Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Geoffrey M. Glick.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I don’t want to be too boring with this, but I’m not sure how to tell my story other than how it went. I started my journey growing up in Brookline. My parents were both in the medical field; my Dad was an orthopedic surgeon and my mom was a nurse. My brother, sister and I grew up with great role models for hard work and living a life of service to others. I went to the Park School and Belmont Hill School before finding myself in college at Tufts. I wasn’t too sure what I wanted to do with my life while I was in college, but I did know that I wanted to spend my life making the lives of others better. After weighing a number of career options, I wound up in dental school at the University of Pennsylvania. After completing dental school and a residency in general practice dentistry, I decided that I wanted to become an orthodontist. I completed my orthodontics training at Boston University in 2002 and went right into private practice then. Over the last 15 1/2 years, I have worked in numerous practice settings and have had the opportunity to work with and learn from many other talented dentists and orthodontists. I have been afforded the opportunity to treat many of Boston’s most high profile citizens including members of the Patriots and Celtics, TV personalities and beauty queens from every state in New England. In 2004, I joined the practice of Dr. Stanley Starr in Medfield as his associate. Dr. Starr has been in practice since 1971 and has crafted tens of thousands of great smiles in that time. We soon formed a great partnership and eventually I took over ownership of the practice in 2009. Since then we have continued to work together making some of the most stunning smiles around.
Some of the things that appeal to me about orthodontics:
(1) I believe in the incredible power of smiles and I love the smiling and happy faces that I see in my office each day. As an orthodontist, my superpower is the ability to bestow the gift of a healthy and beautiful smile to my patients. I believe that this power extends beyond the academic and clinical discipline of straightening teeth and creating a healthy bite. The power of a smile has been well-documented over the years. If you look at this list of some of the benefits, the act of smiling could be mistaken for a wonder drug:
-Smiles boost our confidence and self-esteem
-Smiles improve our moods and make us happier through the release of endorphins. This is true with even a fake smile or laugh as the endorphin release appears to be associated with facial muscle movements.
-Smiling reduces stress and anxiety
-Smiling makes us more approachable, trustworthy and attractive to others
-Smiling makes you look younger
-Smiling boosts creativity and productivity
-And best of all, smiles are contagious
There is no greater joy for me as an orthodontist than unleashing the power of someone’s smile. I know that this gift is something that will benefit them for their entire life, long after they stop seeing me. I am so incredibly fortunate that my work helps to shape people’s lives in such a positive way.
(2) Unlike most other medical and dental fields, orthodontics has provided the opportunity to meet and develop relationships with so many different interesting people. Because most of our treatments last for two-years, that time-frame is conducive to fostering such close friendships with my patients and their families. I have worked with some families with many children with whom I have had ongoing friendships for over a decade. My team and I treat our patients like our own family members and this has created so many meaningful friendships over the years. I truly think of my customers as my extended family. I can’t imagine having a similar experience in any other dental field.
(3) I am a bit of a nerd at heart, and orthodontics is like the ultimate challenge that really appeals to me. I find it so challenging because the execution of a successful treatment forces me to draw from several areas of mental thought and physical execution. I view all orthodontic cases as unique puzzles that test my theoretical knowledge, ability to draw from past experience, treatment planning abilities and then the physical execution of my plan. It draws on mental problem solving and then fine motor skill execution. There is little margin for error and I thrive on this challenge.
(4) In recent years, as I have become more and more aware of how few people actually receive the orthodontic care that they want and need, I have become an advocate for increased access to care. There is mixed data out there, but something like only 3% of the population of the United States receives orthodontic treatment annually. This seems almost shameful for a country as rich as ours. I have focused on two main ways to increase access to care:
(a) Accept virtually all reduced-fee insurance plans in my office. Most orthodontists do not accept such plans because the reimbursement rates are significantly lower than the other plans there. I want to treat those who need treatment even if it means receiving a lower reimbursement for my work. I have been blessed with a great profession and a successful office and this is one way that I can help to give back.
(b) Make it easy for anyone to start treatment. I have tried to remove most financial barriers to care by eliminating the need for a customer to put down a huge down payment to start their treatment and by extending interest-free financing over extended periods of time. This is unusual and some would even say “bad business.” However, I see it as “bad business” to deny someone that gift of a beautiful smile by making the financial barrier to treatment insurmountable.
