Meet the Team

Dr Patricia Webley

Specialist Orthodontist. Patricia was born and brought up in Bristol, and studied dentistry at the University of Newcastle of Tyne, qualifying as a dentist in 1980. She then worked for 9 years in general practice, firstly as an associate and then in her own practice in Devon, before emigrating to Germany in 1989, where she developed her interest in Orthodontics.

She studied orthodontics and dental orthopaedics in Germany, the UK and the USA and opened her own practice which quickly became a successful enterprise specialising in non-extraction orthodontics. Patricia is a registered Specialist Orthodontist with the General Dental Council Patricia is a recognised trainer for the Royal College of Surgeon's Diploma in Orthodontic Therapy and is a member of the British Dental Association, the British Orthodontic Society and the European Orthodontic Society.

In 2004 she returned to the UK working in Nottingham until in October 2005 she opened her own practice Smilemakers, now the Octagon Dental Centre, in Bitterne Southampton.

Patricia is involved in all aspects of orthodontics, including the treatment of adults with either fixed or “invisible” braces. Her particular field of interest and expertise is orthopaedics, which involves the treatment of the younger growing child, and minimises the risk of extracting healthy permanent teeth in later life. These techniques are becoming increasingly popular with both parents and dentists.

In her private life, Patricia is married with two daughters, one of whom studied at the University of Southampton, and is greatly enjoying discovering the pleasures of living on the South Coast.

Dr Ranj Hothi, BDS (Sheffield), MSc (London), GDC 69397

Ranj qualified as a dentist in 1993 from the University of Sheffield. He was awarded Master of Science in Periodontology (gum disease) in 1998 from the Royal London Hospital, where he was trained in the diagnosis and treatment of conditions affecting the gums. He has been a member of the British Society of Periodontology since 1996.

Ranj was the principal dentist in a busy south London practice for five years

He enjoys all aspects of dentistry with a special interest in Periodontology. He attends many courses including some in America at the IDEA Institute in San Francisco. He believes one is continually learning and that Dentistry has become a fast moving field with constant advancements in technology and materials. The responsibility to keep up to date falls on the shoulders of the clinical dentist, so that they can provide a better level of care for their patients.

Ranj is married to Amy and they have a daughter. He loves to Ski and is an advanced level certified scuba diver.

Dr Aleksandra Tobiszewska

Aleksandra was born and brought up in Poland. She qualified from Silesian Medical University. She came to England in 2009 and worked in a busy General Practice in Lincolnshire. She moved to Southampton because of her hobby- kitsurfing and her love of the Sea.

Aleksandra's main interests are Aesthetic Dentistry and Dental Implants. She has completed many courses, including: Minimal Intervention Dentistry; Cleaner, Whiter, Brighter; Progressive Tooth Whitening; Improve your Crown and Bridge Work.

She is currently finishing the Tipton Restorative Dentistry Course in Manchester, which provide the latest dental scientific knowledge and clinical techniques. In the future, she hopes to achieve a Masters degree in Aesthetic Dentistry.

In her private life, Aleksandra loves kitesurfing, snowboarding and motorcycles. She also enjoys walking her beloved labrador dog Max.

Dr Wilhelm Grotepass

We are delighted to welcome implantologist Dr Wilhelm Grotepass.

Dr Wilhelm Grotepass qualified as a specialist in prosthodontics at the University of Pretoria, South Africa in 1991. After his specialization he joined the Medical University of Southern Africa. In 2003 he moved to the UK and has been working in the South of England ever since.

His research covers a wide field from crystolography of mineralised tissues, palaeontology to ultra hard castings on diamond surfaces, for which he got an American Patent. Wilhelm has special interests in Occlusion, dentures, full rehabilitations and Implants.

His hobbies include sailing and photography, but his greatest passion is undoubtedly his Triumph Speed Triple Motorbike.

Klaudia

We are delighted to welcome Klaudia our Dental Therapist to Smilemakers Orthodontics, one of the rarest members of the dental team, with only approximately 560 on the Dental Roll.

Klaudia started her career in dentistry in 1999 as a trainee dental nurse and qualified in 2000. Klaudia has developed a huge interest in dentistry and worked for two years in a very busy General Dental Practice and an Orthodontic Practice in London. These practices devoted their broad spectrum of services to both NHS and private patients. This allowed Klaudia to gain vast experience in two very different areas of dentistry.

After moving to Southampton in 2001 Klaudia continued to work in Winchester for two years and then applied to Portsmouth University to be one of the first students to study for the BSc in Dental Hygiene and Therapy. She qualified in May 2007 and joined Smilemakers, now the Octagon Dental Centre, shortly after.

Sandra Tickner

Sandra first trained in massage therapy in 1989. She then developed an interest in the use of essential plant oils in treatments; this led to her aromatherapy training in London with the pioneering aromatherapist Micheline Arcier. Since then, she qualified in beauty therapy and has undertaken further training in holistic therapies. She believes this is an area where you never stop learning and developing your skills. She has run her own successful private practice for many years.

True to the philosophy of Micheline Arcier she believes that wellbeing is a harmony between mind, body and spirit. The aromatherapy oils she uses in her treatments are all hand blended for each client.

The Monu professional skin care range which she uses in her facial treatments utilise natural ingredients, herbs, plants and essential oils, this works in perfect harmony with the hand blended oils used for aromatherapy body and facial treatments.

She believes that each client is unique; therefore her treatments are bespoke and tailored to suit the needs of the individual.

Sandra recently completed her teacher training in adult education. In her private life she is married with a son, enjoys walking in the great outdoors, photography, travelling and has trekked in the mountains of Nepal and the Indian Himalayas.

Lisa
Our Clinical Manager and Orthodontic Therapist, qualified as a dental nurse in 2000 having worked in general practice for 2 years before gaining her NEBDN Certificate. In March 2002, she moved into the field of Orthodontics, having developed an interest in this aspect of dentistry. Within a year she had completed her dental radiography course at Nottingham Queens Medical Centre and the Derbyshire Royal Infirmary and a year later, gained the NEBDN Certificate in Orthodontic Nursing at Manchester Dental Education Centre. In January 2006, she moved to Southampton to help establish Smilemakers Orthodontics (Now Octagon dental centre).

Lisa obtained her diploma in Orthodontic Therapy from the University of Warwick in July 2010. Orthodontic therapists work under prescription from a dentist or specialist orthodontist and can carry out all aspects of treatment aside from treatment planning and using certain instruments.

Camille
Our newest member of staff Camille joined the Octagon Dental Centre in April 2011. Camille grew up in Hythe and has enjoyed extensive travelling in the last few years, having lived and worked on the East Coast of Australia. Camille qualified as a dental nurse in 2006 and also has NVQ qualifications in oral healthcare and business administration. She is looking forward to working both as a dental nurse and on reception duties.