The Practice
Australian Veterinary Equine Dentistry is a specialist equine dentistry, located in Brisbane. Director Dr. Olivia James sees horses referred from other veterinary clinics for tooth extractions and oral and maxillofacial surgeries, jaw fracture repairs, periodontal surgery and all types of oral and head surgery. Dr. James is available to travel throughout Australia, New Zealand, and Asia to see patients, or patients can be seen at local equine practices.
Dr. Olivia James BVSc(hons) MANZCVS(Equine Dentistry) CMAVA DICEVO DAVDC(Eq)
Originally from the country, Olivia has worked in veterinary practices in regional Australia both in mixed and equine hospitals. Graduating from the University of Sydney with honors in Veterinary Science in 2003, her first job was in a mixed practice in Dubbo. After relocating to the ACT region she spent 3 years as an associate then a decade in her own equine veterinary practice. After moving to Queensland in 2018 she has concentrated solely on providing referral-only services, flying around the country visiting vet practices.
Olivia is passionate about veterinary equine dentistry and believes that this discipline has advanced dramatically in recent times and horse owners are beginning to understand that the simple floating (removal of sharp points in the mouth) forms only a very small part of providing complete oral and dental care. She lectures and teaches veterinarians internationally, as well as accepting referrals in the Australasia region.
A postgraduate veterinary pathway in equine dentistry saw Olivia awarded by the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (ANZCVSc) membership in Equine Dentistry by examination, and mentors other veterinarians in this field. Olivia passed her Diplomate exams through the International College of Equine Veterinary Odontologists (ICEVO, based in Canada) May 2015. She is also a Diplomate of the American Veterinary Dental College since 2022 and is the only practicing, registered specialist in Australia.
Olivia is a member of the AVA (Australian Veterinary Association), the EVA (Equine Veterinarians Australia) and the AAEP (American Association of Equine Practitioners) and currently serves on the resident education subcommittee of the American Veterinary Dental College and the committee for the special interest dentistry group with the Australian Veterinary Association. She held previous positions as President of the Dental Chapter of the Australian and New Zealand College of Veterinary Scientists (AVDC) President of the ACT Division of the AVA and state representative for the Australian Veterinary Dental Society committee.
Finding passion in education, Olivia also thrives in serving her colleagues through continuing education both in person (specifically for veterinary equine dentistry) and through her online training companies with the collaboration of over 200 other diplomates, specialists and experts in their field wit The Veterinary Dental Company and The Equine Practice Company, serving veterinarians in over 25 countries and in two languages.
In her spare time, Olivia enjoys spending time with her family, riding horses, and wrestling the garden from the wilds so it resembles some form of order. She joins her family in training with the National Karate Association and holds a black belt in karate
Olivia has a very tolerant husband and almost grown up children