About Us

Project Outback Dental (POD) Pty Ltd® is North Queensland's first private mobile dental practice. Driving inland via the Overlander's Way, Outback and rural communities can trust us in bringing much needed quality, timely and affordable dental services without having to travel hours to see a dentist.

POD is local and family owned, with our main office at Purono Park in Townsville. POD services cattle stations, boarding schools, aged care facilities, and residences in Hughenden, Richmond, Julia Creek, Greenvale, Mt Surprise, Normanton and Townsville surrounds.

POD also works with Aboriginal Medical Services and Primary Health Networks providing emergency, preventative and restorative dental services to their clients.

POD is currently being outsourced by the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS) managing its dental unit in Garbutt and has provided mobile dental services at TAIHS Outreach Clinics in Abergowrie, Charters Towers, Ingham and Home Hill.

Your POD Company Director and Principal Dentist

Dr Garret L Robles, Doctor of Dental Medicine, Postgraduate Certificate in Paediatric Dentistry

  • NQPHN Health Professionals Awards Winner - Dentist of the Year 2018

Dr Robles has more than 17 years of clinical and teaching experience in dentistry. He has a special interest and clinical postgraduate training in paediatric and special needs dentistry, and was Dentist-in-Charge of JCUDental Townsville from 2014-2015, a clinical placement facility for final year James Cook University dental students.

Recognising the challenges in providing much needed dental services to our rural and remote communities, Garret conceptualised Project Outback Dental (POD)® - a private mobile dental facility for patients in Central West and Northern Queensland. He hopes to encourage local graduates to share his passion in addressing this gap in our oral health system, and at the same time explore the beauty of Outback Queensland.

Garret and his wife, Dr Mary Ann Palma, PhD, later established the complementary Townsville city surgeries of MYTOOTHDOCTOR™ - POD's 'dental home' for all its clients in the OUTBACK.

Dr Robles is affiliated with the Mater Hospital North Queensland as a General Dental Practitioner (Paediatric) and is currently Principal Dentist of the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service (TAIHS) Dental Unit.

Memberships:

  • Australia and New Zealand Society of Paediatric Dentistry (ANZSPD Queensland)
  • Australian Society of Special Care in Dentistry (ASSCID)
  • Australian Dental Association (ADA Queensland)
  • International Association for Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD)
  • International Association of Dental Traumatology (IADT)

Your POD Associate Dentists

Dr Casey Townsend, Bachelor of Dental Surgery

Dr Casey Townsend grew up in Townsville and completed her Bachelor of Dental Surgery at James Cook University in Cairns. Having now returned home, she is excited to provide high quality dental care to the people of Townsville.

Throughout her training, Casey spent much time working in Cairns, Townsville and Mt. Isa. This has given her a unique understanding of indigenous health and oral health as it relates to those in Queensland. She has also spent a significant amount of time volunteering in Papua New Guinea providing oral health care and education to locals.

Casey enjoys all areas of general dentistry with a particular interest in treating paediatric patients. She also prides herself in providing positive dental experiences for anxious patients to ensure that they feel comfortable and accepted. Casey understands that every person is unique and endeavours to deliver individualised care partnering alongside patients to improve oral health and achieve excellent results.

For our dental practitioners' clinic hours and locations, please contact 07-4751899.

pod1

pɒd/

noun

1. an elongated seed vessel of a leguminous plant such as the pea, splitting open on both sides when ripe.

"gorse pods were popping in the sun"

synonyms: shell, husk, hull, case, seed vessel; shuck; technical pericarp, capsule, legume

"pea pods"

2. a detachable or self-contained unit on an aircraft, spacecraft, vehicle, or vessel, having a particular function. i.e. "a private mobile dental surgery providing best practice oral health services for children and their families in the Queensland Outback."