Founding director of Smiles Inclusive Tracy Penn to be replaced by Q Dental founder and orthodontics specialist Peter Fuller

A founding director of flailing listed dental group Smiles Inclusive has caved to months of pressure, leaving the board to be replaced by an orthodontics technician.

Practice owner Peter Fuller of Q Dental, with practices at Mt Gravatt East, Bulimba and Manly, will join the board of Smiles Inclusive. Photo: Ric Frearson

A FOUNDING director of flailing listed dental group Smiles Inclusive has caved to months of pressure, leaving the board to be replaced by an orthodontics technician.

Deputy CEO Tracy Penn, who joined the company before it was floated on the ASX last year, will be replaced by Brisbane joint venture partner Peter Fuller on June 30.

In an ASX announcement, Smiles said Mr Fuller had more than 30 years’ experience in the dental industry, as well as substantial experience in building and running dental practices.

Investors drilled the company’s share price after the announcment, sending it down 8.7 per cent to close at 10.5c.

Practice owner Peter Fuller of Q Dental, with practices at Mt Gravatt East, Bulimba and Manly Photo Ric Frearson

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Last week the company said it would issue new shares to raise $1.2 million for ongoing working capital and to boost its turnaround plan.

It also announced its external company secretary Jessica Watter had left the role, with chief financial officer Emma Corcoran to assume her responsibilities.

In one of many cringe-worthy episodes for the company, ex-CEO Mike Timoney and former chairman David Herlihy accused Ms Penn of ‘moonlighting’ with a second job as a direct sales agent for Stampin’ Up!, a scrapbooking company based in Utah in the US.

However, current chair David Usasz said Stampin’ Up! is “nothing more than Ms Penn’s personal hobby” and said the accusations were “grossly misinformed and misleading”.

In April, after months of turmoil, Smiles flagged a full-year loss of “at least $4 million” after previously downgrading guidance from a net profit of $2.3 million to a loss of between $500,000 and $1 million.

Smiles Inclusive Chair David Usasz.

Smiles Inclusive Limited deputy CEO Tracy Penn.

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Mr Fuller, who joins Mr Usasz on the board, is a master dental technician specialising in Orthodontics who founded Q Dental Australia, growing it to three dental practices along with a successful Prosthetic and Orthodontic laboratory.

Smiles said in addition to managing and caring for patients at the practice, Mr Fuller had also worked for Queensland Health, including the specialist Oral Health Unit at the Lady Cilento Queensland Children’s Hospital, where he manages surgical splints for babies born with cleft lip and palate abnormalities.