WEST RICHMOND DENTAL CENTRE - Key Persons

Dr. Ben Partovi grew up in Vancouver where he attended elementary school and high school in the UBC area. After receiving an honours degree from the University of British Columbia in 1996, he attended the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto. While studying there, he met his future wife and partner, Kara. Once he received his DDS degree in 2000, he used the beauty of Vancouver to convince Kara to move from Ontario to British Columbia. Soon after, Dr. Ben Partovi and his wife Dr. Kara Partovi built West Richmond Dental Centre. Dr. Partovi has a passion for dental implantology. He has taken multiple courses in the area of dental implants, implant prosthodontics, and full mouth reconstruction. He travels internationally for implantology conferences and is involved in a number of dental implant study clubs. Dr. Partovi values making dentistry personable and feels that patient care and comfort is an important part of the treatment process. He believes that treatment plans should be all encompassing and include care, safety, esthetics, and function. In addition, Dr. Partovi believes that the value patients place on their teeth and lifestyle is an integral part of the treatment plan process. By addressing patient expectations, concerns, and goals, Dr. Partovi can better design a treatment plan that suits a patient's needs and values. In his spare time, Dr. Partovi enjoys hiking the Coast Mountains with his wife Kara and daughters Talia and Racquel. His favourite pastime is hiking along the beautiful British Columbia rivers fishing for steelhead. Dr. Ben Partovi, Dr. Kara Ellis-Partovi, Dr. Melissa Chui, and our entire team have very high, but very straightforward expectations for ourselves and our practice. We simply want to help people in the best way we can, and that includes providing dental care in a welcoming and comfortable environment. We hope to make dentistry personable again-we want to get to know you beyond your teeth! The quality of our relationships with our patients is very important to us, and we know it truly makes a difference for everyone who comes to see us.

Job Titles:

• Member of the International Association of Orthodontics

Kara Ellis-Partovi was born and raised in Espanola, a small community in Northern Ontario. Following high school, she first attended the University of Guelph and majored in Biophysics before entering the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of Toronto in 1996. She graduated in June 2000 at the top of her class, winning numerous academic awards, including the Alpha Omega Award for highest academic standing, the Dean's Gold Medal for demonstration of outstanding performance over the four years of the DDS program, the Xi Psi Phi Annual Scholarship Award for highest scholastic average for the four years in dental school, and the Willa Wen-Lan Liu award for highest overall achievement in third and fourth years. It was in dental school that Dr. Kara met her future husband, Ben, who attracted her to the West Coast. After graduation, she was an associate for two years before opening West Richmond Dental Centre in 2002. Dr. Kara is known for listening to her patients' concerns and taking the time to explain all of their treatment options to them. She believes in educating her patients about their options so that they can select the one that is best for them. Dr. Kara believes that it takes more than just good technique to be a great dentist - it also takes commitment, understanding and, most importantly, a genuine interest in the patient's health and well-being. For this reason, Dr. Kara is a firm believer in continuing education in order to provide her patients with the most up-to-date technology and treatments available. Since graduation, the focus of her continued education has been in cosmetic dentistry and orthodontics. Dr. Kara is a member of the International Association of Orthodontics, Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honour Dental Society, the Canadian Dental Association, and the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia. She also serves on the Continuing Education Committee for the British Columbia Dental Association. In her spare time, Dr. Kara enjoys traveling to new places, spending time with her family, and she has a huge passion for photography.

Dr. Melissa Chui grew up in Vancouver, then moved to Montreal to attend McGill University. After obtaining a Bachelor of Science Degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology, she spent a year travelling the world before entering dentistry at UBC. Graduating in 2001, she received the American Academy of Prosthodontists Undergraduate Achievement Award and the UBC Dentistry Alumni Association Award for the greatest contribution to the graduating class. Eager to pursue more training, Dr. Melissa went on to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and completed a two year Advanced Education in General Dentistry Certificate. During that time, she gained more experience in esthetic dentistry, worked on laboratory and clinic research for the CEREC system, and taught in the undergraduate dentistry clinics. Dr. Melissa believes a big part of a dentist's job is to educate patients about their dental health so that they can make well-informed decisions. She will take the time to explain everything from the anatomy of a tooth to the details of a dental procedure. Outside the office, Dr. Melissa stays busy with her husband and two young daughters. She can be found going for a run, a bike ride, playing in the park, or volunteering at various school events. Having worked all around the lower mainland, Dr. Melissa was excited to join West Richmond Dental Centre and work close to home!

Dr. Sep Rahmani grew up in North Vancouver and after high school, completed his undergraduate degree at the University of British Columbia with a specialization in Health Sciences. He then moved to London, Ontario and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery with distinction at the Schulich School of Dentistry at Western University. While at Western, Dr.Rahmani developed his passion for dentistry, always striving for clinical and academic excellence. Dr.Rahmani took every opportunity to gain knowledge and exposure to multiple facets of dentistry including working in community and international dental outreach programs. Dr. Rahmani prides himself on providing comprehensive, patient-centered care for patients of all ages. He presents information and treatment options in an easy to understand approach. He strongly believes in educating a patient in their best possible options and working in collaboration to decide on the most beneficial conservative and preventative treatment. Dr. Rahmani's personal goal is for a patient's dental visit to be an enjoyable and comfortable experience. When not at the office, you can find him enjoying the North Shore mountains, working out, and spending time with family and friends. He is first cousins with Dr. Ben Partovi and credits him as one of the biggest inspirations on choosing a career in dentistry.