Arbutus North Dental

Dr. Neda Rafati obtained her BSc in Integrated Sciences from UBC. She was on the Dean’s honour list and a member of the International Golden Key Society. She then pursued her dental education at the faculty of dentistry at UBC where she obtained her DMD. She has been a member of numerous study clubs and been enjoying practicing dentistry using soft and hard tissue lasers, and microscopes.

Dr. Royce Yang obtained his Bachelor of Applied Sciences in Engineering from UBC. He was on the Dean’s honour list and received various awards, including the undergraduate research award from NSERC. Dr. Royce then pursued his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) at the University of British Columbia and graduated with distinction. His love for the people and the lifestyle of Vancouver made him decide to stay and serve the community he grew up in.

During his training at UBC dentistry, Royce joined and became an active member of the Tucker Gold Study Club to further refine his clinical skills and knowledge. Royce is also passionate about community service and has volunteered in various expedition trips bringing him to St. Elizabeth’s Parish, Jamaica and Bella Bella aboriginal reserve in Northern BC. He has also volunteered with both Richmond General Hospital and the Chinese Canadian Dental Society of British Columbia (CCDSBC) and helped numerous patients improve their oral health.

Royce seeks to provide optimal dental care for all his patients in a gentle and friendly manner. He believes that spending an extra few moments communicating and understanding each patient’s needs and concerns can greatly improve the treatment outcome and satisfaction. Royce practices all disciplines of general dentistry, including fillings, root canal therapy, crowns/bridges, veneers, teeth whitening, Invisalign, and extractions. Royce is fluent in both English and Mandarin Chinese.

To date, Royce is always actively advancing his skills and knowledge by participating in various continuing education (CE) programs and study clubs. He has completed advanced courses in endodontics, advanced direct composite restorations, and minimally invasive extractions.

Outside of work, Royce enjoys photography, travelling, snowboarding, and ultimate Frisbee, which he used to play on the Dentistry intramural team.

Dr. Brunel was born and raised in St. John’s, Newfoundland. She obtained a Bachelor of Science (Honours) degree in Biology and Psychology from Memorial University of Newfoundland. She then attended Dalhousie University of Nova Scotia where she graduated with a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and received the Scholastic Book Canada award for academic achievement.

Dr. Brunel has maintained a program of continuous education to further her clinical knowledge and skills in Dentistry. She has attended courses at Las Vegas Institute for Advanced Dental Studies (LVI Global), a post-graduate learning institution, to gain further experience to provide the best treatment for her patients. Dr. Brunel is also a CEREC trained dentist; this allows her to use the latest technology to provide crowns in one appointment.

Dr. Brunel is a member of the British Columbia Dental Association, the Canadian Dental Association, and the College of Dental Surgeons of British Columbia. She previously held the Chairman position for the Dental Health Awareness Committee (DHAC) of Newfoundland and Labrador and was involved in organizing and facilitating numerous events, and participating in various health expos. She was also a member of the Eastern Health Committee Board, participating in revising the core values for the hospitals in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Dr. Brunel uses a patient-centered approach in her dental practice. She prides herself on taking genuine interest in every patient, and will go the extra mile to help her patients feel relaxed and comfortable.

Outside her professional activities, Dr. Brunel enjoys spending time outdoors whether it’s partaking in hiking, cycling, swimming, or playing soccer. She enjoys live music and sporting events, as well as cooking and spending time with her boxer named Bo.

Dr. Brunel looks forward to meeting you and providing your family the best care in a comfortable, friendly environment.

Dr. Elle Laing grew up in Brisbane, Australia and graduated with a Bachelor of Health Sciences in Dentistry and Master of Dentistry from La Trobe University. After several years practicing in both rural and metropolitan areas of Australia, she set her sights abroad and moved to Toronto in late 2017. Three cold winters later, Elle relocated to Vancouver – and she hasn’t looked back!

Elle prides herself on having a patient-orientated approach to treatment. She has a particular interest in helping patients overcome dental anxiety and strives to provide a comfortable, stress-free dental experience.

Elle is an avid traveller and loves being outdoors. When she’s not in the clinic, she can often be found on a mountain – either hiking up or skiing down.

Dr. Rahmany grew up in Ontario and attended the University of Ottawa for his undergraduate studies in Health Sciences.  He then went on to the University of Western Ontario and obtained a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree.  Immediately after graduation in 2003, the beauty, landscape and climate of the West Coast drew him to the Lower Mainland.

Dr. Rahmany has been in private practice for close to 2 decades.  He is passionate about dentistry, a self-described “dental-nerd” :).  His particular passion is in the field of dental implants and cosmetic dentistry.  He has travelled extensively throughout North and Latin America, attending dental conferences, conventions and seminars, having trained under some of the most illustrious global pioneers in implant dentistry.  He is also involved in a number of local and national implant study clubs. With his vast experience in placing dental implants, Dr. Rahmany has frequently mentored other Doctors, often having them visit his practice to observe him performing various advanced procedures.

Dr. Rahmany values making dentistry personable and feels that patient care and comfort, along with effective communication are the most important parts of the treatment process.  He believes that treatment plans should be all-encompassing and include care, safety, esthetics and function.  By addressing patient expectations, concerns and goals, Dr. Rahmany can better design a treatment plan that suits a patient’s needs and values.

He has provided volunteer dentistry in underserved and remote First Nations communities in Northern Ontario, and has also done volunteer dentistry in social and economic development projects in the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and remote parts of Mexico.

Dr. Rahmany enjoys spending time with his beautiful wife Samira, and their energetic young children, daughter Lua and son Matisse.  In his spare time, he takes every opportunity to ski the local mountains, hiking and playing basketball in addition to contributing to charitable community causes promoting youth empowerment in service and the performing arts.

Dr. Al-Haqq Govani grew up in Vancouver and completed his undergraduate degree in Life Science and Mathematics at the University of British Columbia. After graduation, he worked at the Aerospace Physiology lab at SFU conducting research involving concussion patients – where he first recognized his passion for building close personalized connections with his patients. His interest in dentistry led Dr. Govani to Australia, where he obtained his Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD) at the University of Sydney before returning  back home to Vancouver, deciding to trade in the beautiful beaches and great weather for the ski slopes and being closer to family.

 

Dr. Govani enjoys all aspects of dentistry and has a keen interest in oral surgery and aesthetic dentistry. Having a dental phobia himself at a younger age, he prides himself on providing a safe and comforting environment for all his patients. He is committed to delivering quality, patient-centred dental care, and educating patients about their treatment options so that they can make the most informed choices about their oral health.

 

Outside of dentistry, Dr. Govani loves anything sports. He is an avid ice hockey player, skier, and golfer.

Dr. Laura Murphy grew up in Carlow, Ireland and later moved to Cork where she began studying dentistry. She qualified with an honours Bachelor of Dental Surgery from Cork University Dental School & Hospital in 2019.

While in University College Cork she won the Dr Noel Hayes/Dentsply award for Dental Surgery for achieving the highest mark in Final Year Dental Surgery.

In December of 2020, Laura graduated with a Diploma of Primary Care Dentistry from the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland, and then followed this by successfully becoming a Member of the Faculty of Dentistry.

Dr. Murphy has worked in Ireland and London, UK in general practice since graduating. In June 2022 she made the move to Vancouver.

Laura prides herself in being an excellent communicator, being adept at making her patients feel comfortable and making dental visits a pleasant experience for every patient. She also is a certified Invisalign provider.

In her spare time Laura enjoys jogging, the beach, camping, and skiing in the colder months.