veneers, all-ceramic crowns, and ceramic bridges. His involvement from the planning stage through to final delivery is central to the consistently strong aesthetic results Smile Solutions achieves.

Noemi Miele — senior orthodontic dental technician

Noemi Miele is Smile Solutions' Senior Orthodontic Dental Technician, working within the Smile Lab to fabricate orthodontic appliances, retainers, and other devices that support the specialist orthodontists' clinical work. Every appliance is tailored to your individual treatment plan.

Agne Diliartaite — senior implant lab technician

Agne Diliartaite specialises in implant prosthetics and is the senior technician for All-on-4 and dental implant cases within the Smile Lab. She fabricates implant-supported ceramic and acrylic prostheses and works directly with the oral surgeons, periodontists, and prosthodontists to ensure the final result meets both functional and aesthetic expectations.

Natalie Bilos — dental laboratory technician

Natalie Bilos contributes to the production of crowns, veneers, and ceramic restorations across the Smile Lab's full output. She works alongside Greg Karabasis on cosmetic ceramic work, bringing careful attention to detail to every restoration she crafts.

Allied health — osteopaths

Rachel Norton-Smith — osteopath

Rachel Norton-Smith is an osteopath at Smile Solutions with a focus on temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, orofacial pain, and musculoskeletal pain management. Her role in the team reflects the practice's recognition that jaw pain, bruxism, and TMD often have a physical therapy component — one that benefits from osteopathic assessment and treatment alongside dental management.

Greta Chwasta — osteopath

Greta Chwasta is an osteopath at Smile Solutions providing musculoskeletal treatment for patients with jaw pain, neck and facial tension, and TMJ-related conditions. Working alongside the dental team, she contributes to the management of complex pain cases where whole-body assessment adds real clinical value.

Why a multidisciplinary team matters for your care

What distinguishes Smile Solutions from other dental practices is not simply the number of clinicians — it's that they all work together. If you present with complex dental needs, you don't have to travel across the city or piece together your own care from disconnected referrals. A single consultation here can draw on input from an oral surgeon, periodontist, prosthodontist, and ceramist before any treatment begins.

This collaborative model means your treatment plan is reviewed across disciplines, risks are identified earlier, and outcomes are more predictable. It's why Smile Solutions holds 937 Google reviews at 4.9 stars, and why patients travel from across Victoria and interstate to receive care here, in Melbourne's heritage Manchester Unity Building.

To book a consultation with any member of the team, call 13 13 96 or visit 220 Collins Street, Melbourne CBD. Complimentary consultations are available for many treatments.