Happy Smiles

Dr Arun Natarajan is one of Canterbury’s leading Specialist Paediatric Dentist, renowned for his calm, compassionate approach and expertise in child- and whānau-centred dental care. He has developed a unique way of helping children and young people understand and manage their dental anxiety by integrating clinical communication, child psychology principles, clinical hypnosis, and gentle communication strategies into dental visits. He integrates these neuroscience-informed strategies into his approach to behaviour management and communication — helping children build confidence, emotional control, and resilience inside the dental setting.

Arun’s areas of expertise include behaviour guidance, dental anxiety, managing complex dental trauma, dental treatment under conscious sedation for anxious kids and teens, surgical extraction of unerupted supernumerary or impacted teeth, and providing dental care for children with special needs. He offers comprehensive dental treatment under sedation, hypnosis-assisted relaxation, and general anaesthesia, ensuring every child feels safe, supported, and in control.

In addition to leading Happy Smiles, Arun serves as a Consultant Paediatric Dentist at the Christchurch Hospital Dental Service. He is the current Chair of the Specialist Paediatric Dentists New Zealand (SPDNZ) group and a past President of the New Zealand branch of the Australian and New Zealand Society of Paediatric Dentistry (ANZSPD).

Arun has presented nationally and internationally on topics including dental anxiety, contemporary behaviour guidance, hypnosis in paediatric dentistry, paediatric conscious sedation and dental trauma management. His work is grounded in empathy, evidence-based practice, and a deep understanding of children’s emotional and psychological needs. 

Website: https://www.happysmiles.nz
Email: hello@happysmiles.nz
Contact: 03 352 1727