(5) I love my teammates. Like a super bowl champion or a great rock band, when you take the field or the stage with perfect teammates, magic happens. The same is true for an orthodontics team. We run like a well-oiled machine. We treat each other like family and I think that genuine love for each other carries over to how we treat our patients and guests. Several times a year we enjoy group outings and parties to celebrate our friendships and commitment to each other. These team building activities help refocus on our mission and allow us to have a blast with our teammates outside of the workplace. Some of my most favorite outings have included trips to Bruins and Celtics games, Foxwoods, comedy shows, Hibachi nights, movie nights and intense bowling competitions. Our team enjoys bowling so much that we have fielded a team in the local bowling league for the last 4 years.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
There have been many struggles along the way. Many of the hoops and hurdles that we have to jump through to complete our dental educations are silly and make no practical sense. Yet we have to suck it up, keep our mouths shut and do what is required to make it through. It’s almost like being hazed as a fraternity pledge.
I can recall a time during my second year of dental school studying for a pathology exam when I wanted to just quit school altogether. I can remember a time during my orthodontics residency where we had these intensive exercises bending heavy wires with orthodontic pliers where the palms of my hands were so bruised and so sore from practicing that I couldn’t grip anything for a week afterwards. Somehow I met the challenge, persevered and made it through.
Perhaps the biggest obstacle I ever had to face was buying the practice from Dr. Starr in 2009. At that time, it was virtually impossible to secure a loan to do so. Despite having good credit and sound business plan, banks were very hesitant to loan any money coming off the Great Recession. After literally promising the life of my second born as collateral, I finally secured a loan and the practice was mine. Even harder was assuming control of the business. Despite 12 years of higher education, I had zero training in business and management. I have taught myself as much as I could about business over the past 8 years and to this day it remains a challenge for me.
Perhaps the biggest struggle for me now as a business owner and boss to 18 people is finding enough time in the week to balance my work life and personal life. In addition to making sure my practice runs smoothly, I am committed to making time for my family as well. I have been married to my wonderful wife Nicole for 15 years. We have two children (Jason, 11 and Alexa, 8) and two cats (Ziggy and Gizmo) who keep us both very busy. When I am not at the office, I am often found on the soccer field as the coach for both of their teams or as a fan cheering them on. I try to make it a priority to carve out some one-on-one time with each of my children. Like most 11-year old boys, Jason loves the Patriots, Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Revs, and we make every effort to get to a few games each season. Alexa loves to ski and we have the absolute best time on our ski trips together. In colder months, I love taking the kids skating while I try to relive my glory days as a Brookline youth hockey player. Rock music has long been a passion of mine and I especially love the band U2. I’ve seen them in concert 32 times and it was an absolute thrill taking Jason to see them with me recently. He is now quite the fan! Fantasy football consumes me each fall and this year has been no different. We have a great Pick ‘Em pool at the office that is a lot of fun for our team.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Starr and Glick Orthodontics – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I have been practicing Orthodontics and Invisalign since 2002. My practice in Medfield was founded by my associate Dr. Stanley Starr in 1971. Together, we have a combined 61 years of clinical experience straightening teeth and fixing bites. In that time, treatments have transitioned away from unsightly headgears and clunky metal bands in favor of the more esthetic Invisalign clear plastic aligners. I have developed a proficiency with Invisalign that allows me to treat virtually any patient with this therapy. In my practice, digital intraoral scanning and 3D printing have replaced messy impressions. I now offer devices that can help accelerate tooth movement at the cellular level, dramatically reducing treatment times by up to 50%! As new technologies emerge, the practice will continue to adopt products that enhance patients’ experience and comfort.
Families that come to our practice know that we specialize in laughter, fun and an incredible customer experience. We happen to make some pretty spectacular smiles in the process! We have a blast doing what we do and this is apparent to anyone walking into our office for the first time. I’ve been blessed with an incredible team of warm and compassionate professionals who are committed to our customers’ comfort and happiness.
We are best known for five-star customer service and going the extra mile for our customers. A great example of this happened recently when a parent called to ask for more orthodontic elastics for their child who had lost theirs. This family did not live close to the office so one of our team members promptly stuck them in the mail and rushed them over to the post office in order to make the pickup time for that day. The parent called back two days later reporting that the elastics had not arrived yet. Without hesitating for a second, my office manager took it upon herself to drive more elastics all the way to that patient’s home at the end of the day. She was not asked to do this, but it is ingrained in our culture that we do anything we can to provide a superior level of service for our patients. Everyone on my team goes the extra mile for our customers and each other.
I am most proud of the level of service we provide and our ability to deliver outstanding care in a way that is not intimidating or uncomfortable for our patients. Many of our patients are young children who are afraid of the dental office. We are almost always able to make these people comfortable in our office due to the patience and compassion of my team.
