About Us
Our Team
The team at Auckland Sleep has a combined experience of over 50 years dealing with sleep issues and associated concerns (such as sleep apnoea, restless leg syndrome, ENT issues, mental health).
We also work closely with a wider network of colleagues who are experts in jaw surgery, weight management surgery, sleep dentistry, orthodontics, psychology, sleep health in babies, nutrition and active lifestyle therapies.
No matter what your sleep healthcare needs are, we have got you covered!
Sumit Samant
Dr Sumit Samant (MBBS, DLO, DORL, FCPS, MS, DNB, MRCS, FRACS) is an upper airway surgeon specialising in surgery for the nose, sinuses, palate and tongue to treat snoring and obstructive sleep apnoea. He is a New Zealand trained Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons.
He is the founder and Chair of the Regional Auckland Sleep Multi-Disciplinary Meeting. He is also a member of the International Surgical Sleep Society, the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Australasian Sleep Association and the World Sleep Society.
Sumit founded Auckland Sleep to promote better outcomes for patients suffering from sleep disorders. Having noticed patients continually struggling with poor sleep despite clinical therapies, his goal was to change the approach of diagnosis and treatment of sleep disorders. You can read more about Sumit here and here.
James WethaSinghe
Dr. James Wethasinghe (MBChB 2010, PGCertCPU 2015, FRACP sleep 2018, FRACP General Medicine 2020) is an Auckland trained Respiratory and Sleep Specialist with dedicated formal training in Sleep Medicine.
James is currently working as a Respiratory and General Physician in Waitemata DHB . He is actively involved in the development of the Waitemata District Health Board Sleep Service . His research interests are broad. He has published and participated in large multicentre international randomized trials during his Sleep Fellowship. He has presented at international and local conferences.
Since 2018, James has been actively involved in formally teaching RACP candidates and is a honorary lecturer at the University of Auckland. James is experienced in treating all Respiratory and Sleep conditions and is happy to accept all referrals. You can read more about James here.
Anitha Patel
Dr Anitha Patel (Brief Behavioral Therapy, Advanced Cognitive Therapy & Teen Sleep Practitioner (WINK Sleep) Cert. in Fundamentals of Sleep Medicine (University of Sydney) Masters in Surgery & DNB – ORL (India)
Anitha is our Senior Sleep Navigator and Insomnia Specialist at Auckland Sleep. With a career spanning over 20 years in the medical field, she now works exclusively to help adults and teens having chronic insomnia. She is a Member of the Malaysian Society of Otorhinolaryngologists – Head and Neck Surgeons and the Asean Sleep Surgical Society.
Anitha also offers invaluable Sleep Coach support to our patients and advocates for unique needs of each patient to ensure we deliver sleep healthcare in the most equitable way possible.
Wilson Lai
Wilson Lai (PGDipMedTech – Sleep Medicine (University of Otago), BSc (University of Auckland))
Wilson is our Senior Sleep Physiologist and Operations Manager at Auckland Sleep. His career in sleep medicine began in 2014. He completed his postgraduate study to specialise in sleep medicine and obtained board certification through the Clinical Physiologists Registration Board in 2017. He is the current New Zealand regional representative for the ANZSSA. He brings experience from public healthcare and private practice, as well as from the commercial front. He has worked extensively and built close relationships with sleep services across New Zealand.
Mae Infante
Mae Infante (PGDipMedTech – Sleep Medicine (University of Otago), BBiomedSc (University of Otago))
Mae is our Clinical Sleep Physiologist working part-time at Auckland Sleep. She serendipitously fell into Sleep Physiology back in 2021 and has loved it ever since! Mae is competent in the performance and analysis of sleep studies as well as the initiation and follow-up of PAP treatment. Mae will be at Auckland Sleep (usually) on Mondays, she welcomes you to phone in for a chat or pop in for a visit for all your sleep-related needs and questions! Outside the clinic, Mae is also a medical student currently in her third year of completing an MBChB qualification. Perhaps, she will become a sleep physician herself one day? We shall see… When she is not studying or working, Mae can be found buried in a (non-scientific!) book or — ironically enough — sleeping.
