Dr Camelia Maris Dentist
B.Oral H. (D.Sc.), G.Dip.Dent
Dr Camelia (Dr Cami) is the kind of dentist who loves the craft of dentistry just as much as the people it helps. She makes the room feel calm the moment she walks in. Her caring, thoughtful approach means she'll always take time to hear each patient's story, knowing that behind every smile is a person with individual goals, concerns and dreams.
She believes the mouth is the most intimate space in the human body, so great care begins with trust and respect. Before any treatment, she gets to know you as a person and ensures you feel safe and understood.
With experience in both academic and private practice settings, what matters most to her is that you leave feeling comfortable, cared for and confident in your smile.
With Dr Cami, you can expect clear communication, honest conversations with real options, technical excellence and a genuine belief that dentistry should be a positive and comfortable experience.
Philosophy
“ It is so important that trust and respect are established between the patient and clinician before any dental treatment is ever even performed! I prioritise hearing my patients' stories and getting to know them as people before jumping in and treating their mouth. ”
To her, teeth are beautifully designed structures that should only ever be treated to restore function, improve comfort, or enhance aesthetics. Her role is to understand what those three goals mean for you and create a plan that is biologically sound and perfectly matched to your needs.
Kindness and understanding guide everything she does, from ensuring a painless experience to protecting the delicate balance of the oral microbiome, which she sees as central to overall health. And when treatment is required, great dentistry is all about careful steps, thorough technique, and doing it properly the first time. No shortcuts.
Education and Experience
- Completed undergraduate training as a dentist at Griffith University. Class of 2016.
- Worked in private practice for 7 years prior to commencing further postgraduate training in prosthodontics at the University of Queensland.
- Clinical Director of AHC – dental continuing education company from 2020-2023.
- Lecturing in patient communication, dental photography and treatment planning.
Community and Association
- Member of ADA
- Member of the Australian Prosthodontic Society
- Clinical supervisor for undergraduate students working in the Qld public health system.
Did you know?
Dr Camelia’s family hails from Transylvania, Romania!
Get to know your dentist! Quick fire questions and answers with Dr Cami.
What would you say is your dental philosophy?
It is so important that trust and respect are established between the patient and clinician before any dental treatment is ever even performed! I prioritise hearing my patient’s stories and getting to know them as people before jumping in and treating their mouth. After all, the mouth is the most intimate and private space on a human body which is often the cause of much anxiety and shame. Hence the importance of getting to know and trust your dentist before treatment.
Through the knowledge I have gained in both clinical and academic settings, I have come to understand the exceptional perfection of tooth structure and the way the mouth is designed. To this end, there are only three reasons to ever interfere (perform dentistry!) if there has been some loss of 1) Function, 2) Comfort or 3) Aesthetics. Of course, all three of these objectives are not the same for all patients. My job is to find out what my patient’s function, comfort and aesthetic goals are and to make sure these are achieved in a biologically sound way. Gathering information from both the patient and their mouths in a comprehensive way, and then establishing a treatment plan that is both biologically sound and congruent with my patients goals is my passion.
How does dental health relate to your body’s overall well-being?
More than ever, we are understanding how oral health is crucial to overall systemic health. Research is only just now discovering that are mouths are a very complex micro-ecosystem that is characterised by intricate symbiotic relationships between our cells and the billions of little creatures that call our mouths home (oral microbiome) . The importance of a healthy oral microbiome cannot be overemphasised when it comes to general health and well-being (the mouth is the gatekeeper of a healthy gut!) As a dentist, it is my role to identify when things have fallen into dysbiosis and help you reestablish a healthy oral environment.
What is the one thing you would want patients to know about your work?
I am a firm believer in doing things properly the first time. The secret to great dental treatment is taking the time to complete each step properly and thoroughly before moving onto the next step. There can be no shortcuts!
How do you keep up-to-date with techniques, technology and teachings?
I keep up to date with the latest in dental knowledge by attending CPD events frequently. In addition, I continue to maintain a role in an academic environment which forces me to be on top of my game when it comes to the latest in research and techniques.
When did you decide to be a dentist?
I decided to be a dentist after my first year in dental school! I got into dentistry straight out of high school at the tender age of 17! Let’s be honest, no one really knows what they want at 17, you just do what your told by your eastern European immigrant parents (medicine, dentistry or law :) After a year of dental school, I realised that I had accidentally fallen into my life’s passion. Dentistry is the perfect combination of art, science and people – all the things that bring meaning to my life!
What is the best part of your day?
The best part of my day? This question has two answers. Speaking clinically, it's when I execute a really difficult clinical task perfectly – like completing a complicated filling in a hard-to-reach area on an anxious patient. The second most amazing part of my day is meeting a new patient and hearing their story. Dentists are like hairdressers or nail technicians, you can tell us everything. When we say, ‘open up!’ we don’t just mean your mouth.
What is one thing that patients worry the most about that they shouldn’t?
The one thing patient’s worry about that they shouldn’t is ‘being judged at the dentist’. There is never any judgment. Just understanding and respect.
What is the one thing patients don’t worry about and they need to pay attention to?
Teeth grinding, acid erosion and dry mouth. These etiological factors for tooth damage are character tic of the modern world and yet most patients still worry about sugar and brushing (also important!) but not the main cause of dental disease anymore.
Favourite movie of all time?
I can’t pick just one, I LOVE cinema! Standouts are Titanic, The Hateful 8, Inglorious Bastards, and The Imitation Game.
What song cheers you up no matter what?
If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
If I have to eat one meal for the rest of my life it would be Romanian meatball stew (Ciorba de Perisoare)
What celebrity would you have as a best friend?
The celebrity I would want as a best friend would have to be Steve Bartlett.
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If there is a question you would like to have answered, or to make an appointment, please do not hesitate to contact either by calling us on: (07) 3395 6944, via email at: info@hellosmiles.com.au or by using the contact form below.