Jean van Lierop

Dr Jean van Lierop is a South African restorative dentist and educator with a strong focus on contemporary adhesive and minimally invasive dentistry. He is co-owner and Clinical Director of Smith and van Lierop Dentistry in Cape Town, where comprehensive treatment planning and predictable restorative outcomes form the foundation of clinical care.

Dr van Lierop holds a Diploma in Aesthetic Dentistry (cum laude) and a Master’s degree in Restorative Dentistry, with research focused on minimal-intervention restorative concepts. His teaching philosophy is rooted in preservation of tooth structure, sound biomechanics, and material-driven decision-making, with a strong emphasis on translating evidence-based principles into practical, repeatable clinical workflows.

He has extensive teaching experience and has lectured nationally and internationally across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. Dr van Lierop is a past university lecturer, a founding member of the Restorative and Aesthetic Academy, and a Fellow of the International Team for Implantology (ITI).  He is also a founding member and past president of the South African Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry.

A core passion of his work is direct restorative dentistry—particularly adhesive protocols, composite handling, isolation, occlusal management, and predictable layering techniques. His courses and workshops focus on elevating everyday restorative dentistry by combining biological respect with clinical efficiency, helping clinicians deliver durable, high-quality outcomes with confidence.

A message from Dr. van Lierop: "I have used Garrison sectional matrix systems in daily practice since the early 2020, and they have consistently shaped my approach to predictable posterior composite dentistry. From the Composi-Tight® systems through Composi-Tight® 3D Fusion, and now the Strata-G™ system, the evolution has focused on exactly what matters clinically: reliable contacts, anatomical contours, and efficient placement.

The predictability of proximal contact formation allows me to concentrate on adhesive execution and composite handling, rather than managing matrix-related compromises. More recently, the Deep Margin Elevation (DME) system has become integral to my workflow, enabling controlled, biologically respectful management of deep margins with confidence.

Across all systems, my goal has remained consistent — maximizing restorative quality while improving clinical efficiency. Garrison matrices have allowed me to deliver predictable, durable, and aesthetic posterior restorations, and they form a core component of how I teach modern direct restorative dentistry."

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