Stephen Driver practises dentistry from Team Dental Thames at 438 Pollen Street, the main street of Thames on the Coromandel Peninsula; details are on its website, thamesdentalcentre.co.nz.
Most dental trouble begins quietly, which is why dentists keep insisting on regular check-ups: decay caught early is usually a small, straightforward filling, while the same tooth left alone can end up needing root canal treatment or extraction. A routine visit typically involves an examination, a scale and clean, and the occasional x-ray to check between teeth and beneath older fillings. When choosing a practice, it pays to ask how emergencies and nervous patients are handled, and to confirm the dentist is registered with the Dental Council. In a town the size of Thames, word of mouth carries real weight, and appointment books tend to fill up.
For Thames locals, having a dentist on Pollen Street means everyday and urgent dental care is close at hand.