About Ashgrove West Dentists
At Ashgrove West Dental, our experienced and skilled team are dedicated to providing the highest standard of personalised and comprehensive dental care in a gentle and friendly matter. We are passionate about making beautiful, healthy smiles and we aim to do this by building trusting relationships with our patients. We make every effort to ensure you feel at ease when you visit our practice – we understand the dentist can be a daunting place!
Ashgrove West Dental is in the trusted hands of dentists John O’Hare, Keith Willis, Jacinta Seeto, William Zoan, Benay Samra and Tho Nguyen, offering a wide range of services from family check-ups to complex cosmetic and restorative dentistry, crowns, implants, extractions, and emergency treatments. Our dentists keep updated with the latest technologies by regularly attending courses with numerous associations, so you can always rely on us for all of your oral care needs.
Our experienced and friendly dental nurses are also working hard along side our skilled dentists to ensure a smooth and pleasant experience every time. A friendly smile can go a long way in our line of work and our nurses aim to make our patients feel as relaxed as possible.
Ashgrove West Dental continues to support our local dental technicians, laboratories and dental representatives in Australia, to ensure the continued quality of our work. We guarantee to never outsource any dental work overseas, despite being a cheaper alternative with quick delivery times.
Our dental practice has a proud history in the area and we thank everyone for their support (especially in light of the current global pandemic). We are always grateful and humbled by our patients who have ensured our continued growth via word of mouth recommendations to their friends and family members. We truly believe referrals from friends and families are the highest of compliments!
Our Proud History
Ashgrove West Dental Practice is located at 463 Waterworks Road, Ashgrove. When the tramline was extended from Oleander Drive to the Ashgrove West “Terminus” in 1935, this became the catalyst for the successful commencement of the Ashgrove West Shopping Centre development.
Dr Frank O’Hare established the current dental practice on January 23, 1953 and has proudly overseen its expansion combined with the excellent quality service it continues to maintain to the present day.
The Ashgrove West Dental Practice has indeed stood the test of time and has become one of the oldest surviving family businesses in Brisbane’s western suburbs and certainly appears as the oldest existing business in Ashgrove and its environs. Frank O’Hare’s son, John O’Hare joined Frank in 1980 at 465 Waterworks Road and they remained in partnership until Frank’s retirement in December 1993.
In December 1985, Frank and John relocated the dental practice to “next door” and this adjoining site at 463 Waterworks Road remains the current location of Ashgrove West Dental.
Since 1977 several assistant dentists have gained experience working in alliance with Frank and John. In May 2014, Keith Willis joined John O’Hare in partnership and Jacinta Seeto linked with both dentists in early 2015 with three modern dental surgeries in operation.
Ashgrove West Dental has been fortunate throughout its entire existence to benefit from many capable dental nurses and receptionists, many of whom have gone on to pursue their own careers in health care in various fields.
Ashgrove West Dental Practice continues to be an integral part of the flourishing Ashgrove West Shopping Centre and burgeoning residential district and looks forward to carrying on its tradition for many years to come.
Meet The Team
Dr. John O’Hare
DentistB.D.Sc (QLD), F.R.A.C.D.S
John O’Hare graduated from the University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Dental Science in 1977 and has been a local dentist in the Ashgrove area since 1980 after initially working in a Brisbane City practice for two and a half years. John’s passion for attaining excellence in dentistry lead to his further study with the prestigious Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons. After a series of gruelling examinations over several years, John obtained the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (F.R.A.C.D.S) in 1986, an achievement few general dentists have achieved.
While John enjoys the wide range of diagnosis and treatment procedures involved in being a general dentist, he has special interests in restorative dentistry, crowns and bridges, dentures, and dental trauma cases. He also enjoys making high quality customised mouthguards for all ages to help prevent those nasty dental sports injuries.
John remains very enthusiastic about dentistry and was involved in the Scientific Committee in organising the Australian Dental Association Congress in 2015; a national event held in Brisbane where dentists from around the country and overseas attended lectures and workshops to improve their skills and knowledge. He remains to this day a member of the Australian Dental Association and Vardiman Dental Study Association, of which he was the founding Vice-President. John is also a member of the Australian Prosthodontic Society, past President of the UQ Dentistry Alumni and a past executive of the University of Queensland Dental Students Association (UQDSA).
John is committed to offering the best clinical work and personal care he can for everyone. He is a well known Ashgrove local and has associations with the local schools, kindergartens, sporting associations, historical societies and businesses.
John is a keen sportsman, loves all sport and remains a vocal Queensland Reds supporter. In his spare time, John enjoys spending time with his family, being active on school committees, pursuing local history and meeting and helping people. John is very fortunate to have lived, been schooled, and worked in Ashgrove.
Dr. Keith Willis
DentistB.D.Sc (QLD), F.R.A.C.D.S
Keith Willis commenced his Bachelor of Dental Science at the University of Queensland in 2008. During his study he won the esteemed Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons Prize, awarded to one person from each Australian institution who has demonstrated outstanding excellence in general dentistry. He was also awarded the Dean’s Commendation List for High Achievement.
Keith has provided dental care in several different locations including Brisbane City, Gold Coast and Darwin and was subsequently chosen by Dr John O’Hare to join Ashgrove West Dental. Our patients enjoy Keith’s genuinely caring nature and his gentle and relaxed approach to dentistry. He is thorough with his work and is always willing to answer any questions you may have – there is no such thing as a ‘silly’ question when it comes to dentistry! Keith enjoys all areas of general dentistry and takes a conservative approach where possible. He has a special interest in root canal therapy, restoring dental implants and cosmetic dentistry.
