Meet our team

Ms McHenry qualified in dentistry from Queens University Belfast. She trained in Oral surgery and Maxillofacial departments in Northern Ireland. Having achieved  her Fellowship in Dental surgery ,Royal College of Surgeons England,   she  registered as a Specialist Oral Surgeon in 1995.

Paula entered the field of Implantology 25 years ago. Having successfully completed a Diploma in Implant dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons, London, where she pursued her passion for education by becoming involved in teaching and tutoring implantology and oral surgery.

Paula was Founder and Director of the FGDP oral surgery course delivered in the Royal College of Surgeons, London.

Subsequently, she has continued to deliver and facilitate postgraduate education in the South Down Clinic.

An Educational suite, with live surgical video links, was a key part in the design of the South Down Clinic. She is passionate about encouraging continuing education  amongst professionals, supporting dentists and colleagues.

Specializing in Oral surgery and Implantology, Paula currently provides a of a full range of treatments including surgical  and  restorative aspects of dental implants. Paula enjoys challenging aesthetic cases,  and most of all, giving patients the confidence to smile again. She designs treatment plans for complex  rehabilitations cases and invites her specialist colleagues to be involved in the delivery of these plans, when indicated.

Sinus lifts and bone grafting are part of  oral surgery services that Ms McHenry provides.

Routine Oral Surgery cases range from, surgical extractions, wisdom teeth removal, impacted teeth removal, exposures of unerupted teeth, pre- orthodontic and prosthetic surgery, apicectomy procedures and biopsies.

Current roles

Specialist Oral Surgeon with dedication to Implant Dentistry.

Trainer and Training Centre for Specialist Registrar in Oral Surgery, Royal Victoria Hospital.

Lecturer at the Practical Implant Dentistry (PID) Academy implant course, Wakefield, Leeds 2013 – current.

Provider/ Organizer of postgraduate education courses across full range of dental specialities.

Provider of Oral surgery/ Radiology/ CT scanning and Implantology courses within clinic.

NIMDTA Training Centre and Provider of Postgraduate Education.

Centre for Oral Surgery Pilot scheme in Northern Ireland.

Previous roles

Examiner in Diploma in Implant Dentistry RCS Eng 2010-2015.

Tutor in Diploma in Implant dentistry; Royal college of Surgeons. 2008-2010

Founder and Director of pgCert. in Oral Surgery Royal College of Surgeons, England 2011-.2013

Recent development of contemporary purpose built centre for specialist dentistry and other related fields.

Andrew qualified in 1985 from Queen’s University Belfast and immediately joined a prominent, well established general dental practice on the Ormeau Road in Belfast. He subsequently took over the practice to become one of the principal dentists.

Having a keen interest in cosmetic dentistry, led Andrew to spend an increasing amount of time in this field and eventually to enrolling on a Postgraduate Masters course in Implant Dentistry in 1999.  At the same time he was increasing his commitment to the South Down Dental Clinic in Newry, providing high quality aesthetic dentistry and was confident when facing an array of challenging full functional cases with extensive tooth wear. He also provides comprehensive treatments to anxious patients under IV sedation.

Andrew left general dentistry in 2005 to concentrate on implant dentistry in the multi-disciplinary specialist referral clinic. He continued to study implant dentistry at University of Warwick, achieving a Certificate in Implant Dentistry and completion of a professional project in Cone Beam CT scanning.

This plays very import part in the planning and diagnosis in Implantology and has been invaluable in the South Down Clinic. Andrew headed up the introduction of Cone beam CT scanning at the clinic and set up the clinic as a referral centre for scanning.

September 2020 , Andrew selected and  supervised the installation of most recent model, and provided updated training for all staff members on CT scanning

Studying widely in implant dentistry, Andrew has completed the Master Clinician course in the University of Zurich and the ‘All on Four’ course at Malo Clinic in Lisbon.

He is a member of the Association of Dental Implantology and the European Association of Osseointegration and regularly attends their conferences. He has taught and lectured on Cone Beam CT scanning.

Andrew has travelled to attend multiple highly regarded international seminars and events developing his enviable professional skill set. He is a fellow member of the International College of Dentistry.

