About us

Garrett Pierse established the family practice in Tipperary Town in 1946. It’s now in its third generation with Liz, John and their daughter Jenna all striving to carry on Garrett’s traditions of first-rate, patient-centric care.

Who we are

The practice is family orientated with emphasis on prevention of oral disease and maintenance of healthy teeth and gums which is a prerequisite for a natural confident smile. Orthodontic, Restorative and Hygienist services are provided under one roof to achieve these aims. The team approach allows joint consultation in planning the best course of treatment for each individual patient.

Meet the team

All of our staff are professionally trained and looking forward to helping you with your dental needs.

John Pierse

B.Dent.Sc, M.Sc.( Univ.Lond )

John qualified from Trinity College Dental School in 1980. He then worked in general practice in the UK for a few years before undertaking a Masters programme in Restorative Dentistry during 1982-1983 at the Eastman Institute of Dental Surgery, London. He returned to Tipperary in 1984 and joined his father in the practice. His special interest is in crown & bridge and cosmetic dentistry. He believes a nice smile with healthy teeth and gums is important for confidence and overall general wellbeing. He understands the dental anxieties of patients and believes that the provision of treatment should be carried out in a caring and relaxed atmosphere. He is committed to continual dental education and updating the practice with current materials and technologies.

John is a member of the Irish Dental Association the Irish Endodontic Society and is a Fellow of the International College of Dentists.

Liz Pierse

B.Dent.Sc., M.F.D.S., R.C.S.Eng.

Dr. Liz qualified from Trinity College Dublin in 1983 with an honours degree. With a career spanning over four decades, Liz has always dedicated herself to providing the most effective and patient-focused orthodontic care.

Following her graduation she worked for 12 months in the Dublin Dental hospital as a house surgeon. In 1988 she commenced consultant supervised orthodontic training. She has an MFDS from the Royal College of Surgeons in England. Liz has been in practice limited to Orthodontics for over 40 years.

Liz always stays up to date with the latest advances in Orthodontics. In 2018 she completed a fellowship in clear aligners (Invisalign). After 40 years of treating patients with metal braces she decided to switch her practice to clear aligners as in her experience patients prefer clear aligners to metal braces and most importantly get better results. Recognising her patients preference for clear aligners and their superior results, Dr. Liz has focused her practice on this innovative treatment, successfully treating over 1,000 cases with this new technique.

Dr. Liz is a member of the British Orthodontic Society, European Orthodontic Society, Royal College of Surgeons, and the Irish Dental Association.

Jenna Pierse

B.Dent.Sc, BA, Dip PCD RCSI.

Dr. Jenna graduated from Trinity College Dublin with an honours degree in 2018. As a third generation Dentist, growing up Jenna witnessed first hand the transformative power Orthodontic treatment has on patients' lives, which fuelled her passion for Orthodontics. Jenna has over 7 years of general practice experience both at home and in Sydney, Australia.

On her return to Ireland, she worked in both the National Maxillofacial Unit in St. James’s Hospital and the Mater Hospital as a registrar in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. During this time she gained invaluable experience in the treatment of patients with complex bite issues and jaw deformities requiring jaw surgery. Her passion for Orthodontics has now led her to pursue a 3 year clinical doctorate in orthodontics in Trinity College Dublin.

Jenna is registered with the Irish Dental Council and holds memberships in the European Orthodontic Society, British Orthodontic Society and Royal College of Surgeons. She loves attending conferences and courses where she publishes and presents her research and she always ensures she remains at the forefront of advancements in orthodontic care.

She was awarded Membership of the Faculty of Dentistry, Diploma in Digital Orthodontics, Diploma in Primary Care Dentistry and is currently pursuing a Clinical Doctorate in Orthodontics in Trinity College Dublin.

Aoife Shanahan

B.Dent.Sc

Aoife graduated from University College Cork with an honours degree in Dental Surgery in May 2024.

Aoife is trained in all aspects of general dentistry and aims to provide quality dental care in a welcoming and comfortable environment, hoping to make every dental experience an enjoyable one for all ages.

Aoife was awarded the general dentistry award for excellence in clinical restorative dentistry in her final year at UCC.

Aoife is interested in all aspects of dentistry with a particular interest in treating children and patients with dental anxiety.

Jessica Coffey

B.Dent.Sc

Jessica graduated from Dentistry in University College Cork. She loves working in general practice as she has a keen interest in developing good Dentist-Patient relationships based on mutual respect and trust.

Jessica loves to manage all aspects of oral care and continues to further her education recently completing courses in Composite Bonding in Edinburgh and Facial Aesthetics in London.

Marie Mc Elligott Ryan

Marie trained and qualified as a Dental Nurse at the Eastman Dental hospital, London between 1981-1983. She then moved to Tipperary where she worked as a Dental Surgery Assistant until 1985. She studied at the Cardiff Dental School in 1985-86 where she received her Diploma in Dental Hygiene. She returned to the practice in 1989 where she has been the resident hygienist to date. Marie plays an important role in the treatment of active gum disease and maintaining your oral health.

Michelle Doherty

Michelle joined our practice team in 2003. She completed her Dental Nursing qualification in Cork Dental Hospital in 2005.

Michelle Noonan

Michelle joined the practice in 2009 as our receptionist & practice manager. She aims to make your entire experience at our practice as relaxing and convenient as possible.

Catriona Mullins

Justina Simokaitytė

Justina joined the practice in December of 2021. She is currently studying for the Diploma of Dental Nursing in the Harriet Ellis, UK.

Justina has a caring and compassionate approach, always prioritising patient comfort and ease. She loves dentistry and particularly loves seeing the results of orthodontic treatment

Get in touch and arrange a callback today.

We look forward to hearing from you.