Keith’s passion for dentistry led him to complete further study and he is now placing dental implants. His education and training was undertaken through the Global Institute for Dental Education and Loma Linda University, California. He has also completed a year-long Endodontic Mini-Residency in Sydney with the Australian Dental Association New South Wales, which allows him to look after patients with root canal issues with more confidence.
Following in John’s footsteps, Keith decided to embark on further intense training. After several years of study and many examinations, Keith was awarded the Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (F.R.A.C.D.S) in 2016. He is the current president of the Cadmus Dental Society, member of the Australian Prosthodontic and Autralian Endodontic societies and the Southside Dental Study Club. He has also been involved in committees associated with the Australian Dental Association Queensland Branch.
In his spare time Keith enjoys playing basketball for a social team and follows several sports including rugby, cricket, basketball and soccer.
Dr. Jacinta Seeto
DentistB.D.Sc (QLD)
Jacinta Seeto was born and bred in Brisbane; the third generation from her family. She attended Brisbane Girls Grammar School and commenced the Bachelor of Dental Science at the University of Queensland in 2007. Since the outset Jacinta has consistently demonstrated a natural flair for dentistry and is exceptionally thorough with her work.
Jacinta has special interests which include restorative and cosmetic dentistry. She regularly attends courses and seminars to stay updated with the latest techniques and technologies. Jacinta is a member of the Australian Dental Association, Australian Prosthodontic Society, Australian Endodontic Society, Risus Study Club, Southside Dental Study Club, a foundation member of the Dental Book Club and current Vice-President of the Casmus Dental Society.
Jacinta has a quiet and kind nature. She always has the best interests of her patients at heart and takes her time to ensure she is being as gentle as possible. She believes in the focus of prevention of dental issues and loves to educate her patients on the proper way to take care of their oral health.
Dr. William Zoan
DentistB.D.Sc (Hons)
Will graduated from the University of Queensland’s Dental School and is passionate about all aspects of general dentistry. He has a special interest in sleep apnoea and anti-snoring oral appliances and loves working with children.
He is a member of the Australian Dental Association Queensland and regularly attends meetings from the Australian Prosthodontic Society Queensland and the Australian Society of Endodontology. He is a also the current vice-president of the Cadmus Society dental study club. Patients have complimented Will on his professionalism and friendly chair-side manner. Will loves learning about his patients and is passionate about keeping their smiles healthy.
When he is not practicing dentistry, Will enjoys spending time with family and friends, playing basketball, and playing his guitar. Will also serves at his local Presbyterian church.
Dr. Benay Samra
DentistB.D.Sc (NSW)
Benay completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Queensland before attending Charles Sturt University in New South Wales to undertake his dental training. Benay is a caring and compassionate dentist who loves to get to know his patients on a personal level and endeavours to make dental visits a relaxing and pain-free experience for all. He understands that each patient is unique and believes in providing personalised treatment for each individual.
Benay has gained clinical experience across many areas of rural NSW as well as in the city of Brisbane. He has also been fortunate enough to spend time with the Royal Flying Doctor Service, providing dental care in remote areas of New South Wales and Queensland. He enjoys all aspects of dentistry but has a special interest in aesthetics and fixed prosthodontics.
Benay grew up in London before moving to Brisbane to complete his schooling at John Paul College. Outside of dentistry, Benay enjoys playing soccer and spending quality time with friends and family.
Dr. Tho Nguyen
DentistB.D.Sc. (Hons)
Tho is a local Brisbanite who was born in Brisbane and attended Brisbane State High School.
Tho graduated from the University of Queensland with Honours and has practiced in various locations including Hervey Bay and Ipswich. He enjoys practicing all facets of general dentistry with special interests in oral surgery and endodontics.
Tho has a very gentle and caring approach to dentistry, and believes that patient oral health education is equally as important as being able to have a relaxed and enjoyable dental experience.
He is a member of the Australian Dental Association and regularly attends study groups in Brisbane and is continuing education courses to stay up to date with the ever changing science and clinical techniques in dentistry.
When Tho isn’t practicing dentistry, he can be found enjoying quality time with friends and family, teaching martial arts, and taking his dog Gumby for long walks.
Dr. Jenny Tang
DentistJenny grew up in New Zealand and moved across the Tasman to complete her dental training at The University of Queensland, where she graduated with first class honours.
Jenny enjoys all aspects of general dentistry and takes great pride in providing careful and comprehensive dental treatment. She has a gentle and compassionate nature, and always endeavours to create a relaxed and comfortable environment for her patients. Jenny is committed to working with patients as a team to ensure their optimal dental health, as well as helping them maintain their teeth for life.
Jenny is a member of the Australian Dental Association and regularly attends continuing education courses to stay abreast with current techniques, trends and materials.
Outside of dentistry, Jenny is a huge foodie and loves discovering new places to eat with her family and friends. She also enjoys diving into a good crime podcast to help her start the day.
Dr. Geoffrey Zhang
With a foundation in Brisbane, Geoffrey pursued his passion for dentistry, earning a Bachelor of Dental Science degree with honours at the University of Queensland. Committed to excellence, Geoffrey stays abreast of the latest advancements in dentistry through ongoing education and active involvement through professional development.
