Dr Danilo Strumendo

Dentistry, Soccer and Family

I grew up in the heart of Sydney, spending my youth kicking soccer balls on the fields of Balmain.  I was an aspiring soccer star, with my sights set on Europe, scoring goals game after game and with a long mane of blonde curls like a true 80’s soccer hero. However coming into year 12, I realised that I probably was not as good as I thought and had better pick something else.

Dentistry was, of course, my fall back after soccer, or as I like to call it, my Leap Up. The day I decided to give up soccer and instead set my sights on this fantastic career, was one the best decision I ever made.

Of course, Dentistry led me to an amazing and fulfilling career, but it also led me to my wife and future family, for which I am eternally blessed and grateful.

I studied at the University of Sydney, a truly inspiring school; I was supported by wonderful lecturers and true mentors in the field. Some of the best advice I received along the way was to move to the country after graduation. Once Josie and I were married, this is the direction we took, we moved to Albury and worked in a fantastic clinic for a few years. We honed our skills, did continuing education courses, and explored the Victorian wine country.

If you get a chance to explore Milawa, Beechworth and head over to Falls Creek, it truly is beautiful. We made some fantastic memories there while drinking and eating to our heart’s content.

We decided to move back to our families in Sydney, we wanted to start our own family and figured that would be impossible without grandparents around. We looked around for a suitable location for a dental surgery and then happened upon a great dentist, Dr Payne. He had surgery in Eastwood and was looking for someone to take on his lovely patients. We met both Michael and Marion and felt that we had very similar philosophies on patient care.

As Michael was ready to retire, we took over the surgery but decided to change the name as we figured Payne dental sent the wrong message. That’s how Smiles of Eastwood was born. We eventually moved the surgery to West Ryde, where the name change to Smiles of Ryde occurred.  The new premises is fantastic, there is ample parking, and we have a lovely large reception and two state of the art surgeries.

 I am thankful for every day, thankful for the fantastic patients whose lives I get to be a part of, and thankful for the tremendous innovative team I work with. I believe that you are truly blessed if you wake up every day and get to do something you love. That is what dentistry is for me.