Dr Spiros Kavalieratos

My first dental experience took place at the age of four. A guava pip lodged itself in a cavity in one of my baby molars and my dentist extracted my tooth. He gave me a toothpaste sample and a balloon and that experience molded my destiny. I wanted to become a dentist from that day onward. At age eight I wore a removable orthodontic appliance and that was when I realized that I wasn't normal. Everyone hated going to the dentist. I used to beg my parents to take me there! It was difficult to gain acceptance into a South African Dental School, as I was a foreign student and places were limited for us. I therefore took a circuitous route, which took me through a few extra years studying dental technology and qualifying first as a dental technician at Technikon Pretoria. This has given me a unique perspective and training that has proved invaluable in my dental career. Whilst completing my one year practical training as a dental technician trainee at the University of Stellenbosch I was privileged to meet many dental students and dentists. This made me more determined than ever to persevere and to reapply to the School of Dentistry at the University of the Witwatersrand. My application was accepted and that was the beginning of the realization of my dream. I feel honored and privileged in being able to serve you. It's not about changing your smile, but about changing your life and well-being.