Meet our Team
The wonderful people that make our place amazing!
NGAREKA BENSEMANN - Bachelor of dental surgery, OTAGO
Ngareka is the principal dentist at our lovely practice.
Through her great-grandfather, Maori Battalion Commander Arapeta Awatere, Ngareka has long family links to the Northland Region.
Ngareka previously worked in a busy practice in Auckland, before moving to Northland where she worked primarily at Kamo Dental in Whangarei.
She is a member of the New Zealand Dentists’ Association, as well as the Northland Branch of the Association - where she attends meetings to keep up to date with the latest in oral health.
Ngareka has a calm and gentle manner, which makes coming into the dentist a breeze.
In her spare time, Ngareka enjoys being active by going to the gym, playing netball and going for the odd run locally. She also enjoys travelling, more so when she has a few books to read!
Colleen Scholz
Dr. Colleen Scholz graduated with highest honors from The University of Iowa College of Dentistry in 1990, after which she spent a term at The University of Otago Faculty of Dentistry on a Rotary Scholarship. During that time she enjoyed both teaching dental students and seeing patients.
Colleen has wanted to be a dentist since childhood, and has founded two private practices in New Mexico and Colorado, US. She has also provided volunteer dentistry in Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua and Kenya.
Colleen recently relocated her family to Whangarei to finally live near the ocean, another lifelong dream. She enjoys treating patients of all ages and is known to be gentle, kind, and meticulous. Colleen provides all facets of restorative dentistry and strives for results that are both beautiful and functional. In her spare time she enjoys being with her family and also tramping, swimming, and painting. She is excited to meet and care for the dental needs of the people of Bream Bay!
SHEREEN MACKESSACK - Bachelor of health sciences (oral health), aut
Shereen is our wonderful hygienist and oral health therapist.
Shereen began her career in 2005 working as a dental assistant, completing her training through the New Zealand Dental Association. She then decided to further her career and in 2011 graduated with a dual bachelor's degree in Oral Health. Following graduation, Shereen was employed with the Waikato District Health Board, to promote oral health in schools and Kohanga, as well as working as an oral health therapist.
In 2012 Shereen moved to Ruakaka to be closer to family, where she has been working full time in a busy Whangarei practice ever since. Shereen is excited to be working closer to home, in the community that she is a part of.
In her spare time, Shereen enjoys socialising with friends and family, as well as keeping active by playing netball for the local Takahiwai club. For the past three years, she has also taken up playing the bag pipes - learning from a local piper in our very own One Tree Point area.
samantha brown - practice manager
Samantha is a friendly welcoming face, with a smile to make patients feel at ease.
Previously she worked at a Whangarei dental practice for two years and has lived in the Bream Bay area for 18 years. She went to school locally and has grown up in the area.
Samantha has also studied travel and tourism at NorthTec and was employed in the hospitality industry for several years.
In her own time she loves hanging out with family and weekend adventures with friends exploring new places in Northland.
Braxtyn Cordell-hunt - dental assistant
Braxtyn is one of our lovely dental assistants that helps with providing high quality patient care and helping to run the Marsden cove dental clinic.
Braxtyn has experience in real estate and has worked locally as a caregiver for 4 years. She grew up in Auckland most of her childhood and adolescence, but has lived in the Bream Bay
area for the last 6 years. Braxtyn has also studied with Massey University completing a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology.
In her own time she loves hanging out with family and friends, surfing and taking road trips around Northland!
LYDIA PORTEOUS - DENTAL ASSISTANT
Lydia is a NZDA qualified Dental Assistant with 10+ years of experience. She is also a certified Beauty Therapist with in-salon experience.
Her current role includes assisting at both MCDC and our Mobile clinic around the local schools.
She is a true born and bred local, having lived here for 30 years. She is a warm, friendly face who has a very caring and patient manner.
Her favorite thing about her job is getting to work amongst an amazing team of hard working woman, and the satisfaction of helping others. Especially when you get to help someone feel more confident with their smile.
She lives in Ruakaka still, with her Husband and 3 children.
In her spare time (which lets be real, isn't much when your a parent 😅) Lydia enjoys working out, beach/coastal walks and spending quality time with her family.