Sandra Hennes, Orthodontic General Manager

Role: Orthodontic General Manager — a non-clinical operational role

Registration: Not applicable. Practice management is not a registered health profession. The Dental Board of Australia does not register managers or administrative staff, and no AHPRA registration attaches to this role.

The practice publishes no further biographical detail for this position. The full team list is on the our team page, and the clinicians' registrations are set out on the dentists and registered specialists page.

A management title is not a clinical qualification. Only a registered practitioner may diagnose, recommend treatment or explain clinical risk. A manager can discuss appointments, costs, payment arrangements and scheduling; the clinical conversation belongs to the orthodontist or dentist providing the treatment.

Why orthodontic practice management is its own thing

Orthodontics is unusual among dental treatments: it runs for two years or more, involves twenty or more appointments, is paid for over time rather than per visit, and continues — through retention — for the rest of the patient's life. Running it well is a scheduling and financial exercise as much as a clinical one.

What the function covers: sequencing appointments across a long course of treatment; coordinating with general dentists, oral and maxillofacial surgeons and other specialists for combined cases; managing payment arrangements; tracking retention reviews after active treatment ends; and keeping records and imaging accessible across years. Complex dental cases: what happens when multiple specialists need to collaborate describes how a shared case is run.

Who provides orthodontic treatment — the distinction that matters

Any registered dentist in Australia may legally provide orthodontic treatment. There is no restriction on a general dentist fitting braces or aligners.

A specialist orthodontist has completed three years of full-time postgraduate university training after a dental degree and general practice experience, and holds specialist registration with the Dental Board. "Orthodontist" is a protected title — using it without specialist registration is an offence under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.

Many cases are handled well by a general dentist who selects appropriately and refers when a case exceeds their competence. The useful question is not "are you an orthodontist?" but "what happens if this doesn't go to plan, and at what point would you refer?" — and then checking the registration category on the AHPRA public register at ahpra.gov.au, which anyone can search free. Orthodontic treatment: general dentist vs specialist orthodontist? and specialist orthodontist vs general dentist: which is best for Invisalign? set the comparison out at length.

The costs, plainly

Orthodontic treatment is one of the larger discretionary health expenses most families face, and the way it is priced is not always transparent. What is the cost of braces? and Invisalign cost in Melbourne: a complete breakdown by treatment type explain what drives the figure, and the price guide carries the practice's indicative fees.

Before starting, you should have in writing:

• The total fee, and exactly what it includes — records, appointments, the appliance, adjustments, and emergency visits for a broken bracket
• The payment schedule, including any deposit
• What happens if treatment runs longer than planned. Does that cost more? Many practices quote a fixed fee for a defined period and charge beyond it. Ask.
• The cost of retainers, and of replacing a lost one — which is not usually included
• The cost of ongoing retention review after active treatment finishes
• What happens if you move, or transfer to another practitioner part-way through, and what refund applies
• The alternatives, including a simpler plan, a later start, and doing nothing — how do I know which orthodontic treatment is best for me?

Understanding your treatment describes how a plan should be presented before it starts.

On health funds:

• Orthodontic cover is usually separate from general dental, with its own waiting period — commonly twelve months or longer — and frequently a lifetime limit rather than an annual one.
• Claiming across two calendar years can increase the total rebate where a fund has annual sub-limits. Ask before the payment schedule is set, not after.
• Preferred provider arrangements are commercial agreements between a practice and a fund. They lower the gap for that fund's members; they are not a mark of clinical quality. This practice's arrangement is described on the Bupa platinum dental provider page.

On payment plans and finance: interest-free periods end, and third-party finance can be expensive afterwards. Read the terms.

Payment plan options are available. Where a plan is advertised as interest free, that describes the plan term only — a deposit may be required, an establishment fee and ongoing account fees may apply, and charges can apply if the balance is not cleared within the agreed period. The applicable terms depend on the provider and the amount financed, and are set out in writing before you commit — ask what the deposit and the establishment fee are, in dollars, and what the total will be by the end. Payment Plans.

