1969 was a momentous year for Practice Founder, Dr Karl Skopal, as he described: “I had just left a dental practice at Woomera after 6 years and set up a new practice in my first house in Para Hills.

"Newlywed, our son was born later that year at about the same time that Ingle Farm Kmart (the first Kmart in South Australia) was being built in the middle of a large sheep paddock.

“I was fortunate enough to gain a tenancy within the shopping mall and watched as the foundations were laid and the Ingle Farm Shopping Centre took shape. Built by the legendary entrepreneur of shopping centres, Mr Jack Weinert, he extended it twice over the years until he finally sold it.

"The new owners added more shops around the Food Mart. All the suburbs around expanded with new housing in Ingle Farm, Para Hills, Valley View, Para Vista and Walkley Heights and as the suburbs expanded, so did the practice.

“Eventually, the original surgery premises that had served us so well for 37 years became far too small to cope with increasing demand.

"In 2006, we took the opportunity to relocate to new premises, with modern equipment, and a more efficient layout in a prime position at the Northern entrance to the shopping centre.

"The spacious surroundings made it a pleasure to come to work.”

After working in the practice for 16 years, Dr. Skopal’s daughter ,Dr. Angela Schuurmans, became a partner in July 2010. When Dr. Skopal retired, Dr Schuurmans took over as Practice Principal.

In March 2024, Dr Schuurmans stepped back from that role. Dr Grant Johnstone (a long-time practitioner at the Clinic) has taken over as Practice Principal, with Dr Schuurmans continuing as a member of the Clinic’s team of dentists.

From the start, Ingle Farm Dental has kept up-to-date with changes in dentistry: in equipment, materials, techniques and infection control. Over the years, many fine dentists, receptionists and dental assistants have rendered exceptional care and maintained high ethical standards of professional service within this practice.

This is a tradition Dr Johnstone and the team are proudly continuing. Regardless of their role, each team member strives for excellence in dentistry through continual development of their skills and the application of the highest standards of service to our patients.