I think there are a number of things that set us apart when compared to other orthodontic practices in the area:
(1) Experience
Our practice has been serving the people of Medfield and surrounding towns since 1971. We are proud to provide more combined experience (61 years) than most orthodontic offices in the nation. In addition, many of our team members have been with the practice for decades. We have applied all that we’ve learned in this time to bring excellent customer service to all of our patients. Choosing to work with a practice staffed by two highly skilled orthodontic specialists ensures that any treatment you seek can be provided. Dr. Starr and Dr. Glick are specialists in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Many years of additional education and training beyond dental school are required for this specialty. Both doctors have received numerous awards and distinctions. Not only do our patients enjoy the individual attention afforded by such an extensive staff, but they also benefit from two doctors who consult with each other to provide the best care possible.
(2) Access to care
In addition to accepting virtually all insurance plans, we make every effort to eliminate financial barriers to care. Our financial team works tirelessly to make braces or Invisalign affordable.
(3) Technology
We have been and continue to be early adopters in the digital revolution in orthodontics and dentistry. We have been using Invisalign in the practice since 2001 and have treated more cases with it than 99% of other practices in the country. We were one of the first in the country to implement digital scanning in 2011 and we have continually upgraded them as the technology has improved. We now boast two top-of-the-line iTero Element scanners in our office that we use to fabricate Invisalign aligners, retainers, lab appliances and study models. We rarely take any goopy impressions anymore. This has led to greatly increased comfort for our patients, more efficient Invisalign treatments and less time spent in the dental chair.
(4) Friendly Office Environment
We make sure to keep our office fun and welcoming to patients of all ages. We have a wildly popular photo booth for selfies of braces going on, coming off or for any other occasion. Everyone is welcome to enjoy a fresh cookie during visits or a scoop from our summertime make-your-own sundae bar. We feature a rewards program that has helped motivate our patients to comply with all orthodontic instructions and maintain excellent oral hygiene. We have theme days throughout the year and we encourage participation from patients and team members alike. We frequently hold patient contests to further enhance your experience in our practice. One of the annual favorites is our pumpkin decorating contest. Prizes have included Apple Watches, iPads, iPods, tickets to Patriots, Red Sox, Bruins and Celtics games, framed autographed posters of local sports stars, movie passes, fully stocked L.L. Bean backpacks, and gift cards to a variety of everyone’s favorite stores and restaurants.
(5) Local doctors choose us for their families
There is no higher compliment for us then when satisfied patients send their friends and family members to us for treatment. It is equally meaningful when dental and medical professionals trust their friends and loved ones to our care. Many, many dentists and doctors have trusted us to their family’s care over the years.
(6) Giving Back
We support our community like no other business in our area. The list is long (see website). I am thankful to this community for supporting our business and I try to give back as often as I can. We annually commit over $50,000 in sponsorship’s and donations to help support local causes and charities. There are 3 signature events that I have been the premier sponsor of for as long as I can remember:
(a) Medfield Day Platinum Sponsor
(b) Jimmy Fund’s Putting for Patients Presenting Sponsor
(c) Miss Amazing Pageant Presenting Sponsor
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I am excited for the future of our practice and the future of orthodontics as a specialty. I am excited for a number of amazing changes that are happening in orthodontics. Some of the most beneficial include:
(1) Increased access to care. The state of Massachusetts and the dentists who serve its community have taken initiatives to increase access to orthodontic care.
(2) Price decreases for many orthodontic treatments. I think as access to care increases, the price that patients will need to pay out of pocket for orthodontic treatment will decrease. Orthodontists will receive less compensation for each patient treated, but their businesses will remain strong due to vastly increased numbers of patients.
(3) Reduced treatment times. Over the last 40 years, the typical treatment duration for the average orthodontic case has hovered around 24 months. With the advent of accelerated orthodontic technologies, I think that we may even approach 12-month treatment times as the new standard of care.
(4) Improved aesthetics and comfort for orthodontic patients. Invisalign has come a long way as a treatment modality over the last 18 years and it keeps getting better and better. As a result, even the most complex orthodontic cases will be treated with Invisalign and braces will become a thing of the past. Compared to traditional metal braces, Invisalign aligners are more comfortable, look better and are much easier for keeping your teeth clean.
(5) Remote treatment options. People are busy and don’t always have time for appointments with me. As part of this new digital workflow in orthodontics, I will be able to supervise many of my patients remotely thus minimizing the actual number of appointments needed in the office.
I am at a comfortable place in my career at the moment. While I don’t know what the future holds for me, I don’t anticipate any huge changes in my practice. I will definitely continue to stay current and adopt any technology that can improve efficiencies and the overall patient experience. Five-star customer service never gets old and my goal will be to try to maintain this high level of service going forward.
Contact Info:
- Address: 16 Park Street
Medfield, MA 02052 - Website: www.drstarranddrglick.com
- Phone: (508) 359-2576
- Email: info@drstarranddrglick.com
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