Adrian graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 1992. He spent 15 years in general practice, both in Northern Ireland and Australia, where he developed a special interest in Endodontics and minimally invasive dentistry.

In 2007, he entered postgraduate education, undertaking a Postgraduate Diploma in Restorative Dentistry with the Royal College of Surgeons of England, and was subsequently awarded an MSc in Clinical Dentistry (Restorative) from Leeds University.

Following this, Adrian undertook the Postgraduate Diploma in Endodontics at the prestigious Eastman Dental Institute of University College London. In 2013 he became the first candidate to pass this diploma with distinction.

Since then, Adrian has worked in Practice Limited to Endodontics in Worthing, East Sussex; King’s College Hospital, London; and now at South Down Clinic.

Adrian has attained Specialty Membership in Endodontics, of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh (M Endo RCSEd.)

After graduating from Trinity College Dublin in 2012, Clodagh completed Dental Foundation training in Northern Ireland.  She then moved to England and worked in a busy Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery units for 4 years, initially as a House Officer, and then a speciality doctor. Clodagh was delighted to return home in 2017 to take up a position in South Down Dental clinic.

Clodagh has a special interest in oral surgery and treating dentally anxious patients, and her practice is limited to this. She provides treatment under local anaesthetic and IV sedation.’

She also has a keen interest in dental education and has completed Postgraduate qualification in Clinical Teaching with Edge Hill University.

She holds a part time position as an Oral Surgery Clinical Tutor in the School of Dentistry in Belfast.

Clodagh is currently undertaking a level 7 qualification in injectable in aesthetic medicine and offers Facial Aesthetic treatments at SDDC as well as muscle injections as part of the management of TMJ Dysfunction.

Ernest is originally from Barcelona, Spain, where he qualified as a Dentist at the UIC Barcelona University. Ernest is a highly qualified implant surgeon with expertise in all aspects of dental implant treatments including minimally invasive techniques, advanced bone augmentation procedures, soft tissue reconstruction, and full mouth cases.

Ernest has pursued an extensive post-graduate education, including a Master’s Degree in Clinical Research and a three-year full-time programme in Oral Surgery and Dental Implantology in Barcelona, Spain.

Ernest is also a highly skilled implant surgeon thanks to the continuous training and research, which always keep him at the forefront in the most advanced and minimally-invasive techniques in Implant Dentistry. He complements his daily practice with teaching and research and is currently an Assistant Lecturer at the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery Department (UIC Barcelona University) and a highly regarded speaker particularly in the field of Dental Implants and Tooth Autotransplantation.

Ernest also carries out important research work in the field of Oral Implantology and Implant dentistry and has multiple scientific publications in Peer-Reviewed Journals. Dr. Ernest Lucas-Taulé was also an Invited Lecturer in NOVA Southeastern University (United States) last years 2017 and 2018.

Paul qualified with a BDS from the University of Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1988. He worked in a general practice in the UK and France for 10 Years. During this time, he also worked in the public dental service in Dublin from 1990 to 1992.

Paul began a Specialist training pathway in Periodontics at the Eastman Dental Hospital, completing 2 years before having to take a post as a Senior House Officer at Belfast Dental Hospital in order to fulfil the criteria to take the MFDS examination.

At this stage he could complete the third year of training at Belfast Dental Hospital and sit the MRD (perio) examination and gain entry onto the UK Specialist list in Periodontics.

Paul has since practiced as a Specialist in Periodontics in the UK and as a Practice Limited to Periodontics in the Republic of Ireland and in South Down Dental Clinic. This involves the diagnosis, the surgical and non-surgical treatment of periodontal disease, surgical treatment of muco-gingival problems, restorative surgery and both the surgical and restorative aspects of implant treatment.

Eimear graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2019 with distinctions in Peadiatrics and Prosthetics.  After completing her Foundation training in Chester, she then moved to Scotland to work in Dental Core Training roles to further her skills and experiences.  Before joining South Down Dental Clinic, Eimear spent time working in Community Dentistry in Glasgow and Lanarkshire.  She also trained in the Oral Surgery Department at Glasgow Dental Hospital, where she developed her interest in this dental speciality.

Having completed a PGCert in Dental Education with the University of Dundee, Eimear has recently taken up a position as a Clinical Teaching Fellow in the School of Dentistry, Belfast.

