FUNCTIONAL & COSMETIC ORTHODONTICS
BY SHALEEN DESTEFANO
Amanda Vanderstelt called us a year ago with a dream in mind. She was planning to open her own practice, and her vision for the aesthetics and clear focus on the overall wellness of her patients was unwavering. It has been so wonderful to see her dream come to life with the opening of aligned.
After a decade in orthodontia, you decided to open your own practice. Aligned, in your words, is the practice of your dreams. Can you tell us about your vision and holistic approach?
My vision when founding this practice was to offer the entire package in an orthodontic practice. Offering the most progressive and excellent clinical diagnosis and outcomes to a uniquely accommodating and really smooth experience, in a modern way like with Invisalign, 3D x-rays and imaging technologies, and airway/jaw assessments. I want parents to feel confident that they are bringing their kids to the absolute best, and then ultimately feel comfortable also going through their own treatment with us. At aligned. Orthodontics I like to say we believe in healthy airways, healthy bites and gorgeous smiles to be aligned in a convenient and comforting experience. We look at the entire jaw structure, the airway, the tongue, the bite and the aesthetics of the smile and face and align them in a way no other orthodontist is doing in Denver. I had been in a group practice where the dentists in the practice were all sending me really complex bite problems and overtime I realized I had developed a niche that I wanted to ultimately branch out and share in a bigger way through a private practice community where I could have more of an impact with like-minded community and other practitioners. I also wanted to base my business on my strong vision, my unwavering “be-a good-person” values, actions and my people being aligned… because that is when you as a person and your business can truly blossom, and I think this ultimately can be felt by the patients. Above all, we believe in an ethical and honest approach and everything always centers around this.
Your new space has a dreamy spa-like feel, that is warm and inviting. This is just one element that sets you apart. We’d love to learn more about your treatments.
I have 3 main passions, first and foremost are my 3 kids, next is orthodontics and improving patient’s overall airway and longevity of their teeth and smile and face, third is interior design. Basically I’m pretty particular about my surroundings AND healthcare that my family and I receive. I personally seek out the best healthcare providers AND a great experience. We offer a soothing, bali-inspired atmosphere, the experience comes in the quality of the details. In our consults, we leave no stone unturned, it’s the most comprehensive consult you could possibly get for free. We have a “tropical” x-ray room with the most gorgeous palm leaf wallpaper and start with a 3D x-ray so that I can evaluate the jaws in a 3-Dimensional perspective, look at the anatomy of the nasal passageway, adenoids, tonsils, volume of airway, upper jaw and lower jaw positions and the impact this has on the tongue, the face, the airway, and the bite + smile. Then we take a 3D image of the teeth/bite. We evaluate all of our findings in our initial consultations and review options for treatment. Treatment options even for young kids may include an Invisalign option, braces, or lingual braces potentially in combination with airway developing expansion or jaw repositioning in different ways. I do a lot of orthodontics in combination with jaw surgery for adults who want to improve their airway and avoid or improve sleep apnea. I have honed my Invisalign skills over the years and offer an Invisalign option for most patients. Many orthodontists reach out to me for advice on managing complex cases with Invisalign. The fun part during treatment is that we have become really efficient over the 10 years in practice that visits are minimal compared to other practices, what we can treat in 4-5 visits, other orthodontic practices may see you 10 times during treatment. We also have a comfort menu, BOSE headphones with overhead TV’s playing netflix or disney +, soft blankets or weighted blankets for patients with sensory issues, sunglasses and even warm essential oils on a bamboo cloth. We also have a hypoallergenic practice pup who patients absolutely love.
When it comes to orthodontic care for the family, affordability is the first concern that comes to mind. How do you approach this aspect with new clients?
It is important to us that our high quality care is reachable for most people and we do offer in-house financing options withOUT interest. This has been a huge relief to our patients to allow them access to high quality orthodontics with us.
Many patients, young and old, can feel anxious about dental work. What do you and your team do to eliminate this aspect?
We have created an environment that doesn’t look and feel like a typical orthodontic practice. When you walk it, we have a low-calorie healthy beverage station, and our staff is absolutely hands down committed to making you feel warm and welcome in addition to being thorough. We have blankets & weighted blankets, BOSE headphones with overhead TV’s for longer visits with netflix and disney +. We even have warm essential oils on a bamboo cloth. The star of the show is our practice doggie, a hypoallergenic mini Australian labradoodle.
Can you walk us through what a first time visit might look like?
You’re greeted by my amazing team (maybe our practice dog first), we take a 3D x-ray and photos in our wide open “tropical” x-ray room, then we take a 3D image of your teeth (in lieu of goopy impressions), then you sit at a round table with me and my treatment coordinator to review the x-ray and the teeth. We discuss the jaw structure, airway, bite, smile, and how all of this is connected. Then we discuss a potential plan(s), options for “tools” – Invisalign, braces, lingual braces, expansion, and then my treatment coordinator reviews pricing and how the logistics of your time in treatment will look. If we have to coordinate with other providers, we work closely with others to make sure to have a cohesive and streamlined interdisciplinary process.
You are already making great strides to connect with the community. What events do you have lined up for the future?
We chose this location in Platt Park specifically for the community here. We believe in a functional – whole body – approach to orthodontics and are truly passionate about sharing this with the Denver community as much as possible. We have partnered with local elementary schools like Asbury for their carnival, Steele’s auction, did a toy drive to help the kids at Gust elementary be able to have Christmas gifts, we have done the farmer’s market on south pearl street and more. We have been open for 6 weeks and have already given out about $20,000 of orthodontics for various reasons. In the new year we plan to continue to foster even more relationships with schools, local businesses and, of course, events in our community. We have been thrilled with how wonderful the local community is and can’t wait to see how we can continue to be a positive impact here.
Welcome to the neighborhood, Amanda! We are lucky to have you and your warm staff in our community. If you would like to learn more, visit them in person at 1215 S. Pearl St. or online at alignedonpearl.com.