Patient dental payment plans: the next big disruption on the dental horizon sets out how these arrangements have changed the industry. Early release of superannuation for orthodontic treatment draws on retirement savings, is subject to strict ATO eligibility criteria, and warrants independent financial advice — not advice from the practice being paid.

Under Australian law, advertising a regulated health service may not offer discounts or inducements without clearly stating the terms, and may not use pressure or time-limited offers to push an irreversible clinical decision. Feeling rushed is a reason to pause. Orthodontic treatment is almost never urgent, and a second opinion is always available.

How long it actually takes

• Comprehensive treatment commonly runs 18 to 30 months. Simple alignment can be much shorter; complex and surgical cases substantially longer — how long does it take to have orthodontic treatment?
• Combined orthodontic and jaw surgery cases typically run two to three years in total, including a year or more of pre-surgical orthodontics during which the bite often looks worse before surgery — because the teeth are being decompensated so the jaws can be repositioned correctly. What is orthognathic surgery? and what can I eat and drink following jaw surgery?
• Missed appointments extend treatment. So does not wearing elastics, and — for aligners — not wearing them for the required 20 to 22 hours a day: how to protect your aligners and your smile. The most common complaints associated with conventional braces covers the rest of the day-to-day.
• Techniques promising dramatic acceleration have limited supporting evidence.

For children, when should I take my child to see an orthodontist? and how long does my child need to wear braces? answer the two questions parents ask first, alongside the practice's children's braces and Invisalign and children's dentistry pages.

And then retention is lifelong. Teeth drift throughout life — why do teeth shift? Relapse is not a failure of the treatment, it is what teeth do. Retainers — fixed, removable or both — must be worn indefinitely, and a lost retainer needs replacing within days, not months. Anyone not told this before starting has not been properly informed, and it is the single most common cause of disappointment years later: will my teeth need retainers after I've had braces?

Common questions

Is an Orthodontic General Manager a clinical practitioner?

The role described on this page is administrative and operational. Diagnosis, appliance selection, treatment changes and clinical consent must come from the registered dentist or specialist orthodontist responsible for the case.

Who should answer my clinical questions?

Ask the treating practitioner. Practice-management and coordination staff can explain scheduling, fees and process, but they should not diagnose or decide whether braces, aligners, extraction or surgery is appropriate.

Who will actually provide my orthodontic treatment?

Ask for the name and registration category of the practitioner responsible for diagnosis and the plan, and who will perform routine appointments. Specialist orthodontist status can be verified on AHPRA.

What should the total orthodontic fee include?

Request written inclusions and exclusions for records, appliances, reviews, refinements, repairs, retainers and replacement retainers. Also ask what happens to fees if treatment takes longer or changes.

How long does orthodontic treatment usually take?

This page describes comprehensive treatment commonly taking 18–30 months, with simpler cases shorter and surgical cases longer. Your own range depends on diagnosis, response, cooperation and treatment disruptions.

What can make treatment take longer?

Missed visits, broken appliances, poor elastic or aligner wear, dental-health interruptions, unexpected biological response and additional refinements can extend treatment. Ask which factors are under your control.

Are retainers optional after treatment?

No. Teeth continue to move, so retention is lifelong. Ask which fixed or removable retainers are planned, how they should be worn and how quickly a lost or broken retainer should be replaced.

Can I take time to compare the plan?

Yes. Orthodontic treatment is usually elective. Take the written plan and costs away, compare meaningful alternatives and seek another opinion if you are uncertain before committing.

Practical details

For orthodontic appointments, costs and payment arrangements, call 13 13 96, or use the contact page. For clinical questions, ask to speak with the treating practitioner.

Smile Solutions, Level 1, 220 Collins Street, Manchester Unity Building, Melbourne VIC 3000. Phone 13 13 96, or theteam@smilesolutions.com.au. Monday–Friday 8.00am–6.00pm, Saturday 8.30am–1.30pm, Sunday by appointment.

This page records a role as published by the practice. General information only — it is not clinical or financial advice. Staffing and fee arrangements change; confirm current details with the practice. Payment plan terms are set by the credit provider and change; confirm current terms directly before you commit.

Smile Solutions trades under ABN 28 193 514 103.