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What makes a great team succeed? Success requires teamwork — a shared vision about how the big picture should look. The best dental teams have a heart-felt desire to serve, to bring health and wellness to others, and to enjoy themselves in the process. They have a willingness to step in and help where needed, as well as a drive to grow professionally in their area of expertise. This is exactly what you'll find in our staff. Our hard work is rewarded with your smile.
Ben Partovi, BSC, DDS, FICOI
 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 multitude of distinctions in the area of dental implants, implant prosthodontics and full mouth reconstruction. He holds a fellowship with the International Congress of Oral Implantologists and a Masters degree in Implantology from the Pacific Implant Institute. He has also completed his training at the Dawson Centre for TMJ and occlusion. He travels internationally for implantology conferences and is involved in a number of dental implant study clubs.
Dr. Partovi is a very personable and caring dentist who feels that patient care and comfort is an important part of the treatment plan 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 the patients needs and values.
Dr. Partovi lives in Richmond, with his wife Kara, daughters Talia and Racquel and dog Jax.
In his spare time, Dr. Partovi enjoys hiking the coast mountains with his family. His favourite pastime is hiking along the beautiful British Columbia rivers fishing for steelhead.
Kara Partovi, DDS
 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 with a major 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 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 takes commitment, understanding and, most importantly, a genuine interest in the patients' 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, Orthodocs, Omicron Kappa Upsilon Honour Dental Society, the Canadian Dental Association, the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia, and the Vancouver District Dental Society.
In her spare time, Dr. Kara enjoys traveling to new places, spending time with her family, walking with her dog Jax and shopping.
Niloufar Shirzad, BSc, DMD
 Dr. Nilou Shirzad completed a BSc. degree in Kinesiology at Simon Fraser University, graduating with first class honours in 1998. That same year she entered the Faculty of Dentistry at the University of British Columbia where she developed an interest in the areas of aesthetic dentistry, pediatric dentistry and oral surgery. She further enhanced her oral surgery skills during an intensive rotation at the Oral Surgery Department of the University of Illinois in Chicago. When she wasn't studying, she could often be found setting up one of her teammates on the volleyball court, or trying to keep the ball away from opposing strikers in an intramural soccer game.
After receiving her DMD in 2002, Dr. Nilou joined an established dental practice in the lower mainland where she practiced as an associate for more than two years. When her husband took a position with the United Nations Mission in Kosovo in 2005, Dr. Nilou took the opportunity to pursue her interests in public and community health, volunteering in government run dental clinics in the capital city of Pristina. After two years of international work experience and constant travel within Europe, Dr. Nilou returned to Vancouver in early 2007 to join the West Richmond Dental team.
Dr. Nilou's patient-centered treatment philosophy fits perfectly with the vision of West Richmond Dental Centre. She provides her patients with a standard of care characterized by technical excellence, patient comfort, and respect for her patients' overall well-being. Dr. Nilou is committed to educating her patients on treatment options. This is the first step in deciding the most beneficial and successful approach to creating an optimal treatment plan, individually tailored to meet a patient's needs. Dr. Nilou has a gentle, caring touch and enjoys working with children, teenagers and adults alike. Her interest and enthusiasm for the dental profession motivate her to keep abreast of the most recent developments in all areas of general dentistry through advanced courses and training.
In her free time, Dr. Nilou enjoys reading, traveling to exotic locations, and sipping a chai measto latte (with no added sugar of course).
Our Team
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Meghan has been our head receptionist and implant treatment coordinator since 2006. She makes every effort to help patients with all of their dental concerns and needs. She is extremely knowledgeable about insurance claims and can help patients make sense of their dental plans. In particular, Meghan helps patients with their implant options and can help patients with financial arrangements so that it is possible for them to achieve the smile and comfort they have dreamed of. Meghan has taken numerous continuing education courses on administration and implant treatment planning. After hours, Meghan enjoys spending time doing crafts, knitting and shopping. |
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Veronika, who joined our staff in 2008 is an integral part of our team. She divides her time between assisting the dentists as a Certified Dental Assistant and working at the front desk as a receptionist. She is very knowledgeable about dental procedures and has taken additional training in Orthodontics. . A graduate of CDI College, Veronika is knowledgeable about dentistry and continues to study the field through a variety of continuing education courses. Outside of the office, Veronika enjoys spending time with her husband Steve, going camping and going shopping!
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Matoula – Matoula is another important part of our front desk team. She is responsible for front desk administration and keeping our patients up-to-date with regular checkups and cleanings. She can answer your insurance and financial questions in a friendly, helpful manner. At the end of the day, this Richmond resident enjoys cooking, dining out and trying new restaurants. She also enjoys shopping, fishing with her family, short story writing and travelling. |
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Our full time dental hygienist, Claudia, who started at our office in 2007 is a sociable and friendly team player.. She graduated from the Canadian Institute for Dental Hygiene in Ontario and then moved back to her home town of Vancouver where she then joined West Richmond Dental Centre. She has a genuine interest in her field and is always striving to learn more. She is motivated to not only better patients experience in the chair but to also help ensure their oral health for the years to come. In her spare time Claudia enjoys baking and cooking Italian food. She also enjoys traveling, working out and reading. |
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Our full time dental hygienist, Jenny, is an important part of our practice. She obtained her Bachelor of Science from the University of BC, and then continued her education with a Diploma of Dental Hygiene from Vancouver Community College. Jenny thoroughly enjoys what she does at work, and believes in providing preventative oral care. Her goal is to provide individualized care tailored to each patient, and to motivate her patients to take ownership of their oral health. Outside of work, Jenny enjoys spending quality time with her family and soon-to-be husband Norm, doing yoga and pilates, watching movies, and just enjoying life! |
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Rhonda, a 1999 graduate of Malaspina University is one of our full time Certified Dental Assistants. She has extensive experience in all aspects of assisting, and is wonderful with the children in our office. She is great at ensuring that children and adults alike feel comfortable in our office. In her spare time, Rhonda enjoys spending time outdoors, and with her family. She is also actively involved in highland and tap dancing. |
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Sue is Dr. Ben Partovi's certified dental assistant whose friendly and outgoing personality always helps patients feel more comfortable in the dental chair. Sue is very knowledgeable about all aspects of dentistry and can help patients with any questions or concerns they have about their proposed dental treatment options - especially in the area of implant dentistry. She has extensive training in surgical assisting and is meticulous with anti septic protocols. Sue is a longtime Richmond resident who enjoys running, snowboarding and shopping. She also enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter.(Graduated from VCC in 1997). |
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