Lumino The Dentists has acquired four more high quality practices bringing the number of outlets for the burgeoning national dental health care provider to 48.

Gentle Dentists headed up by Dr Brian Joffe is a family and cosmetic dental practice on Main Highway in Ellerslie, Auckland. Gentle Dentists provides three sedation dentistry options to patients, IV Sedation Oral Sedation & Nitrous Oxide, which are especially useful for patients with a fear of dental treatment. The practice provides everything from children's dentistry and preventive care to cosmetic dentistry and teeth whitening. It is also one of the only dental practices in the region to provide complete dental implant treatment.

Paul Burgess Dental in Collingwood Street Nelson is the first Lumino practice in the Tasman district. Paul has been practicing in Nelson for over 25 years. He has built up a very successful practice and has an excellent reputation. The practice is relatively modern having being refurbished in the late 1990s. Paul has a strong restorative practice with a hygienist. The three surgery premises will allow plenty of capacity for further expansion.

Kerry Hamilton on Devon St East New Plymouth, is the second Lumino The Dentists practice in New Plymouth, joining the company's other practice in Lemon Street. Kerry has been practicing in New Plymouth for over 20 years. He has built up a very successful practice and has an excellent reputation. The Devon Street practice will relocate to a new site which will have four surgeries and room for expansion. Kerry is a high end dentist and CEREC user. He has an associate, hygienist and a visiting oral surgeon and endodontist.

Garry Rae on Mackay Street Greymouth is Lumino's first practice on the West Coast. Garry has been practicing in Greymouth for nearly 30 years in a practice which has been operating for over ninety years. He has built up a very successful practice and has an excellent reputation. Garry is a high producer with a strong restorative practice. He has a hygienist and the practice has two surgeries, with room for a third, which will allow plenty of capacity for further expansion.

Andy Tapper, managing director of Lumino The Dentists says:

``These four acquisitions will bring the special Lumino The Dentists' experience to even more customers across New Zealand. Our national network of support enables our dentists to offer an ever improving dental health service at a better value with easier ways to pay. We are widening New Zealander's choice when it comes to finding a high quality practice offering the best in general dentistry.

``We are extremely proud to have these four new practices on board and look forward to working closely with them to continue providing their local area with a superior dental service.''