interview
DR SEERONE ANANDARAJAH DENTIST AT CASEY DENTISTS
How long have you been a dentist? Two-anda-half years. I graduated from the University of Adelaide in 2008 after doing primary and secondary school in Brisbane. My previous job saw me fly in and out of various remote towns like Mount Isa. What do you love about the profession? The unique interaction of various elements: art and science, mind stimulation and hands-on work, and work/life balance; plus meeting numerous wonderful people, having access to a myriad of treatments, the ability to remove pain, and being able to enhance a smile and improve confidence. How important are good teeth to top health and confidence? Healthy teeth enable you to look and feel good,
but they also make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall wellbeing because the mouth is a ‘gateway’ to the rest of the body. Also a person’s smile can affect their self-esteem and social behaviour. What would you say to those who avoid the dentist? I’ve had many people say, “Nothing personal doc, but I hate dentists”. I ask them about their reasons and listen to their story. As a dentist, I try to help people get past the emotional barriers that hold them back. Once we’ve achieved good dental health, the next challenge is to help prevent future problems. Give one example of how dentistry is constantly evolving? There are better techniques, better materials and innovative
technology all working towards treatments that can be longer lasting, more aesthetic, less invasive and less traumatic. One example is dental implants. Today, dental implants help to recreate proper form, contour, function, chewing and speech. They can also make you feel confident about smiling again by providing new teeth that look and feel natural. What’s a tool of your trade you’d struggle without? My assistant. We are like an old married couple. She manages me, keeps me organised, ensures I run on schedule and controls my sugar intake. What would surprise us about you? My jokes are really bad and I have already started to bald. However, the kids I treat don’t seem to mind: we get on well!
Photo Pania Brown
iWRITE, THEREFORE I AM
Gently sipping her tea and nibbling a peppermintinfused Tim Tam, when Carla Hutchinson-Reade talks it’s softly, but purposefully. It was only weeks ago that the Melbourne-born motherof-one embraced her dream of opening a notfor-profit centre in Townsville, dedicated to mentoring and fostering the talents of budding writers, photographers and editors. Now that dream is a reality, she openly admits it’s been a white-knuckle ride getting her head around the world of paperwork, but she’s loving every minute of it. “I only had an email this week from
SHE HAS WORKED AS A FASHION PR, A JOURNALIST OVERSEAS, WRITTEN AND EDITED NATIONAL AND NICHE PUBLICATIONS, RUN HER OWN PUBLISHING COMPANY, AND HANDLED OVERSEAS BOOK LAUNCHES. NOW CARLA HUTCHINSON-READE HAS LAUNCHED THE TOWNSVILLE WRITERS’ AND PUBLISHERS’ CENTRE INC (TWPC) TO GIVE BUDDING SCRIBES THE START SHE HAD. a mother thanking me for making writing fun for her son,” Carla smiles of her first program, iWrite – a weekly session for 13 to 18-year-olds that helps them to polish their skills and develop their all-important portfolios. “I was first nationally published when I was 17 thanks to the writers’ centre I attended in Melbourne, which instantly opened-up doors for me, like doing a week’s work experience at Time Magazine,” Carla tells, who met a lifelong mentor in the process. “There are so many talented people in Townsville who are falling through the cracks and moving into ‘safe’ careers because they feel there are no opportunities.” Part of Carla’s remedy is inviting local publishing experts to address her young audiences, but the programs will extend to people of all ages and backgrounds: “I’ve had adult writers and photographers contacting me
who have begun their manuscripts, but don’t know how to get the best out of the publishing process and how to market their book, so it’s about offering advice and providing a support network where people can share ideas.” It’s this same encouragement that has driven Carla’s career and she still frequently draws on her mentor, James Button’s, support. “I can hear his voice in my head saying ‘well done Carla, keep going’,” she tells. “It can be very hard to make a living as a writer, so when people see and hear about people who have succeeded in the north it’s very motivating.” Find out more about the TWPC via its facebook page. iWrite is every Monday at the Courthouse Theatre on Sturt Street from 4pm-6pm and book club for English teachers is monthly on Thursdays. 51