Get to know Dr Ivan Crnkovic
Meet Dr Ivan, Apple Dental’s Lead Dentist. Dr Ivan is highly experienced across all aspects of general dental care and is passionate about providing expert care to his patients. Ivan actively strives to ensure his skills and knowledge remain up to date with the latest in dental care by attending continuing education lectures and courses.
We spoke to Dr Ivan to learn more about his interests and hobbies outside of work.
Tell us a bit about your career as a dentist.
I’ve been practising for 12 years. I’ve always wanted to be in health care, to have the privilege of helping others in a practical way if possible. I was also very fond of my dentists growing up, and with their guidance and support, I was inspired to choose dentistry over other avenues.
My special interest in dentistry is in straightening teeth with Invisalign or restoring broken-down teeth with white filling or ceramic materials.
"I enjoy getting to know our patients, the kids that grow up, families, journeying through life with them and at the same time providing them with the health care they need in a low-stress and comfortable manner."
Have you got a favourite restaurant or café near Apple Dental?
I have always spent some time around Lane Cove so it feels like home to me. Even though it has gone through quite a lot of development in the past decade, I really love the older houses that remain, how leafy green it is and that it’s surrounded by so much natural beauty. Combined with the great new restaurants and cafes at the canopy I think it is a great place to be.
A favourite restaurant of mine is ‘Via Napoli’. Even when I lived out in Castle Hill, I used to journey into Lane Cove with friends to eat their delicious fire-cooked pizzas.
What do you enjoy doing in your spare time?
Taking my little boy and girl to a local playground and cafe, reading books, walking in nature, going out for dinner with my wonderful wife.
I also enjoy reading, I’m currently reading a book by Kate Fox called ‘Watching the English’. It goes into what makes English people English in a way. My sister has moved over to London and is getting married there next year so I am reading some books about English culture and the country itself since it is going to play a bigger role in our lives going forward.
Have you got a favourite book and why?
The Harry Potter series. I thought it was a kids’ book, but once you get past the first book or two the character’s development really takes off, and I just loved reading every page. So much so that as I was nearing the end, I had to ration how many pages I would allow myself to read a day.
We’re told you’re a bit of a gardener and love to cook. Is that true?
It is! I’ve always felt drawn to nature but when I met my wife and we started dating she had a little community garden and some friends who also had a plot in a community garden and it just ignited a spark.
“I enjoy watching life grow in a way. I love being outdoors and in nature so being able to make a little garden of one’s own is a delight. It is like painting but with living colour.”
If you had a peek into my garden, you’d see my white crepe myrtle tree. It has beautiful white flowers throughout all of summer!
Growing my food has also made me appreciate how hard it is for farmers to produce crops especially organically. The constant struggle to fight the weather, pests and diseases and all the animals that like taking bites out of food we love to grow.
“I mostly cook Italian, French, Croatian and Japanese food. I enjoy making crepes Sunday mornings with a Walnut cream filling to most but I’m best known for my Beef paprikash with polenta!”
Lastly is there anything you’d like to share?
At Apple Dental I have the pleasure of working alongside a fantastic team every day. We have exceptional facilities where we carry out our work, but most of all I enjoy the long-term relationship Apple Dental have with people in the community.
The biggest success a practice can have is to have long-term patients who still enjoy coming through the doors 3 decades later.
“I look forward to meeting more of our lovely patients who come through our doors and getting to know the families, the kids, the grandparents.”
Dr Ivan Crnkovic graduated from the University of Sydney in 2010 with a Bachelor of Medical Science and a Bachelor of Dentistry. He is part of the Australian Dental Association.
If you’d like to book an appointment with Dr Ivan, call us on (02) 9420 5050 or drop in at the practice at 1 Finlayson St, Lane Cove NSW 2066. For more information about the team at Apple Dental Lane Cove, visit the Dental Team page here.
Need to make an appointment at Apple Dental? Contact our friendly team today and stay on top of your family’s oral health.