New staff and major upgrade for Whanganui's Dentist on Glasgow

Dentist on Glasgow owner Dr Vasu Atluri at work in one of the upgraded surgeries.

Most people would rather not have to go there so Dentist on Glasgow is aiming to make a visit to their surgery as comfortable and friendly as possible.

Doctors Vasu and Karuna Atluri have owned the practice for eight years and recently undertook a major expansion and refurbishment of the Glasgow St surgery.

Dentists Taryn Yew and Han Yeang have recently joined the team.

They have added two new dentists, Taryn Yew and Han Yeang, to the team. Yew and Yeang graduated from the same dentistry class at the University of Otago and, after living in Dunedin, opted to move to Whanganui for its milder climate.

Practice manager Nicky Trethewey said there are now four dentists (one of them part-time) and a part-time hygienist as well as four dental assistants, three of whom are new. The surgery is now so busy they are looking at employing another fulltime receptionist so there are two people on the front desk.

"Like all dental practices in town, we have had a lot of new patients, particularly ones who are new to Whanganui which is great for Whanganui," Trethewey said.

It's not just the team that has a new look - the building has undergone a major makeover and equipment has been upgraded.

"We have two brand new surgeries in the new extension so we now have four surgeries instead of three," Trethewey said.

"The new staff room used to be the staff room, my office, the storeroom and the laboratory. We now have a separate purpose-built locker room, a storeroom, a room for the laboratory and I have an office.

"There had been no serious renovations of the building for at least 20 years so it was well due for a major overhaul. The reception area was quite old-fashioned and not friendly but we've opened it up and it's brighter and fresher.

Practice manager Nicky Trethewey (left) and receptionist Casey-Kay Knott enjoy working in the brighter and friendlier reception area.

"We had a great team of contractors working for us. We didn't close so they were working around us and they did late nights and weekends. It's been a challenge but it's been great."

One new piece of equipment is yet to arrive. It is an omnicam which is the latest technology for making crowns and bridges on the spot rather than having to send jaw impressions to a laboratory for processing.