Leanne gives the kids a smile

Visiting the dentist these days is pretty much a pain-free process for most of us but there are those who still get a bit anxious about the procedure.

Horsham’s newest dental therapist has a knack for putting her patients at ease. Leanne Barnes has worked as a dental therapist with extended scope in Melbourne and other Victorian cities.

After working for Ballarat Health Services for the past six years, Leanne has moved to the Wimmera with her partner Lindsay who is a paramedic. She is the newest member of Wimmera Health Care Group’s Dental Services team.

Leanne said she particularly liked helping children and people with special needs to feel comfortable in the chair.

“I like treating the more vulnerable people of our community and I gain a lot of enjoyment from making a difference to their lives,” Leanne said.

I have a lot of experience treating children and I often treat anxious and special needs children,” she said.

“If I can get them in the chair, then we can establish whether they need a general anaesthetic or not and that is a huge step.

“I get great satisfaction out of special moments like helping to get an autistic child to be able to clean their teeth when they might have an aversion to anything oral.”

Within her scope of practice, Leanne can treat all age groups for fillings, check-ups, radiography and cleans, as well as extractions for infants.

To make an appointment with Leanne, phone 5381 9248. This service is free to all children 13 years of age or younger.