Eimear is currently undertaking an IACSD approved course in providing treatment under IV sedation.

Dr Shilpi graduated in India in 2009 and went on to complete a Postgraduate Diploma in Hospital Administration and Medical Tourism at Apollo Hospitals. With a strong passion for oral health, she practised general and cosmetic dentistry extensively in India before relocating to Ireland. Since then, she has continued to expand her expertise through numerous postgraduate courses and certifications across the UK, Ireland, and India. Most recently, Dr Shilpi completed a Master’s degree in Aesthetic and Restorative Dentistry.

Dr Shilpi is passionate about preventative dentistry and is committed to helping patients maintain long-term oral health through personalised guidance and education. She particularly enjoys providing minimally invasive smile makeovers, combining teeth straightening with clear aligners and finishing with restorative and cosmetic treatments such as composite bonding. Her approach focuses on achieving natural, harmonious results while preserving healthy tooth structure.

In addition to her dental work, Dr Shilpi is trained in facial aesthetics by London-based Dr Bob Khanna, allowing her to offer complementary treatments that enhance overall smile aesthetics and facial balance.

Outside of the clinic, Dr Shilpi enjoys travelling and spending quality time with family and friends.

Dr Gonzalo is an accomplished dental clinician with an extensive academic background and a strong commitment to excellence in referral-based dentistry. He graduated from Rey Juan Carlos University (URJC), Madrid, in 2017 with a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS). He was awarded Membership of the Faculty of Dentistry at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (MFD RCSI) in 2020, followed by Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery at the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MFDS RCS Eng) in 2022.

Fiona Baird B.D.S. graduated from the Bristol University of Bristol in 1997.
After qualifying she worked in Cardiff and Essex before settling in Ashford in
2002, where she was one of the two principal dentists in a family orientated
practice providing all aspects of routine dentistry with her main focus on
preventive and minimally invasive dentistry. She has been a mentor to newly
qualified dentists. She keeps up to date with current techniques and
particularly enjoys helping patients to improve and maintain their oral health
and helping nervous patients overcome their apprehension when attending for
dental treatment. Her family relocated to Northern Ireland in 2021 to be near
her husband’s family.

Spending time with family and watching their son playing Hockey is her
favourite past-time. She finds gardening therapeutic. She was proud to have
taken part and completed the May 2012 London midnight Moonwalk
(26.2miles) raising money for Breast Cancer Charity.

Dr Tariq is a Senior Consultant Anaesthetist with over twenty years of experience, specialising in paediatric anaesthesia. He provides expert care for our patients undergoing dental procedures, ensuring treatment is delivered safely, comfortably, and with minimal anxiety. Dr Tariq has extensive experience supporting complex and routine cases, working closely with the dental team to create a calm and reassuring environment for children, adults and parents. His patient-centred approach prioritises safety, comfort, and a smooth recovery for every patient.

Brian is a highly experienced dentist originally from Castlewellan, County Down. He graduated from the University of Glasgow in 2004 and began his career with vocational training in Manchester before working as an associate in Renfrew for three years. During this time, he further developed his clinical skills by completing the renowned Paul Tipton year-long restorative programme.

Brian later returned home to Northern Ireland, where he spent 13 years as a partner in a practice in Bessbrook, building a strong reputation for high-quality patient care. After selling his share of the practice, he chose to focus on advancing his education and clinical expertise.

In 2022, Brian was awarded Membership of the Faculty of Dental Surgery (MFDS) in Glasgow, followed by a Postgraduate Certificate in Clinical Education with commendation. He was awarded a Master’s degree in Endodontology at the University of Chester in June 2025.

Brian continues to work as an associate dentist with a particular interest in endodontics, providing advanced care to patients North and South of Ireland. He is committed to ongoing professional development and delivering the highest standards of modern dental treatment.

Niamh has been nursing for 6 years and has obtained qualifications in Dental Nursing, IV Sedation and Radiology.

Having worked in our Specialist Dental Clinic, Niamhs favorite aspect of Dental Nursing is working with complex oral surgery cases.

Niamh plays a key role in the effective operational management in our busy Implant and Specialist Dental Clinic.