Ms Karen L Turanga is a female Dental Hygienist.
Karen was born and grew up in rural Canterbury, attending Ashburton College before joining the NZ Defence Force as a dental assistant. She soon developed a keen interest in dental hygiene and was accepted on the Dental Hygienist course at the Royal NZ Dental Corps school in Burnham Military Camp, graduating in 1987. She continued to work as a dental hygienist in both the regular and territorial forces of the army up until 2003, gaining valuable experience in a wide scope of hygiene practice.
Being involved in civil aid projects providing dental treatment for people who were disadvantaged or living in isolated areas allowed exposure to extremes in treatment requirements not often seen in private practice. She also spent some time treating NZ personnel in Singapore and participated in a Mutual Aid Programme (MAP) instructing at the Navy dental school in Jakarta, Indonesia. The experience gained through the military has proved to be of considerable benefit to my patients.
Karen moved to Hamiltonin 2006 to provide independent dental hygiene services to Hamiltonians. Karen owns and runs an online oral care product service called Widesmile. She is also a Past-President of the NZ Dental Hygienist’s Association.
Karen enjoys working with a wide variety of people and actively endeavours to make the dental experience as enjoyable as possible while still providing the best possible treatment for patients in her care. She offers each patient the best advice, and all options for their individual needs are fully discussed. She has the training and experience to provide sound treatment for advanced gum problems and accepts referrals for treatment of people who may not be able to afford or need specialist care. She can also help with improving the appearance of your teeth with in-chair and take home whitening procedures, and re-contouring of existing fillings if required.
