Meet Dr Shaz MacAvoy
Dr Shaz MacAvoy is the founder and principal specialist orthodontist at Milk Orthodontics in Newmarket, Auckland. A specialist orthodontist completes years of extra university training beyond dental school and works only on straightening teeth and correcting bites, so you get expert diagnosis and a plan built for your case. Here is her background, her qualifications and how she cares for patients.
★ 4.9 from 75 Google reviews · Specialist orthodontist · Real patient results · Newmarket, Auckland
A specialist, not a general dentist
Any dentist can offer to straighten teeth, but a specialist orthodontist has done years of extra university training, after dental school, in nothing but orthodontics. That is all Dr Shaz does, all day, so diagnosis is sharper and your plan is built around what your teeth and bite actually need.
Years of extra training
Beyond a full dental degree, a specialist orthodontist completes several more years of university study, focused only on moving teeth and guiding jaws. Dr Shaz holds four university qualifications.
Registered specialist
Dr Shaz is on the specialist orthodontist register with the Dental Council of New Zealand, a protected title that only qualified specialists can use. She is also a registered dentist in the UK.
Published researcher
Dr Shaz is a published, peer-reviewed orthodontic researcher, so the care you receive is grounded in current evidence, not guesswork or the latest trend.
Orthodontist or dentist?
Every specialist orthodontist first trains as a dentist, then spends years more at university in orthodontics alone, and then works only on teeth and jaws, so diagnosis is sharper and complex cases are planned with real depth.
A general dentist
Your everyday oral health.
- Qualifies through a general dental degree
- Cares for teeth, gums and overall oral health
- May straighten teeth alongside their general work
A specialist orthodontist
All Dr Shaz does, all day.
- Trains as a dentist, then years more at university in orthodontics only
- Registered on the specialist list with the Dental Council of New Zealand
- Diagnoses bites and moves teeth safely, every day
Trained in New Zealand and the United Kingdom
Dr Shaz has trained and qualified in New Zealand and the United Kingdom. She holds four university qualifications, culminating in a Doctor of Clinical Dentistry (Orthodontics), the specialist orthodontic degree. She went on to found Milk Orthodontics in 2015.
Fully qualified, fully accountable
Dr Shaz has trained and qualified across New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and holds the registrations and memberships you want to see in the person guiding your treatment.
Honest, personalised, specialist-led care
Dr Shaz built Milk Orthodontics in 2015 around a simple idea, that everyone deserves clear, honest advice and a plan made just for them. She takes the time to explain what she sees, what your options are and what each one costs, so you can decide with confidence. If treatment is not needed yet, she will tell you.
Every plan is specialist-led from start to finish, and you are looked after by a warm, experienced team alongside Dr Shaz. Meet the wider Milk Orthodontics team, or see exactly how treatment works from your first visit to your last.
Care for children, teens and adults
Dr Shaz treats every age with the same warmth and honesty, from a child's first check around age seven, through the teenage years, to adults starting treatment well into adulthood. If you feel nervous, you are in gentle hands.
Dr Shaz can help with braces, discreet clear aligners, children's and early treatment and orthodontics for adults, all specialist-led and all-inclusive. Meet the wider team or see how treatment works.
Answered honestly
What is a specialist orthodontist?
A specialist orthodontist is a dentist who has completed years of extra university training, only in orthodontics, after dental school. They are registered on a separate specialist list and spend all of their time diagnosing and correcting the position of teeth and jaws. Dr Shaz is a registered specialist orthodontist, not a general dentist offering orthodontics on the side.
Where is Dr Shaz registered?
Dr Shaz is a registered specialist orthodontist with the Dental Council of New Zealand (DCNZ) and a registered dentist with the UK General Dental Council (GDC). She also holds membership of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (MRACDS) and is a published, peer-reviewed orthodontic researcher.
Does Milk only treat certain ages?
No. Dr Shaz and the team treat children, teens and adults. Children are best seen for a first check around age seven so we can watch their growth, but it is never too late, and many of our patients are adults. At your free assessment we will tell you the right timing for you.
Can I see Dr Shaz for a second opinion?
Yes. If you have been given a treatment plan elsewhere and want honest specialist advice, you are welcome to book a free Smile Assessment or a second opinion. There is no obligation and no referral is needed.
What is the difference between an orthodontist and a dentist?
Every orthodontist is a dentist first, then completes years of extra university training in orthodontics alone. A general dentist looks after your whole mouth, while a specialist orthodontist works only on straightening teeth and correcting bites. Dr Shaz is a registered specialist orthodontist, so orthodontics is all she does.
Does Dr Shaz treat both children and adults?
Yes. Dr Shaz treats children, teens and adults. Children are best seen for a first check around age seven so growth can be guided at the right time, but it is never too late, and many of our patients are adults. At your free assessment she will tell you the right timing for you.
Meet Dr Shaz at your free assessment
A free 20 minute Smile Assessment, in the clinic or over Zoom. No referral needed, no obligation, just honest specialist advice from Dr Shaz on your smile and the best way forward.