Dr. Jack Gaffey

BDS, BSc Dent, (Hons)

The best part of my profession is transforming patients’ smiles. When I see that look of amazement on someone’s face as they realise they can smile confidently in public without holding their hand over their mouth, it really lights me up inside. This happens every day, but it is always so rewarding to see that lift in self- esteem. Some of my patients really spend a long time looking at everything in the mirror, trying to work out how the magic was done. It really does feel that I am a magician some days when you get to that big reveal and deliver that straight white smile. The funny thing is that these transformations are just part of the job, to excel at providing high quality dentistry. I am in a position of trust, someone has put their smile in my hands and believes in the skills I can provide to get the best results.

Dr Jack Gaffey is a former Australian Dental Association (SA) president and one of the most respected dentists in Adelaide. He is currently a member of the ADA (SA) council.

Dr Jack serves as an Unley Councillor in his spare time and is actively involved in the local community. He spends many hours at different local community events and assists local residents to get the best from their council. 

Jack is a member of the Triathlon SA board as a way of giving back to the sport that has helped him so much. It is just another way that he can volunteer to help others.

Fun Facts About Me

I am a member of the Australian Dental Association

Jack has served the Australian Dental Association (South Australia) in various capacities

2009-2011

• Member of the Dental Practice Committee

2011-2012

• Vice President
• Chair of the Finance and Audit Committee
• Member of Dental Practice Committee

2012-13

• President

Current

• Council Member

Jack served on each of the various committees and as president he represented South Australia at the Federal level. This role involved considerable meetings with different government agencies, ministers and university officials in addition to the usual media interviews.

I run Triathlons!

I compete locally in Adelaide and completed the 70.3 triathlon in Geelong in 2010 and completed in China 3 times! I've run the Australian Iron Man in Port Macquarie. I also came 2nd in the Murray Man in 2018.

Other events I have competed in are the 2022 Melbourne 70.3, Cairns Ironman and the 2022 70.3 World Championships in Utah. 

Story

Four and a half hours into my 70.3 2017 Asia Pacific Ironman Triathlon, I knew I had to shut it down to be able to finish under 5 hours 15 minutes for the day. It was 31 degrees, sweat dripped down my face while my shoes were making a squelching sound. The heat was starting to get to me.

I realised that it was time to hold everything together after months of training. I swallowed as much nutrition as I could handle at each aid station and counted off the final kilometres. As I crossed the line in 5 hours 13 minutes, my hands rose in the air, a personal victory to cut an hour off my time from 10 months previously and satisfaction of a job well done. This feeling of accomplishment after a long effort behind the scenes is the same in my field of dentistry.

People ask why I am a dentist, the answer is simple, I challenge myself each and every case to do the best I can. All the preparation that goes into a triathlon is the same as my continuing education that I do every year, it makes the result spectacular. The amount of effort that happens behind the scenes for each appointment would surprise many people. My working hours aren’t just the time I spend with patients in the chair, it also includes all the hours of journal reading and research at home combined with a variety of lectures to keep up to date. But in the end, it is worth it.

I started off in Dentistry because my father was a Dentist. It sounded like an interesting profession where I would get to meet people and I liked the ability to produce things with my hands. As I got further into dentistry, the harder it became, because there is always something better you could do, something more you could learn. I love looking at every case I finish and working out how I can improve my work. Dentistry is hard like that because most people can’t see what I want to improve, but it is a matter of personal pride.

My patients have changed my life over the years. As I grow with them and hear their different stories over decades of practice, I begin to feel sometimes like I am a part of their extended family. Births, deaths and marriages are a regular event in our practice and I am there to hear about all of them. We watch kids grow up and I am amazed when a Uni student comes in and I can’t understand why they are not a primary school student any more. Dentistry is more than just a job. It is how I am able to enrich people’s lives in my own way.

Dr. Angela graduated in 1994 from Adelaide University as one of the youngest graduates ever. She worked at the Adelaide Dental Hospital, South Australia Dental Service and privately for Dr. Gow in Richmond prior to her partnership at Cumberland Dental in 1999. Dr. Angela prides herself on continuing education, including travelling interstate for the leading dental lecturers. Dr. Angela has a warm and vibrant personality that is refreshing in a dental setting, making your visit a pleasant experience.

Smile Makeovers are my passion

There are 2 keys to smile makeovers: attention to detail and listening to what you want. There are many dentists who are good at the details but I am great at listening to what you want and then delivering that result. You would be surprised how many people remark on the difference it makes they are finally heard by their clinician. In order to build your smile, I first need to understand you, this is key. Then its preparation, consideration of your budget and getting the little things right. 

Dr. Angela has completed several restoring implant programs. Dr. Angela has focussed her recent training on Porcelain Veneers with interstate lecturers such as Dr. Michael Mandikos. She has a keen interest in fixing the gaps in your smile to make your smile look 18 again. Her attention to detail makes her a fantastic consultant who can makeover your smile with amazingly strong porcelain. Angela prides herself on making the whole process seamless from start to finish.

Fun Facts About Me

I speak Fluent Greek! 

I spent every Saturday at Greek school so I could learn the language and the Greek culture in depth. Sometimes it was hard work but like everything we do in life, the results were worth the hard efforts I put in. It just gives me a little better understanding of people who speak different languages or come from different cultural backgrounds. You need to be able to put yourself in someone else's shoes and try to empathise with their problems. I now have patients from all over the world and I find this an enriching part of my career.

I love cooking

Cooking is a passion of mine and I really enjoy trying out different recipes - my family (and sometimes staff) are my critiques and so far, no complaints! My husband is a strict vegan so I have been developing many different Vegan twists on the foods we take for granted. The only problem is the kids love the meals so much they take all of my leftovers to school, leaving me to start afresh the next night!