What is a Periodontist?

A periodontist is a dental specialist who focuses on the treatment of periodontal (gum) disease and other oral conditions affecting the soft and hard tissues of the mouth. Periodontal disease affects the support around teeth including the jawbones and gum.

After five years at dental school and some years in general dental practice, the periodontist completes an additional 3 years of university based training. The periodontist provides a comprehensive range of diagnostic, nonsurgical and surgical services aimed at improving periodontal health.

Pre-prosthetic surgery can also be carried out to improve aesthetics and function of restorations such as crowns and bridges. The placement of dental implants is frequently undertaken by periodontists especially when aesthetics are paramount. Periodontists work closely with other members of the dental team, particularly general dentists, hygienists and other dental specialists.

All the BCPI Periodontists are members of the Australian Dental Association, Australian Society of Periodontolgy and ANZAP (the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Periodontists) the peak professional body representing periodontists in Australia and New Zealand. Members of the Academy abide by a code of ethics and behaviour as well as agreeing to set minimal levels of continuing professional education. Membership is only open to those periodontists with the highest level of professional skill, knowledge and integrity. Most ANZAP periodontists are also members and fellows of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.

Ken Nixon graduated with Honours from the University of Queensland Dental School in 1968. After 3 years in general practice in country Queensland, he won a Commonwealth PostGraduate Scholarship, and returned to the University of Queensland where he completed his Masters Degree in Periodontics in 1974. He then worked for 2 years at Brisbane Dental Hospital and also as a part-time Clinical Instructor at the University of Queensland.

In 1976 he was awarded a Fullbright Scholarship, and consequently spent a year at the University of Michigan in the United States, as a Visiting Assistant Professor. He then spent 18 months in practice in England before returning to Brisbane and commencing private specialist periodontal practice in January 1979.

Since then he has at different times been involved in the teaching of undergraduate and postgraduate periodontics, histology and pathology, at the University of Queensland, and also as external examiner for the Masters Degree programme. He was Lt.Col. Consultant to the Australian Army from 1988 to 2002, and Federal President of the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Periodontists from 1994 to 1996. In 1998 he became a Fellow of the Academy of Dentistry International, and in 2003 was admitted to Fellowship of the International College of Dentists., both these awards being recognition for his services to dentistry and its profession.In 2005 he was made a Fellow of the International Team for Implantology, and he is author or co-author of more than 15 scientific articles. He has lectured widely throughout Australia and New Zealand in both periodontics and implant dentistry, and it was his initial practice that has grown into Brisbane City Periodontics and Implants.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saso Ivanovski graduated with BDSc (Honours) from the University of Queensland Dental School in 1993. He subsequently completed a BDentSt research degree in 1995, following which he was awarded a National Health and Medical Research (NH&MRC) postgraduate scholarship and commenced a PhD which was completed in 2000. This was followed by specialist training leading to the award of an MDSc in Periodontology in 2002. During his studies, Saso worked in private practice, initially as a dentist (1994-2002), and subsequently as a specialist periodontist.

Saso was a NH&MRC postdoctoral fellow and a senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland from 2003 to 2006. During this period, he was awarded a fellowship by the International Team for Implantology (ITI) and spent a year as a clinical research fellow at the Eastman Dental Institute in London. Upon his return from London in late 2004, Saso joined Dr Ken Nixon’s practice and Brisbane City Periodontics and Implants was formally established in 2006.

