About

Meet the team

Mr. Taz Singh

Thasvir (Taz) is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon who completed his training in New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom, and holds a Consultant post at Waikato Hospital. 

He grew up in NZ, and was fortunate enough to live in many parts of the country including the Bay of Islands, Palmerston North, Waikato, and Auckland, prior to moving to Dunedin to study. Taz graduated from Dentistry at the University of Otago before working in Middlemore and Greenlane Maxillofacial Units. After completing Medicine at the University of Auckland, he moved to Adelaide where he worked in various surgical disciplines including ENT, Orthopaedics, and Neurosurgery. On accepting entry into the Melbourne OMS Training program he underwent extensive training with a particular focus on Dental implant, Orthognathic, and Maxillofacial Trauma Surgery. During this time, he published numerous research articles and completed a Master’s degree (First Class Honours) focusing on Ameloblastoma tumours, immunohistochemistry, HPV, and PCR. He returned to NZ and completed his Maxillofacial training whilst working at Waikato Hospital, obtaining the ANZAOMS medal for the highest mark in the Final RACDS(OMS) Exams. 

Thereafter he was offered Head and Neck Cancer and Microvascular Reconstruction fellowships at St George's Hospital in London, and the Royal Derby Hospital, which were accredited by the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh). 

Currently Taz is working in both private and public practice. He is happy to consult on all oral and maxillofacial problems and surgical options



Mr. Michael Rutledge

My aim has always been to be the best doctor and person that I can be and to provide good to our community. 

I grew up in Perth, Western Australia where I completed my schooling and my first degree, Nanotechnology. Although a Sand-groper at heart, I moved east to Sydney in 2009 to pursue my passion for dentistry, medicine and surgery. I completed my dentistry and medical degrees at the University of Sydney. I worked as a dentist and then completed my internship and residency in regional NSW before moving even further away from the west Australian beaches to Auckland New Zealand in 2017.

I have had the privilege of moving throughout NZ as I completed my Master in Surgery and my Oral and Maxillofacial training. I’ve learnt from, and stand on the shoulders of, many great surgeons, doctors, nurses and mentors, and I’m now putting down roots in Waikato, alongside my extremely patient wife and impatient son.

I am proud to work with Te Whatu Ora – Waikato as a consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and I’m privileged to serve our community to the best of my abilities in this way. This also allows me to teach our medical and dental students from Otago and Auckland universities and train our next wave of talented Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons. It also allows me to pursue clinical research, with my interest lying in Technology in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. 

I’m honoured to join OMS Waikato and I’m looking forward to serving our colleague dentists, doctors, and our community through this avenue too. 


Mr. Chris Singleton

Chris is an Australia and New Zealand trained specialist Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. Chris grew up on Auckland’s North Shore before completing a Bachelor of Science at the University of Auckland. He then made the move across the Tasman and completed his Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of surgery at Deakin University in Victoria. 

Chris worked as a junior doctor in a number of Melbourne hospitals gaining exposure to a variety of surgical specialties including vascular surgery, orthopaedic surgery, general surgery, otolaryngology, cardiothoracic surgery, trauma surgery and neurosurgery. During his junior doctor years Chris gained exposure and interest in Oral and Maxillofacial surgery and went on to work as a maxillofacial surgery resident at The Royal Melbourne Hospital the following year to gain further exposure to the field. During this time he completed a post graduate diploma in surgical anatomy from The University of Melbourne. Chris then returned to New Zealand to complete a Bachelor of Dental Surgery at the University of Otago. During his studies Chris was the recipient of numerous awards and scholarships. 

Chris was accepted into to maxillofacial training programme in Victoria and completed the first 3 years of his training at the major maxillofacial units in Melbourne. He then returned to his roots in Auckland to finish his surgical training. Chris has recently made the move to Hamilton to work as a consultant at Waikato Hospital and also gain further experience working under Mr Singh in oncology and reconstruction. Chris has interest in research and has published multiple papers during his training and is also actively involved in teaching junior doctors and registrars. Chris lives in Hamilton with his wife, 2 young boys and his dog

Dr. Conrad Engelbrecht 

I am an Anaesthetist and a Pain Medicine Specialist and have been working as a consultant in both fields since 2014. I did my pre-graduate medical training in South Africa and worked as a General Practitioner before I specialised as an Anaesthetist in New Zealand. During my training, I developed an interest in acute and chronic pain and did a fellowship in Pain Medicine in Auckland. I have a keen interest in head and neck, maxillofacial and spine surgery. When I'm not at work, I enjoy landscaping and spending time with my family.

Dr. Conrad Engelbrecht (MBChB FANZCA FFPMANZCA)

Anaesthetist and Pain Specialist




Dr. Tim Starkie

I have worked as a specialist anaesthetist since 2012.  I originally trained in England but in 2013 moved to Hamilton with my family and since then I have been privileged to call New Zealand home.  Working in both public and private health systems I enjoy a diverse range of clinical practice and strive to give my patients the best care possible.  My non clinical interests lie in quality improvement and training.