Dr. Keith Pine is an internationally recognised expert in ocular prosthetics having combined decades of clinical practice with original academic research and teaching.
Dr. Pine began his career at the Plastic Surgical Dental Unit, Middlemore Hospital, Auckland where he was the unit’s specialist Facial Prosthetist. After 16 years with the hospital he set up his own commercial dental laboratory which he expanded into a full service dental practice employing 34 dentists and 66 support staff including dental technicians, hygienists, dental assistants and administrators. His goal was to make dentistry more accessible and the practice operated government subsidised relief of pain clinics and school based mobile dental services for adolescents.
During his extensive involvement in the dental industry, Dr. Pine maintained a strong commitment to ocular prosthetics and when he sold the practice to Lumino the Dentists in 2003 he set up the New Zealand Prosthetic Eye Service while simultaneously conducting PhD research in Optometry at the University of Auckland. His research focused on the response of the anophthalmic socket to prosthetic eye wear and has so far resulted in over 20 published scientific papers. This work has led to international research collaborations and the world’s first peer-reviewed textbook dedicated to ocular prosthetics: “Clinical Ocular Prosthetics”.
Dr. Pine is an honorary Research Fellow with the School of Optometry and Vision Science at the University of Auckland, a member of the Institute of Maxillofacial Prosthetists and Technologists in the UK and a Fellow of the International Academy of Ocularisty in the USA. His clinical practice, extensive research, volunteer work and teaching continues to highlight his dedication to improving the lives of those affected by eye loss.
Qualifications:
- Registered Clinical Dental Technician (NZ)
- Advanced Certificate in Maxillofacial Technology (UK)
- BSc. in Psychology (University of Auckland)
- MBA (University of Auckland)
- PhD in Optometry (University of Auckland)
