A celebrity dentist is bringing his expertise to Tauranga, swapping the fast-paced hustle of London for the more laid-back Bay of Plenty lifestyle.

Dr Richard Lee is the cosmetic dentist on British TV's Extreme Beauty Disasters, where he forged a reputation for transforming lives using his refined skills to help people create the smile of their dreams.

As one of only eight dentists in London to have achieved accreditation with the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, he is a leader in his field.

'I love helping people regain their confidence and fall in love with their smile,” says Richard.

'We often see patients who are embarrassed about their teeth, and our services can massively boost their confidence.

'I've had people come to see me because they are going for a promotion at work and feel that their teeth don't reflect who they are. After treatment they forget about their insecurities and can just shine.”

One specific patient springs to mind.

'In London, I saw a patient a year after completing treatment with me, she told me that her smile transformation had given her the confidence to get engaged.

'Being in a career where your day-to-day work can have such a profound effect on someone is hugely rewarding.

'People can be deeply affected or embarrassed about their smile and lifting that weight can be an emotional journey for some; we have had lots of tears in the chair.”

Richard, who has over 20 years' experience in the industry, is now bringing his knowledge and skills to New Zealand.

He is looking forward to beginning a new life on the other side of the world with his Kiwi wife Sherree, who was born and raised in Palmerston North, and their two sons, Henry aged seven, and Freddie, aged four.

'Sherree came to London when she was 25 for a two-month overseas experience and ended up moving back to New Zealand 15 years later with her husband and two sons.

'For her, it's been a weird mix of memories and culture shock coming back, but we're really looking forward to the new, slower pace of life. New Zealand is an extremely beautiful country, and it's great to be able to enjoy it as a family.

'It feels like there is so much to explore and so many things to do. Seeing the boys play around in the water and thinking that this is our new home is really cool. We can see how living by the beach will change our day to day lives. The boys love it.”

As a dentist who has made appearances on TV screens across the world, Richard looks back on his experiences fondly.

Before filming Extreme Beauty Disasters, which sees leading experts from all corners of the cosmetics industry meet and help victims of botched surgery,

Richard did a series of advertisements for Proctor and Gamble, travelling to Buenos Aires and later to Vancouver. These ads were shown all over the world to improve dental health.

Richard began his journey into dentistry in 1999, when he graduated from Birmingham University with a bachelor's degree in dental surgery.

After working in general practice for a few years, he began to develop his passion for cosmetic dentistry.

He spent time in Florida, going through The Dawson Academy and training at other renowned international courses before becoming an active member of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry. From there, he became one of the few dentists in the UK to gain his accreditation in 2013.

After many years in central London, Richard has now arrived in the sunny Bay of Plenty to join the team at Tauranga based Corson Dental.