MEET THE PROFESSIONAL TEAM
AT LIFESMILES DENTAL CORP
The LifeSmiles Dental team has been led by Dr. Reid Robertson for more than 25 years. Our goal is to provide exceptional dental care in a caring, compassionate, patient-centered environment. We’ve expanded our practice to accommodate our patients’ needs by being open extended hours at all 6 of our locations, as well as by offering same-day emergency services, in-house referrals, and on-site specialists.
DR. REID ROBERTSON
Dr. Reid Robertson graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1985 with his Doctor of Medical Dentistry. He is one of three Robertson brothers who are dentists, although he is the only one that practices in Manitoba.
In 1990 he took over the four room dental clinic in Grant Park Mall, which has grown to nine dental and six hygiene rooms to serve your dental needs. He has also grown the LifeSmiles name and opened other clinics in Manitoba.
We strive to maintain his high standards of dental professionalism and care. Dr. Robertson is committed to providing quality care at accessible locations over extended hours. With thirty years of experience practicing dentistry, supervising dental students at the University of Manitoba, and mentoring new Dentists, Dr. Robertson is now taking more time off to pursue his enjoyment of family, time at the cottage and golf.
DR. DANIEL BIRCHARD
Dr. Daniel Birchard graduated from the University of Manitoba College of Dentistry and earned his Doctor of Medical Dentistry in 2017. He had previously earned a Bachelor of Science at the University of Winnipeg in 2013.
Dr. Birchard practices at our LifeSmiles Grant Park and Selkirk locations. He is always seeking continuing education opportunities in varying dental fields especially in cosmetic dentistry and oral surgery.
In his spare time, Dr. Birchard spends time as a competitive curler on the Manitoba Curling Tour.
DR. BAHER BOTROS
Dr. Baher Botros earned his Bachelor of Dentistry from Cairo University in 2002 and then practiced Dentistry in Egypt near the Red Sea for the next several years. His wife and young, growing family immigrated to Canada in 2012. Settling first in Toronto and now in Winnipeg, he is very happy to call Canada his new home.
Successfully completing the National Dental Examining Board of Canada and Objective Structural Clinical exams, he received his Manitoba Dental License in 2016.
He has a passion for doing his own Dental Lab work and has perfected the art of creating removable dentures, nightguards and sportsguards. He spends his spare time with his wife and young children.
DR. WISAM HELEWA
Dr. Wisam Helewa earned his BSc Dentistry and Doctor of Medical Dentistry from the University of Manitoba. Before entering the Dental program he did research in the Department of Oral Biology and his Dental college project was on the effects of tobacco smoke on breathing. He was honoured to be selected to represent the UofM in Washington DC at the North American Dental School research summit.
Dr. Helewa is a welcome part of our team in the Grant Park office, while also teaching crown and bridge work part time and the Manitoba college of Dentistry. He is a member of the Gordon J Christensen International Study Club and a pre-fellow of the Academy of General Dentistry. He is looking forward to a full Fellowship.
He is recently engaged to be married and, somehow finds time to enjoy cooking.
DR. LESIA KULBABA
Dr. Lesia Kulbaba, BSc. received her Doctor of Medical Dentistry degree from the University of Manitoba in 1996.
Before joining our team in 2011, she owned her own practice and was head of the Dental department at Seven Oaks General Hospital.
She is committed to serving her patient with a full range of high quality dentistry at both our Grant Park and Sargent offices. Dr. Kulbaba is also one of only 2 dentists in Winnipeg that provide Fastbraces Technology to straighten and realign teeth.
She spends any and all free time with her daughter.
DR. SCHENLEY POLIAH
Dr. Schenley Poliah earned his Doctor of Medical Dentistry from the University of Manitoba in 1987; upon graduation he was honoured with the Canadian Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons Award.
For several years he worked as a dentist for the Federal Government in Northern Canada helping those who didn’t have easy access to dental care. He joined LifeSmiles Dental full time in 2002 where he has built a large patient base with his skill and education in Oral Surgery and Implant Placement.
In his spare time, Dr. Poliah focuses his energy on golf, MMA/Kickboxing and of course, spending time with his children.
DR. DIANA B. ROSS
Dr. Diana Ross (nee Bodiroga) is a Winnipegger from birth and is fluent in both English and Serbian. She earned her BSc in Biochemistry at the University of Winnipeg and her Doctor of Medical Dentistry at the University of Manitoba in 2008. Her career began in a rural Manitoba community but she was drawn back to Winnipeg in 2010 when she joined us at both LifeSmiles Grant Park and Sargent offices.
She has expanded her dental training with courses at the Misch Implant Institute and Nobel Biocare Implant Restorative Training. Her interest in Sedation Dentistry continues with attendance at courses in Edmonton, Toronto and Winnipeg for both Nitrous and conscious sedation. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, cooking and especially spending time outdoors with her husband and daughter.
DR. MARY MIKHAEIL
Dr. Mary Mikhaeil was born in Alexandria, Egypt and later immigrated to Canada in 2005. She completed her post-secondary education in Winnipeg and earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, US.
Dr. Mikhaeil loves getting to know her patients, and she emphasizes on preventive dentistry.
While she is not in the dental office, she can be found reading, swimming, travelling, and spending time with her family.
