There are many choices in where to get your orthodontic treatment, as we’ve covered in previous blog posts. Once you’ve chosen to go to an orthodontist, there is still the question of which one. Some doctors practice by themselves in one location, there may be several doctors in one office, or it may be part of a corporate office with different orthodontists on different days.
Dr. Laurent’s office is considered a small, boutique, woman-run practice located centrally in Sonoma. We’ll discuss some of the benefits of this style of practice below.
Consistency of Care
You will see the same orthodontist (Dr. Laurent) at every visit rather than rotating through multiple doctors. This means the person adjusting your braces actually remembers you & your case, your concerns, and your progress through treatment. She was the one who created the plan for your case and will follow her steps to get to the end.
Stronger Relationships
Staff turnover is very low in our office, so the front desk receptionist, the dental assistant, the financial coordinator, and the doctor genuinely get to know you and your family over time. That familiarity reduces anxiety — especially for kids.
All our team members live in Sonoma (or Petaluma) and feel deeply invested in and connected to the overall Sonoma community. Dr. Laurent has been a long-time supporter of many of the local schools, sports teams, Boys & Girls Club, and Sonoma Valley Education Foundation. We love getting to know our patients’ siblings, parents, neighbors, and classmates. It’s fun to see a clinic full of people who all know each other!
More Direct Communication
In a large practice, questions often get filtered through layers of staff. In a small one, you can more easily speak directly with the orthodontist or get a message to her quickly. When we aren’t in the office, we have a phone available for any questions or issues that may arise. This phone is monitored by either Dr. Laurent or one of the Registered Dental Assistants– not an answering service- so you get a real answer from a real person who can help you.
Flexible Scheduling and Payments
Larger practices often have strict rules on when you can be seen for certain procedures or emergencies, and often have long waits if you need to reschedule. While we do have many patients to accommodate, we try hard to work with your schedule or squeeze in an emergency visit when a bracket breaks. As noted above, even when we’re not in the office, we have a way to reach us for any urgent questions that arise.
We offer in-house financing to our patients. This means we’re not using third-party vendors and therefore can offer flexibility in our payment options. We encourage families to have a conversation with us to set up a payment plan that works for them, and if your situation changes, please let us know, and we’ll see what adjustments can be made.
Treatment Tailored to You
Many corporate offices are run by a practice manager, whose specialty is management – not orthodontics. I’ve heard many stories of orthodontists not being able to order the tools or braces that they think would be best for a patient because the management team decided it is too expensive or they have a ‘deal’ with another company.
Because she is in control of the overall schedule and structure of the office, Dr. Laurent can take as much time as needed during consultations to discuss options, explain pros & cons, and customize a treatment plan rather than defaulting to a one-size-fits-all protocol.
Accountability
When one doctor owns the practice and sees you personally, there’s a higher level of accountability. We know that we’ll be seeing you and your family and friends and neighbors around town for years to come. Your outcome & experience directly reflects on our reputation in the community, which is a strong motivator for excellent care! We try our best to create a positive experience and beautiful, healthy smiles for our Sonoma community with every patient in our office.
We’d love to meet you and discuss what treatment plan will best fit the goals for your smile. Give us a call today to schedule your complimentary initial appointment to get started.