Becoming an orthodontist and fixing crooked teeth was Dr Sam Whittle’s dream career. He can’t imagine not being an orthodontist and considers himself a perfectionist when it comes to teeth straightening.
Dr Whittle has been a registered specialist orthodontist for 20 years. He completed his orthodontic training after practising as a dentist for eight years in the Royal Australian Navy, in which he enlisted straight out of undergraduate dental school.
In early 2013 Dr Whittle opened Corinna St Orthodontics in Woden, Canberra, where he is helping children, teenagers and adults achieve and maintain beautiful smiles and straight teeth.
Professional history
While completing his Bachelor of Dental Surgery at Adelaide University in South Australia, Dr Whittle was an Infantry Officer in the Army Reserve, but joined the Royal Australian Navy as a Dental Officer upon graduation. Following 8 years as a Naval General Dentist he was accepted into the Specialist Orthodontic training programme at Adelaide University in 1992. After practicing as the Navy’s in-house orthodontist, he retired as “Fleet Dental Surgeon” with 13 years of Naval service.
In 1997 Dr Whittle moved into part-time private orthodontic practice in Adelaide and was appointed as a part-time tutor and demonstrator in the Dental Faculty at Adelaide University. He was involved in teaching undergraduate dental students and postgraduate orthodontic residents, before he and his family moved to Canberra in 2001. He worked in a nearby associate practice before opening the ultra-modern Corinna St Orthodontics in February 2013.
Professional memberships and contributions
Dr Whittle is a member of many prestigious professional organisations, including:
- Current Board Member and past Treasurer of the Australian Society of Orthodontists
- A past President of the New South Wales Branch of the Australian Society of Orthodontists
- A past Secretary of the South Australian Branch of the Australian Society of Orthodontists
- Fellow of the World Federation of Orthodontists
- Fellow of the International College of Dentists
- International Member of the American Association of Orthodontists
- Member of the European Orthodontic Society
- Member of the Australian Begg Society of Orthodontists
- Member of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons
- Member of the Australian Dental Association
- Member of the ACT Dental Group
Putting back in to the dental community is close to this orthodontist’s heart. He travels to Adelaide each month to voluntarily teach clinical orthodontics to the postgraduate orthodontic residents at Adelaide University, having provided similar voluntary post-graduate teaching at Sydney University for a number of years. Dr Whittle hosts final-year dental student visits to Corinna St Orthodontics; rostered every year as part of an immersion programme coordinated with ACT Health.
Personal notes
Dr Whittle is a passionate Rugby Union fan and played for many years at both club and representative level. He has been an active Canberra referee since 2003 and is now a senior referee and mentor in the ACT. He is the current President of the ACT Rugby Referees Association. Dr Whittle is a Brumbies Rugby Foundation member and supplies mouthguards to the Brumbies professional players. He was a past President and Treasurer of the Canberra Grammar School Rugby Association and a past Secretary of the Navy Rugby Union.
Sport has always been a passion of Dr Whittle’s and he played cricket for many years as a left arm opening bowler, including as an inaugural member of the Australian Navy Cricket team and captain of the Victorian Services Cricket team. He later coached junior cricket for many years.
He served as a Board Director at Canberra Grammar School from 2007 to 2014, during the time his three sons completed their education there. Dr Whittle was also the chairman of the Buildings and Grounds Committee and a member of the Development Committee.
Before moving to his new orthodontic practice in Canberra, Dr Whittle was Vice President of the Parents and Friends Association at Pulteney Grammar School in Adelaide.
Dr Whittle, his wife and their adult children enjoy travel, snow skiing and spending time together.