Professional, comfortable care is the focus for Symmetry Dental. We provide a relaxing environment where you will feel welcome, safe, and at ease while ensuring your ongoing dental health.
Dr Ryan has been practicing in the Canberra region since 1980 and is our principal dentist here at Symmetry Dental.
Michael has a keen interest in a comprehensive, holistic approach to dentistry. His commitment to a ‘big picture’ approach to dentistry has seen him seek out advanced studies in gnathology and occlusion; orthopaedic orthodontics; craniofacial pain; and sleep medicine.
has recently completed a Masters at Sydney University medical school in pain management with a specialisation in orofacial pain. During his 40 year career in dentistry he has also completed mini-residencies at the Pankey Institute, Tufts University (Sleep Medicine) as well as Orthopaedic/Orthodontic programs with Derek Mahony, Steve Olmos, Skip Truitt and Steve Gallela.
Michael believes that dentists have an important role to play in the close relationship between teeth; jaw growth and development; airways; and the fundamental physiology of the whole body. Dr Ryan embodies our commitment at Symmetry Dental to provide an essential link in the medical and dental chain, maintaining close relationships with medical and allied health practitioners in the region to deliver outstanding and broad-reaching health outcomes for our patients.
ph: 02 6295 3006
Dr Waites maintains a commitment to excellence in the areas of orthopaedic orthodontics, crown and bridgework as well as single-step root canal therapy. With twenty years of experience Robert has sought the very best of cutting-edge post-graduate training for the benefit of his patients.
Graduating in 1995 from the University of Sydney, Dr Waites has received post-graduate training from the International Association of Orthodontics: University of Sydney Extended Fixed Prosthodontics (crown and bridge treatment) post-graduate centre,; the Institute of Facial Beauty (USA); the American Association of Craniofacial Pain; and University of Sydney post-graduate studies in Endodontics (root canal therapy). Additionally, Dr Waites maintains constant professional development with leading dental training centres.
Dr Waites is a member of the Australian Dental Association; the International Association for Orthodontics; the Australian Society of Endodontology; and the American Association for Craniofacial Pain.
Dr Waites is proud to be bringing the benefits of orthopaedic orthodontics to his family of patients, helping them to achieve not only their aesthetic potential but also aiding in combatting snoring, sleep apnoea and jaw joint pain. Many of the chronic, debilitating diseases of our age, such as high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, stroke and even some forms of cancer, are related to restricted airways and sleep-disordered breathing. Dr Waites is helping hundreds of patients of all ages ameliorate, eliminate or avoid these potential health problems.
With the care and comfort of his patients as his top priority, Dr Waites enjoys a strong reputation for clinical excellence and a caring chairside manner. Whether he is helping patients through their orthopaedic orthodontic development, root canal therapy, aesthetic smile redesign or even a regular dental check-up, Dr Robert Waites’ focus is the health and happiness of his family of patients.
ph: 02 6295 3006
Symmetry Dental’s continued commitment to providing a broad range of allied services to our dental patients includes a focus upon the importance of a functional airway; ideal myofunctional habits; and good quality sleep.
Matt has been a part of the Symmetry team for several years and has made an extensive study of the structural links between ideal facial and jaw growth; orthopaedic orthodontics; air pathways; and orofacial myology, as well as the overall health benefits of ideal breathing and swallowing functions. Over his time with Symmetry Dental and in constant connection with relevant practitioners in the area, Matt has developed a respiratory and myofunctional re-education program to both support the development and treatment outcomes and retention of our orthopaedic orthodontic and craniofacial pain treatments, and to aid our patients in attaining and maintaining valuable health outcomes across the board.
