About us
Our team all share a passion for excellent service as well as honest and tailored advice
Liesl & Ame (Dentists)
Dr. Liesl Labuschagne BChD (Pret)
– Principal Dentist and Co-owner
GDC No. 66875
Liesl is the co-owner of Westerham Dental Care, alongside Ame. She graduated with a Bachelor of Dentistry qualification from the University of Pretoria in South Africa. Liesl is experienced in all areas of dental care, taking pleasure in seeing challenging dental cases through to a positive conclusion.
Liesl is a “people person”, enjoying building lasting relationships with both the patients and staff around her. Her favourite part of working as a dentist is seeing her patients’ confidence grow as their health and appearance of their smiles continues to improve.
Outside of work, Liesl enjoys exercising and getting creative in her garden, where she entertains friends and family regularly. She loves spending time with her husband and two teenage sons, with camping trips and adventurous holidays being a family favourite.
Ame Erwee BChD (Pret)
– Principal Dentist and Co-owner
GDC No. 68948
Ame also graduated from the University of Pretoria, and co-owns Westerham Dental Care with Liesl. She received the prize for the Most Distinguished Final Year Student in Maxillo-Facial Surgery from the South African Dental Association upon completion of her studies.
Ame helps patients across the spectrum of dental care, from general treatment and cosmetic dentistry to aiding with snoring and sleep apnoea. Dentistry is hugely rewarding for Ame, and she gains satisfaction in getting to know her patients on a personal level as she works with them on the journey to excellent dental health.
Away from the surgery, Ame can usually be found at the side of a rugby, football or cricket match cheering on either one of her two very sporty boys. Time with her family is incredibly important to Ame, with bike rides, hikes and picnics being enjoyed most often.
Jenny (Practice Manager)
Jenny Leach
– Practice Manageress
Jenny is the person who ensures everything at Westerham Dental Care is working smoothly. Her roles include managing the practice’s reception, keeping the weekly staff rotas up-to-date, and ensuring each dentist is supported by a nursing assistant for every appointment.
Jenny takes pleasure in making sure everything at the practice is running like clockwork. She also enjoys getting to know patients and being a point of contact for staff for anything they might need, no matter how big or small.
In her spare time, Jenny likes taking country walks, particularly through scenic gardens and historical places of interest. She also enjoys travelling, cooking and quality time with her family.
Dayna (Oral Hygienist)
Dayna Mitchell
– Dental Hygienist
GDC No. 141434
As the other half of Westerham Dental Care’s hygienist team, Dayna also offers clinical treatment, care and advice to patients. Dayna believes a smile is the first and most important way to communicate with others, sharing hers with all who come into the practice and helping patients feel confident about doing the same!
Dayna’s favourite part of her job is the loyal and inspiring patients she gets to work with, who allow her to do everything she can to help them achieve excellent oral health. At home, she can often be found reading on her Kindle. She also enjoys playing tennis and spending time with her children.
Eugene (Implantologist)
Dr Eugene Marais
– He is our resident implantology specialist here at Westerham Dental Care.
GDC No. 63371
He graduated from the University of Pretoria in South Africa in 1988, and soon developed a keen interest in Implantology. A few years later he completed the Misch Implant Institute course in Prosthodontics, and the following year embarked on the more advanced Misch Implant Institute course in surgery.
Eugene was awarded Fellowship of the Misch Implant Institute after passing the board requirements in 1999. Through his involvement with Biohorizons UK, he became an honorary visiting professor at the University of Alabama. As a Dental Clinician he continued his own development and studies, and in 2008 was awarded Fellowship and Diplomate status of the ICOI, the highlight of his career.
Eugene has placed approximately 4000 implants to date, with a failure rate of less than 1%. As well as seeing patients in London, Spain and Gibraltar, he visits practices as a consultant, teaches implant courses and speaks at prestigious dental meetings.
Support Staff (Nurses and Reception)
Rebecca Leer
– Head Dental Nurse
GDC No. 119575
As Westerham Dental Care’s Head Nurse, Becky can usually be found alongside the dentist’s chair assisting in providing dental care for patients. The most rewarding part of her job is helping patients overcome any fear or anxiety they experience during treatment. Becky aims to make the practice environment as stress-free as possible.
Becky is a keen reader, and can often be found with her head buried in a book when she’s not at work. She also likes spending her time cooking and going for relaxing walks.
Carolyn Weeks
– Dental Nurse
GDC No. 125803
Carolyn can also be found working alongside our dentists, providing care and support to patients during treatment and routine check-ups in her role as a dental nurse. She really enjoys being part of the team at Westerham Dental Care thanks to the supportive staff and positive patients she works with every day.
Any drama enthusiasts may see Carolyn at The Stag Theatre in Sevenoaks, as she volunteers as part of the front of house team in her spare time. Dancing and swimming are also favourite pastimes of hers, although not usually at the same time!
Judith Copley
– Dental Nurse
GDC No. 163089
As a member of our nursing team, Judith always makes it her priority to help put patients at ease during their treatment. She takes pride in carrying out her cross-infection procedures to the highest possible level and together with the rest of the nursing staff, helps to keep the practice in tip-top condition.
Judith is very hard-working, friendly and a great team player. She enjoys interacting with patients and her fellow team members, and is always willing to go the extra mile to help anyone.
Cecily Stiles
– Part-time Receptionist
Cecily supports Vanessa and Gemma on reception, as well as practice manageress Jenny. She enjoys being part of the Westerham Dental Care team and offering help and support to patients.
When she’s not at work, Cecily shares an interest in gardening with her husband, as well as enjoying listening to music whenever she can.
Vanessa Ralph
– Part-time Receptionist
If you call the practice, it’s quite likely that the friendly voice on the other end of the phone will belong to Vanessa as one of the part-time receptionists at Westerham Dental Care. She’s here to ensure that every aspect of your visit is positive and problem-free, as well as greeting you with a warm smile on your arrival.
The most important thing for Vanessa is that every patient feels well cared for and happy with their experience at Westerham Dental Care, liaising with staff to ensure everything happens as it should. One of Vanessa’s main pursuits outside work is as a PADI Master Scuba Diver, an elite qualification that only 2% of divers ever achieve!
Gemma Godden
– Part-time Receptionist
Gemma makes up the final third of our reception team, assisting patients in booking appointments and keeping their details up-to-date. She also updates the Westerham Dental Care Facebook page, so be sure to have a look at what she’s shared online recently!
For Gemma, job satisfaction comes from looking after the little things that may seem insignificant on their own, but that make a patient’s experience at the practice run smoothly. In her spare time, Gemma enjoys running (when the weather is good!) as well as catching up with friends and family.