Meet the members: Dr Ajith Polonowita 1st Apr 2026
Meet the members: Christchurch-based oral medicine specialist and sometimes cyclist, Dr Ajith Polonowita
With two private clinics to run, a specialist practice, a busy schedule of hospital clients and regular lecturing at Otago University Dental School, Dr Ajith Polonowita isn’t the type to have a spontaneous afternoon off. But when you're engrossed in your work, the days fly by.
“There’s so much about what I do that’s so rewarding,” he says. “In oral med, each day is something new and each patient keeps you on your toes. Working with the students is great too, I enjoy passing on what I’ve learned and knowing that I’m helping others towards their own career.”
A proud NZDA member since before most of his students were born, Ajith says membership reinforces a sense of community and connection across a sector that’s always growing and changing.
“It’s not just about member benefits, but a sense of belonging. This is our professional association and I want to support that. I think it’s important. The local branch meetings are an opportunity to get together and share stories. I’ve enjoyed taking part in the annual conference, and contributing a column to the NZDA news. The class reunions are big - it’s all just a great way to keep that camaraderie.”
When it comes to the day-to-day tasks of practice management, Ajith and the team make the most of the NZDA online resources and employment contracts. “With some things, you don’t want to have to reinvent the wheel every time you need a template, so we find the resources really helpful.”
After a lengthy stint in general dentistry and oral med in Melbourne and later Bendigo, Victoria, he was headhunted for a role at Christchurch hospital. He commuted between Aotearoa and Australia for years before settling back in Christchurch fulltime - right before Covid struck. Lockdowns might have added a spanner in the works, but it also prompted him towards a new venture in telehealth.
“Over the Covid period I saw more than 80 patients over telehealth appointments, and in one case we even diagnosed cancer. There are very few people across New Zealand and Australia doing oral medicine telehealth appointments, and there’s a big demand for it. It’s quite a different way of doing things so you need to be confident and comfortable with it. Often I work with a clinician on the other side so I can use their eyes to help answer questions.”
Telehealth is something he promotes through his work at Otago Dental School, alongside being an advocate for oral medicine. With only about 50 oral med specialists across New Zealand and Australia, and New Zealand running short on supply, he says access to oral med specialists can be an issue in Aotearoa.
“This shortage is something I’m really trying to address. Oral medicine might not be as attractive from a money perspective, but it really stands out with the service you can give.
“In oral medicine, a good 50 percent of the work we do is addressing chronic pain. We know that it makes a huge difference to people’s lives, it’s meaningful and it matters. We work at the interface between medicine and dentistry.”
It’s a career that’s always kept him busy, but Ajith’s also been around long enough to know the importance of work-life balance. “You have to make the most of your free time. For me that’s a bit of golf and I’m going to be biking in Central Otago soon. Downtime is important and you have to block it into your diary and commit to it - my calendar for next year is already mapped out!”
