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Office Visit: Straighter Teeth in the Land of the Midnight Sun by Benjamin Lund, Editor, Orthotown Magazine

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Straighter Teeth in the Land of the Midnight Sun
by Benjamin Lund, Editor, Orthotown Magazine

Welcome to the newest installment of Office Visit, where we visit a Townie’s office and profile his or her equipment, design or unique practice philosophy. If you would like to participate or nominate a colleague, please e-mail ben@farranmedia.com.

This month Orthotown Magazine travels to the Great White North to visit Dr. Michael Koropp and his team at their practice in Anchorage, Alaska. We discuss his reasons for entering orthodontics, his practice philosophy, the orthodontic competition in his area, and we find out from Dr. Koropp’s staff what it’s like working for him and how the team functions (and has fun).

Dr. Koropp, to begin, why did you choose orthodontics as your career path?
Koropp: After graduating from Oregon Health & Science University I had no desire to immediately pursue a career in orthodontics, so I became an associate in a wonderful general dental practice. During this time I came to realize my personal fulfillment was tied to the enjoyment and happiness my patients experienced. At that point it was obvious that an orthodontic career would provide me with the great opportunity to provide health and happiness to virtually everyone who walked through the door. After 25 years of orthodontic practice I can confirm that time really does fly when you’re having fun.

What is your practice philosophy?
Koropp: Our practice philosophy is to provide outstanding orthodontic treatment and service in a manner that enables our patients and ourselves to be the best that we can be. Providing excellent treatment and service requires a highly trained and motivated staff. Frequent training sessions and seminars are essential if the staff is to become skilled in all aspects of delivering orthodontic care. Equally important, the staff must have a clear vision of the manner in which patients are to be cared for, from the initial exam to their orthodontic graduation. The staff understands the importance of embracing, encouraging and empowering patients so they are capable of maintaining their orthodontic appliances and teeth throughout their life. Care cards, e-mails and texting are our most common and most effective ways of communicating with patients outside the office. We have also developed incentive programs that encourage our younger patients to be better students and citizens.

How do you cultivate this philosophy in your practice?
Koropp: It is important that your patients and referring doctors know that you embrace new technology and provide treatment using the latest techniques available. Some of the more recent technologies that we have incorporated include lasers (BioLase), 3D imaging (i-CAT) and lingual appliances (Incognito). It takes time, effort and money to add any new technology but it is very important to do so to maintain the vitality and growth of your practice.

As a team we have great respect for the time, effort and energy that the parents put forth to provide orthodontic treatment for their children. As a result we encourage them to be active listeners and participants at every appointment. In addition, we have developed a schedule which allows us to see patients in an efficient and timely manner. It is understood that our parents’ time is just as important and valuable as our own. Our two locations on opposite sides of Anchorage provide quick and convenient accessibility to almost everyone.

We keep our referring doctors involved by sending an oral hygiene “evaluation card” with patients every time they have a cleaning or examination with their dentist. This allows the hygienist/doctor to make specific comments regarding any concerns he or she might have and affords a great opportunity for direct dialogue on a frequent basis.

What is the orthodontic competition like in your area?
Koropp: There are about a dozen orthodontists in the Anchorage area, so potential patients have many choices and often “shop” for the best price. In addition, the current economic slowdown makes it increasingly difficult for many people to pursue orthodontic treatment. Our focus has always been to explain how the value of a beautiful and healthy smile is much greater than the monetary cost.

What sets your practice apart from the other orthodontic practices in your area?
Koropp: One thing that sets our practice apart from others is consistency. Our parents and patients know that we don’t have up days and down days. They will receive the same level of service and care day in and day out. Our message is the same regardless of whether it comes from our Web site, automated phone messages, e-mails, staff, doctor or any other source.