Matt has a special interest in sleep medicine and works closely with local sleep specialists to ensure all aspects of our patients’ breathing and sleep needs are met. Matt continues to add to his working knowledge base in the area of respiratory physiology and seeks to instil in all of our patients his enthusiasm for excellent breathing, increased sporting and exercise performance and a good night’s sleep.
ph: 02 6295 3006
Dr Joseph Ryan is originally from Canberra where he worked as a dentist alongside his father and brothers in private practice. In addition he held the position of Senior Dentist for ACT Health working at The Canberra Hospital, public clinics and in the Alexander Maconchie Correctional Centre. He graduated from Sydney University with a Bachelor of Medical Science Degree in 2009 and from Charles Sturt University with a Bachelor of Dental Science in 2014. He was the only student in his graduating dental class to complete a two year research honours in facial pain graduating with First Class Honours in 2016. . Joseph was awarded winner of the International Association of Dental Research (IADR), Western Region competition for 2015 on Pain Perception and Changes in Masseter Muscle Activity During Clenching Exercises With Isotonic and Hypertonic Bolus Injections. After winning this prize he was granted funding to present at the IADR conference in Seoul, South Korea in June 2016. Joseph was awarded the same prize again in 2016 for my work on the Treatment of Temporomandibular Disorders Using Stabilising Appliance Therapies in a General Dental Practice Setting and was granted funding to present at the IADR conference in San Francisco, USA in 2017.
More recently he has completed a Masters of Pain Medicine at Sydney University graduating in 2019 and graduating from Melbourne University with a Doctorate in Clinical Dentistry in the specialty field of Oral Medicine. During his Doctorate in Clinical Dentistry he completed a research project on Photobiomodulation Therapy in the Management and Prevention of Oral Mucositis at the Sydney Adventist Hospital. He received the Melbourne University Post-graduate research prize for this research and the Research prize in innovation from the Sydney Adventist Hospital.
Joseph currently works in Canberra at Symmetry Detental and a specialist practice Capital Orofacial Surgery, as well as in Shellharbour Shellharbour Dental Specialists.
MORE INFORMATION: https://illawarraoralmedicineclinic.com/
ph: 02 6295 3006
Sleep Medicine Dentist
Bachelor of Dental Science Graduate of Charles Sturt University
Masters of Science in Medicine (Sleep Medicine) Sydney University
Patrick Ryan has undertaken numerous post-graduate education programmes both in Australia and internationally. He has studied extensively with a number of leading clinicians and researchers in the fields of Sleep Medicine, Orthopaedic-Orthodontics, Cosmetic Dentistry and Craniofacial Pain. Patrick’s goal is to achieve improvements in the lives of his patients by providing holistic dental care. His caring nature and charismatic energy generate a real and positive environment for his patients. We are all individuals and Patrick strives to treat every patient as such so as to ensure the optimum outcome for each and everyone at Symmetry. Patrick has completed his Masters in Sleep Medicine (Sydney University) and is committed to furthering his learning in a number of other post-graduate courses over the next few years. This commitment to further his knowledge is reflected in the high-quality care he provides each and every patient.
Professional Development history
Member of International Association of Orthopaedic Orthodontics
Major Postgraduate Programs
Masters of Science in Medicine (Sleep Medicine) Sydney University
Completed all educational programs of the Clinical Foundation of Orthopaedics and Orthodontics:
Completed a number of educational programs of the Mini-residency Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics with Dr Derek Mahony.
Completed an intensive Cranio-osteopathic Course.
Guest Lecturer:
ph: 02 6295 3006
Symmetry Dental is proud to welcome Alissa Job back into the family! Alissa worked alongside Dr Ryan as a dental nurse from 2002 for almost 10 years prior to completing a Bachelor of Oral Health at Charles Sturt University in 2014. Alissa graduated her studies with distinction and was a recipient of four Deans’ Awards for academic excellence during this time. Additionally Alissa received The Golden Scaler Award for exceptional clinical skills. She has a keen interest in research and has had a research article ‘Modifying radiographic dosage settings whilst providing adequate intraoral image quality’ accepted as a presentation for International Association of Pediatric Dentistry conference in Glasgow.
Alissa recognizes the benefits of maintaining good oral health and preventing dental disease, and the influences that this can have towards overall health. She is committed to educating patients and providing individual care and instruction in order for them to achieve healthy teeth and gums. Her qualifications encompasses the dual role of Dental Hygienist and Dental Therapist allowing her to provide expanded services within our practice.
Alissa is specially trained to treat patients of all ages in the prevention and management of gum disease, the maintenance of good oral health and patient education. Her scope extends to general dentistry treating patients up to the age of 26 years. Alissa provides a friendly and comfortable approach and is passionate about improving oral health. She is focused on providing a conservative and minimal-intervention approach to general treatment.
ph: 02 6295 3006