Josephine Palu
Josephine is our Administrative Coordinator for Auckland Sleep and Dr Sumit Samant’s clinic at ENT Associates. Josephine comes with a wealth of knowledge and experience in the medical field of respiratory & sleep. She also facilitates the daily high-level processes for surgical bookings and supports our patients’ journeys by liaising with funding bodies, hospitals and other organisations to make our patients’ journeys as smooth and stress-free as possible.
Josephine volunteers in the community where help is needed in her spare time. She loves travelling and immersing herself in different cultures when she arrives at her new destination. She also loves to indulge in Pacific Island cuisines as she is of Tongan decent and enjoys her soul food.
Ibadat Beri
Ibadat is a dedicated Healthcare Administrative Coordinator who orchestrates seamless and stress-free experience for our valued patients. With a profound passion for patient well-being and a keen acumen for organizational efficacy, Ibadat stands as an asset within our team.
She has broad experience in the intricate realm of medical industry around the world. Ibadat adeptly navigates the logistical intricacies of patient appointments, surgical scheduling and interfaces with an array of healthcare stakeholders and entities. Her tenure in the field has honed her ability to facilitate these processes, ensuring a cohesive, guided and streamlined journey for each patient under our care.
Coming from India and a military background, she is well-versed in the ethos of efficiency and commitment and experienced in navigating challenges with grace and fortitude. Ibadat embarks upon each patient interaction with meticulous attention to detail, an unyielding dedication to patient care and with a profound sense of empathy and professionalism.
Dr. Alex Wu
Dr. Alex Wu (B.D.S – Bachelor of Dental Surgery, BbiomedSci – Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences)(University of Otago)
Alex is our Dentist at Auckland Sleep. He oversees all our patients for Mandibular Advancement Devices. These innovative and comfortable devices can greatly reduce snoring and sleep apnea NZ, providing for deeper and quality sleep. This benefits both our patients and their partners (who can sleep better with less disruption from snoring noises!) and help them to feel more refreshed in the daytime. Alex provides a brief dental checkup to make sure our patient’s teeth are ready for the device and takes care of the entire process from measuring, fabrication to fitting of the device.
Alex’s comprehensive education portfolio includes a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) as well as a Bachelor of Biomedical Sciences (BBiomedSc) from the University of Otago. He has been invited as 1 of 2 representatives from New Zealand for the 2018 IDEM International Conference held in Singapore.
As a full time dentist in Dentalcare West, Alex has extensive knowledge in everything teeth related including oral surgery and implants as well as sleep dentistry
Jeffrey Wang
Jeffrey Wang (BHSc Physiotherapy, Cert. Dry Needling & Western Acupuncture, Cert. Health & Mental Wellness, Cert. Neuro-linguistic Programming, Cert. Life Coaching).
With over 10 years of experience as a musculoskeletal physiotherapist and health coach, Jeff draws on a deep and diverse background in his role at Auckland Sleep. His journey into sleep medicine began organically when he observed a consistent pattern among patients suffering from chronic headaches, migraines, and TMJ disorders—they often cited poor sleep as a primary issue. Through his integrative approach to treating these complex conditions, he found that addressing the root causes not only alleviated their pain but also significantly improved their sleep. Now at Auckland Sleep, Jeff focuses on resolving complex pain conditions linked to sleep disorder, developing solutions for those who have not found relief elsewhere.
Mohan
Mohan (Masters in Health Science) has over 15 years of experience working in high-intensity clinical settings involving individual and group therapy. He has a proven track record in providing effective treatment for a variety of different psychological and behavioural issues. His experience extends to working with people diagnosed with mental health issues, addiction treatment (both individuals and groups), anger management, crisis intervention, family breakdowns, relationship issues, trauma/PTSD, depression, anxiety and sexual abuse.
Mohan believes therapy shouldn’t be a gloomy process but a journey filled with exploration, discovery, hope and some fun along the way. His treatment style is relational and collaborative, with humour and hope nestled in a psychodynamic framework. He combines this with CBT, DBT, MRT, motivational interviewing, relaxation & amp; breathing techniques.
Mohan has extensive management experience and provides both clinical & professional supervision. He has collaborated with business leaders and organisations, offering training in leadership, drug and alcohol education and prevention, conflict resolution, resilience, communication, and mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Through these efforts, he supports organisations in building healthy, successful businesses.