In 2006, Saso was appointed the inaugural Chair and Professor of Periodontology at the Griffith University School of Dentistry and Oral Health where he leads the specialist training program in periodontology. He currently combines this position with his specialist periodontics practice at BCPI. Saso is a fellow of the ITI, a member of the Dental Board of Queensland, the federal president of the Australasian Osseointegration Society (AOS), and a past president of the state branches of the AOS and Australian Society of Periodontology (ASP). Saso has published over 30 articles in the peer-reviewed international literature, has lectured extensively nationally and internationally and has been the recipient of numerous research grants and awards. He leads an internationally recognised research group with an interest in clinical implantology and periodontology, as well as the cellular and molecular aspects of osseointegration and periodontal regeneration.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rod Marshall graduated from the University of Queensland (BDSc (Hons)) in 1988 and worked as a general dental practitioner before completing his Master of Dental Science (Perio) degree from UQ in 1992 which included an exchange to the University of Nebraska. He then worked as the Senior Registrar (Perio) at Westmead Hospital (Sydney) until returning to UQ in 1995 taking up a position of Lecturer and then Senior Lecturer in Periodontology. He commenced specialist private practice in 1998. Rod completed his Special Stream (Perio) Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons in 2000 and is also an International Member of the American Academy of Periodontology. He has been made a fellow of both the Academy of Dentistry International, and The International College of Dentists.

Rod has served as president of the ANZ division of the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), the Periodontal Research Group within the IADR and the Australian and New Zealand Academy of Periodontists. He has served on the federal executive of the Australian Society of Periodontology, and on the Board and Examinations Committee of the Periodontics division of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons as well as being an examiner in the General, Special Stream and Membership divisions of the RACDS.

In addition to university teaching and lecturing extensively across Australia and internationally, Rod has authored over 30 papers in the international literature. He has supervised and co-supervised 34 students in higher degrees, mainly coursework students leading to specialist registration. He has acted as an examiner at all Australian and New Zealand universities with Masters and Doctorate degrees in Periodontology. He acts regularly as a referee for papers submitted to Australian Dental Journal, Australian Medical Journal, the Journal of Periodontal Research, the Journal of Clinical Periodontology, and Journal of the International Academy of Periodontology. Now an adjunct Senior Lecturer at the University of Queensland, Rod maintains his full time specialist periodontal practice as part of BCPI.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jamil graduated from dentistry in 2001 and completed specialist training in Periodontology at the University of Queensland in 2006. He subsequently received a scholarship from the International Team of Implantology (ITI) in 2007 to attend the University of Florida U.S as a clinical fellow. There he completed a clinical fellowship in oral and maxillofacial surgery with an emphasis on implant surgery and tissue grafting. He also was a co-investigator in a randomized clinical trial investigating the use of a new dental implant design. He remains an international member of the American Academy of Periodontology.

Since returning to Brisbane, he has maintained a full time private practice in periodontics and implant surgery at BCPI. He has also been actively involved in teaching and training at both an undergraduate and postgraduate level. He is currently a senior lecturer in Periodontology at the University of Queensland and was previously a visiting specialist at Griffith University School of Dentistry in Periodontology and implant dentistry. Jamil is involved in continuing professional development and is a speaker for both the ITI and Astra Tech.

Jamil received his fellowship in Periodontology from the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons with commendation for outstanding performance. His research project on the link between immunology and loss of alveolar bone received a research prize from the International Association for Dental Research and his publication received the Australian Periodontal Research Foundation prize.

He is currently the president of the Australian Society of Periodontology Queensland and the federal secretary/treasurer for the Australian Osseointegration Society. He is also a member of the Australian & New Zealand Academy of Periodontology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tess Matias graduated from the University of Western Australia (BDSc) in 1996. From 1997 to 1999, she maintained a private general practice in country Western Australia (Esperance) and in the southern suburbs in Perth (Darlington). She moved to Queensland to commence postgraduate training and was awarded a Master of Dental Science (Perio) degree from University of Queensland (UQ) in 2001. She commenced part-time specialist private practice with Dr. Ken Nixon in 2002 while working as Lecturer at UQ in the Bachelor of Oral Health Program from 2002 -2004. From 2005 to 2008, she has been involved in clinical teaching of both the undergraduate and postgraduate (Perio) programs at UQ. Currently, she is completing her PhD thesis in wound healing, and is acting Discipline Head (Periodontology) in the undergraduate BDSc program at the University of Queensland.

Tess is a member of the ANZ division of the International Association for Dental Research since 1994. In addition to this she maintains membership with several internationally recognized societies: Australasian Osseointegration Society, and Asian Pacific Association of Periodontology.