Darling Dental is a friendly, family-oriented dental practice on the Mana Esplanade in Paremata, Porirua. Formerly known as Paremata Dental, the practice was opened by dentist Clare Thomson in 2021 and moved to a larger space, relaunching as Darling Dental, in 2023. The name and premises are new, but the ethos is unchanged: a warm, comfortable atmosphere and dental care built around the individual patient.
The practice welcomes patients of all ages, from infants to grandparents, and offers a full range of services including preventative and restorative care, cosmetic dental treatment, emergency dentistry and hygienist-led hygiene therapy. Clare also provides Invisalign clear aligners, with a particular passion for tooth structure conservation and modern composite bonding techniques to create veneers and fillings. The practice is registered to provide ACC treatments and WINZ quotes, and offers free treatment for teenagers aged 13-18 under the dental benefits scheme.
Clare brings more than two decades of experience, having graduated from Dundee University in 2002 and completed a Postgraduate Diploma with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow. Her background includes work for Scotland's NHS and the Hutt Valley and Capital and Coast DHBs, treating patients in hospitals, mental health facilities and prison settings. Hygienists Jen Blakemore and Mel Fox lead the hygiene programme, which the team views as the foundation of all dental care, alongside practical coaching on brushing and flossing technique.
Patients consistently mention the same qualities in their reviews: thoroughness, empathy, pain-free treatment and a team that fits in emergency appointments. Nervous patients are a particular strength — Clare's calm, patient approach, including breathing and meditation techniques, has helped people who once needed full sedation overcome dental phobia and go on to proactive, even cosmetic, treatment.
On the Mana Esplanade in Paremata, Porirua, Darling Dental has become the kind of practice patients stick with — some reviews come from people who kept Clare Thomson as their dentist even after moving away from Wellington. Formerly known as Paremata Dental, the practice opened in 2021 and moved to a larger space, relaunching as Darling Dental, in 2023. The name and premises are new; the promise isn't: a friendly, comfortable atmosphere and care shaped around the person in the chair.
Clare's path into dentistry started early. Several childhood accidents left her with broken teeth, and the calm, gentle manner of her own dentist left a lasting impression. She graduated from Dundee University in 2002, completed a Postgraduate Diploma with the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow three years later, and has now been a dentist for over two decades. Since moving to Wellington in 2008 she has worked in private practice, with earlier experience spanning Scotland's NHS and the Hutt Valley and Capital and Coast DHBs — treating patients in hospitals, mental health facilities and prison settings. Those years, she says, honed her ability to work gently and patiently with people working through anxiety.
Her clinical focus is tooth structure conservation. She particularly enjoys modern composite bonding, using composite resin to create veneers and fillings, and keeps up with techniques for managing tooth wear and broken-down teeth — including injection moulding, dental bonding and digital smile design.
Darling Dental treats everyone from infants to grandparents, with services covering preventative and restorative care, cosmetic dental treatment, emergency dentistry and hygienist-led hygiene therapy. Invisalign clear aligners are available, and reviews describe everything from wisdom tooth extractions and deep cleaning to composite veneers colour-matched to a natural smile.
Hygiene therapy is treated as the foundation of all dental care here — it's your gums and the bone around your teeth that hold them in place, after all. Hygienists Jen Blakemore, who helped set up the practice's hygiene programme, and Mel Fox, an Otago graduate who began on the Kapiti Coast before spending most of her career in Wellington CBD, do more than clean: they coach patients on brushing and flossing technique, including how differently you need to brush when switching from a manual to an electric toothbrush. Plaque missed at the gum line hardens into tartar no toothbrush can remove, so regular professional care matters.
The practice is registered to provide ACC treatments and WINZ quotes, and offers free treatment for teenagers aged 13 to 18 under the dental benefits scheme — a straightforward option for families in the Porirua area.
Reviews return to the same themes: thoroughness, empathy and clear communication. One patient, who once needed full sedation for even minor dental work, credits Clare's patience and calming approach — including breathing and meditation techniques — with helping her overcome a dentist phobia and progress to proactive and cosmetic treatment. Another describes completely pain-free care and excellent aftercare. The team has also built a reputation for fitting people in when emergencies strike.
Day to day, receptionists Kerry and Tracey and dental assistant Lisa keep the practice running smoothly. Free off-street parking makes visits simple, and appointments can be booked online, by phone on 04 237 4414 or by email. Doors open from 8am on weekdays, with Wednesday the late-finish day until 5.30pm.
Whether you're due a check-up, curious about Invisalign, dealing with a dental emergency, or simply haven't seen a dentist in years, Darling Dental's approach is the same: listen closely, explain clearly and find a treatment plan that feels right for you.