Lance West graduated BDS at the University of Otago in 1976. He trained in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery at the Royal London Hospital and the Royal Dental Hospital, London, gaining Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh in 1982 and Fellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1983. He gained Fellowship of the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons (General Stream) in 1986 and Fellowship of the Royal Australian College of Dental Surgeons in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in 1987.
He has been in private oral and maxillofacial surgery practice in Auckland since 1987. He has wide experience in the surgical aspects of dental implants including bone and soft tissue reconstruction in cases where implants may otherwise not be possible. He also specialises in surgical correction of jaw and facial deformities, wisdom tooth extraction and orthodontically related procedures such as exposures of impacted and unerupted teeth.
He is a keen rugby follower and has many years experience of treating facial injuries including fractures and injuries of the jaw/facial bones.