Patients and Friends,
Years ago I had the opportunity to work with an orthodontist whose passion, integrity, professionalism and patient outcomes were admirable and world class. Today, I’m thrilled to announce that she’s officially joining our South Coast Orthodontics family.
As our new specialist orthodontist, Dr. Anél Blignaut brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our practice in the Illawarra. Born and raised in South Africa, Anél graduated with her dental degree from the University of Stellenbosch in 2001. After gaining experience in Cape Town and the Netherlands, she took a sabbatical year to travel the globe before settling in Australia in 2007. It was in Cairns, while working for Queensland Health, that she rediscovered her passion for orthodontics and decided to pursue her specialty.
Completing her specialist training at the University of Sydney in 2014, Dr. Blignaut earned her membership to the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons and certification from the Australian Orthodontic Board. In 2015, she acquired an orthodontic practice in Manly, where she quickly became an integral part of the local community and the orthodontic society.
Dr. Blignaut is not only a dedicated orthodontist, but is also a leader within the profession. She has served as the treasurer for the Sydney Orthodontic Alumni for six years and is currently the president of the Australian Society of Orthodontists. Additionally, she is the Vice President of the Manly Warringah Dental Study Group and actively participates on the Community Information Committee, overseeing the Orthodontics Australia website and social media.
Her commitment to continuous learning is evident; Dr. Blignaut regularly attends conferences, lectures at local study groups, and serves as an Honorary Clinical Educator at the University of Sydney’s Orthodontic Department.
I could spend hours listing all of Dr. Anél Blignaut’s accomplishments and successful patient case studies. However, I’ll leave you with some humbling words she used to reflect on her onboarding at South Coast Orthodontics: “No matter how many years of education or experience I have gained, my value is always intrinsically tied to my most recent patient outcome. Every single patient I serve has the right to first class end-to-end service, whether they are pre-teens, teenagers, adults or the elderly. They are all special, important and worthy of the results they dream of.”
Please join us in extending a warm welcome to Dr. Blignaut as she embarks on this new journey with us at South Coast Orthodontics.
Warm regards,
Dr. Kamal Ahmed
P.S What kind of bear has no teeth? A gummy bear.
