Why I do what I do
My professional career has been dedicated to improving the dental health of my own patients.
I now have an opportunity to advise the wider Internet Community on Oral Health issues.
G’day Folks, my name is Mike Johns, a Dentist in Private Practice in the sunny seaside City of Warrnambool. We’re at the end of the Great Ocean Road on the South West coast of Australia!
Raglan Dental Clinic is a small solo practice providing general dental services to the families of this thriving dairy, tourist and fishing destination.
My surgery boasts wonderful staff members of whom I am extremely proud and of course an obligatory salt water aquarium.
The Professional Me…
After qualifying as a Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Bristol University (UK) in 1989, I have had the privilege of working in some wonderful (and sometimes weird) places, in a dental career spanning over 27 years.
I have served in both Public and Private Health services, initially in the UK but mostly here in Australia.
My first gig was in the seaside village of Ilfracombe, North Devon (UK), then straight off to a remote opal mining town of Andamooka and the uranium mining town of Roxby Downs, South Australia (I don’t need a torch at night!)
And loved every minute!
Each month for a few years I utilised the unbelievable service of the Royal Flying Doctors, travelling to the remote settlement of Marree (part of the original Ghan Railway) in “Outback” South Australia.
Many eye-opening years were had in Katherine and Arnhem Land in The Northern Territory (N.T.)
Yes there are “Salties” (crocs) here!
Treating patients from remote Aboriginal communities was one of the most enjoyable and rewarding ‘jobs’ I have have been privileged to experience.
I fondly remember the unique characters I met through work and play. I thoroughly recommend a holiday in the Territory!
This was magical!
Three years were then spent as the Dental Manager and School Dental Officer at the Kingaroy Hospital in sunny Queensland. Here we provided mobile dental services to many small regional townships as part of the Oral Health Service to the Wide Bay – Burnett area.
Our last move was to Warrnambool in South West Victoria where I joined a large Private Dental Practice to hone my skills.
In 2007, I finally took the plunge and went solo, building and running the Raglan Dental Clinic!
Our humble surgery
On a personal note…
The beautiful Gower Peninsula (Penrhyn Gwyr) in South Wales was the first place in Britain to be designated as an ‘Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty‘ and was my childhood playground! Growing up here taught me to respect Mother Nature’s true gift, one which I hope to pay respect to by sharing on this website some of the most fantastic images of the areas I have had the fortune to live in (and wish to re-explore later in life)!
Spending most of my youth playing rugby in and around my hometown of Swansea, and starting my professional career, only a stone’s throw away from the English border, I thought there may be more to see in the big wide world around us!
In search of an adventure, I moved to Australia in 1992, met the love of my life, Rachel in a remote mining town and never looked back! We have been married for 22 years and are blessed with two wonderful children, Harry and Charlotte (Charlie). Plus dogs and cats and fish!
I have tried to control my ever expanding midline with bouts of rugby (founding the Katherine Barbarians RFC in the Territory), soccer, windsurfing, and lately, tennis and golf.
I have only had mild success at these physical pursuits, so I have recently turned my hand to the more extreme sport of origami!
As you may have gathered if you have read this far, I am no spring chicken! My midlife crisis produced a set of golf clubs, although I spend too much time at the 19th hole! I also concede that I have a few grey hairs appearing! However, I attribute these signs of ageing to my emotional exchange with a teenage daughter and teaching my son to drive! Other than that I also floss!
Iechyd da,
(Cheers and good health!)
Mike
Where we live…
Warrnambool boasts access to the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles (well only 8 at the time of writing!), the Grand Annual Steeplechase, superb Blue Fin Tuna fishing, Southern Right Whale Nursery and a thriving dairy community.
We have also recently made international headlines with the success of the acclaimed Aussie film, “Oddball” (the story of a Maremma dog protecting a penguin colony), and being home to international PGA golfer, Marc Leishman.