Dr. Mikhaeil is accepting new patients at our Grant Park and Portage la Prairie offices.
DR. STEVE LAWSON
Dr. Steve Lawson graduated from the University of Manitoba Faculty of Dentistry in 1986. While general dentistry was initially his focus, he soon developed a keen interest in Orthodontics and the dynamics of the growing face. Over the past 34 years Dr. Lawson has completed extensive training from leaders in Functional Jaw Orthopaedic, Myofunctional Therapy, Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMD), Snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea, and Myofunctional Orthodontics.
Dr. Lawson has focused on the diagnosis and treatment of TMD, Sleep Related Breathing Disorders and Myofunctional Orthodontics for the past 14 years and in January 2008 joined an elite group of practitioners who have trained under the mentorship of Dr. Steven Olmos, founder of the TMJ and Sleep Therapy Centres. Today Dr. Lawsons practice is one of over 60 TMJ & Sleep Therapy Centres spanning seven countries.
Dr. Lawson is also part of an elite group of dentists who have achieved certification to treat snoring and Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Oral Appliance Therapy. In July 2011 he achieved his Diplomat Status in the Academy of Clinical Sleep Disorders Disciplines, an internationally known certifying body providing education and training to dentists, physicians and other health care practitioners interested in the treatment of sleep breathing disorders.
Dr. Lawson has joined the LifeSmiles team at the Grant Park Mall, La Salle and Portage la Prairie offices. In his spare time, he enjoys family time, golfing and playing his guitar.
DR. IRENA KOVACEVIC
Dr. Irena Kovacevic earned her Doctor of Dental Medicine from the University of Manitoba College of Dentistry in 2018. Prior to that, she completed a Bachelor of Science from the University of Winnipeg.
Dr. Kovacevic has advanced training to be able to provide multiple types of sedation to patients. She co-authored the “Handbook to Mixed Modality Sedation” which is currently being used as a teaching tool for the conscious sedation licencing course for dentists in Manitoba. Dr. Kovacevic believes in helping anyone overcome their fear of the dentist. She is presently accepting new patients at our Grant Park location.
In her spare time, she can be found spending time with her family and cheering on her favourite tennis players.
DR. VINITA BAJAJ
Dr. Vinita Bajaj received both her Bachelor of Science and Doctor of Medical Dentistry degrees at the University of Manitoba. Her additional training in Nitrous Sedation for both adults and children was completed in Toronto.
Dr. Bajaj provides quality and caring dentistry at both our Grant Park and Sargent offices. She does this while also finding time to be on the board of the Smile for a Lifetime project, which provides Orthodontic teeth alignment for underprivileged children, and volunteers for the Special Smile programs that provides dental checkups and basic dental work for participants in the Special Olympics.
Outside of dentistry she enjoys travel and time with her parents.
DR. SHELLY HALCHUK
Dr. Halchuk graduated from the University of Manitoba with a Doctorate in Dental Medicine and Bachelor of Science in Dentistry in 2014. She was born in Winnipeg and raised in Gypsumville, MB.
Dr. Halchuk has a warm, caring and gentle personality, which puts children and anxious patients at ease. She is personable, takes a genuine interest in every patient, and is always ready to go the extra mile. She provides full service family dentistry for patients of all ages with a patient centered approach. She understands the importance of open communication and is always driven to deliver the highest quality of care.
Dr. Shelly loves all aspects of dentistry, particularly aesthetics and comprehensive dentistry. She is passionate about her work and her patients, valuing communication in order to help patients make informed decisions about their health. She is always improving her knowledge base by attending the latest seminars and conferences in Dentistry. Dr. Halchuk believes that the mouth is where our health begins and that is why it is so important to visit the dentist regularly. That is why Dr. Halchuk focused on Early Childhood Tooth Decay in First Nations children during her years at University of Manitoba, which holds a special place in her heart.
When Dr. Halchuk has free time she loves to travel and spend time with her dog. Aside from dentistry, she enjoys fitness and loves to ski, fish, pilates, hike and find adventure anywhere she is. She works at our La Salle and Sherbrook location.
DR. MINA ZAREIAN JAHROMI
Upon completion of a six-year DDS Program in Iran, Dr. Mina Zareian Jahromi graduated in 2009 and practiced dentistry for 4 years in a hospital dental clinic before immigrating to Canada.
In 2009, she was honoured to receive the Presidential Recognition Award which is given to the top student of the year in the nation. In the same year, she received the "Gold Medal Award" and "British invention of the year award", from the British inventor's society for introducing a natural biomaterial that significantly accelerates skin and oral mucosa wound healing post-operatively.
After her immigration to Canada in 2013, she completed NDEB Equivalency Process and got board certified in 2016. She practiced most aspects of general dentistry in Toronto for almost three years and was a member of the Royal College of Dental Surgeons of Ontario in 2016 prior to moving to Winnipeg with her family in 2020.
She has always felt that the best things about general dentistry are the many different procedures that you get to perform and the new people that you have the opportunity to meet every day. She is patient and caring and always tries to better herself through continuing education. This is so that she can maintain a high standard of care for her patients. We're happy to welcome her at our Sherbrook office.
Dr. Jahromi is fluent in English and Farsi. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with her husband and her beautiful daughters and would love biking if time allows.