What piece of technology has the biggest “wow” factor for your patients?
Koropp: The technology with the biggest “wow” factor is the i-CAT cone beam scanner and the Anatomage software program. The images and information that can be presented to patients is very impressive. My partner and I are the only orthodontists with an i-CAT in Anchorage and it has been very effective in setting us apart from other orthodontic offices. Referring doctors are impressed with this new technology and we provide a scanning service to any of their patients for a nominal fee.

How do you accommodate emergency appointments (broken brackets, etc.)?
Koropp: We set specific times each day to deal with any emergency appointments. If a patient calls with a problem, we make sure it is addressed the same day. On weekends and evenings we have an emergency cell phone, which revolves between the technicians on a monthly basis so patients are able to speak with an assistant at almost any time.

What do you do for patients to celebrate deband day?
Koropp: The deband day is always cause for celebration. All the staff is involved in acknowledging and complimenting the patients on their great achievement. We use props, banners, bulletin boards and photographs to make the deband day a memorable occasion.

What is the most rewarding experience you’ve had as an orthodontist?
Koropp: One of the most wonderful things about being an orthodontist is the ability to make people feel good about their smiles and themselves. For me there is nothing more rewarding than providing free orthodontic treatment to a deserving person who would otherwise never be able to attain it. My involvement with Special Olympics has given me a unique opportunity to identify and treat some very special people over the last 25 years.

Tell me about your team.
Koropp: My team is the heart and soul of the practice. I encourage the staff to take ownership of the practice and develop an environment that is wonderful for our patients and us. I provide direction and ideas, but the staff is on stage every day delivering the message. The staff understands they can and do make a difference in the success of our practice. Living in Alaska makes staff training a challenge but I take the entire staff to the PCSO or AAO meeting biannually. Not only is it a great venue for learning, but it is also a great time for sharing ideas and bonding with other staff. During the year we get together for staff meetings/training and for outings with no other purpose than to have a good time. One of our favorite events is the annual “shop, drop and drink” during the Christmas holidays. We travel to a local mall and each staff member is given $75 to shop for another staff member (not knowing who). At the end of one hour we meet in a local restaurant, drop our shopping bags and enjoy our favorite beverage. Gifts are then exchanged with much merriment and goodwill.

In your opinion, what is the biggest problem orthodontics faces today and what do you think should be done about it?
Koropp: Currently the economic climate is hurting the orthodontic community considerably. Especially in light of the fact that many/most people consider orthodontic treatment an elective procedure that can be put off until some later date. In Alaska it seems that we are also seeing fewer companies and institutions that are providing orthodontic insurance benefits. This ultimately reduces the number of people who can afford quality orthodontic treatment.

The patient pool is then reduced further when you include non-specialists who are providing orthodontic services, mainly through non-traditional treatments such as Invisalign. It is extremely important that the orthodontic profession maintains the highest quality of care and, in turn, educates and informs the general public as to the advantages of seeking an orthodontic specialist. It seems clear that if the orthodontic profession does not look out for its own, nobody else will. Orthodontists need to educate their patients, as well as get involved with community leaders and organizations so that people understand they should seek a specialist for their orthodontic needs.



Meet Dr. Koropp’s Staff

Tracey Bakker, Katie Brickley, Kari Cabanski and Allison Millar – Technicians; Tracie Hales – Treatment Coordinator; Shannon Zink – Financial Coordinator; Katie Koropp – Marketing Coordinator

How do you like working for Dr. Koropp?
Cabanski: He treats all of his patients as if “they were his kids.” As an employer, he is fair, honest and provides us with the best technology and equipment to provide exceptional orthodontic care for our patients.

Brickley: Dr. Koropp is wonderful to work for. He is also a great teacher. He is patient when he is helping us learn. Dr. Koropp always treats each patient with respect; he is calm, collected and makes everyone around him feel at ease. He is a great lead to follow.

Tell me a little bit about the practice dynamic – how does your team function?
Zink: We are like a family. We truly like each other and care about each other and each other’s families.

Millar: We are a great team. We all enjoy each other and work well as a team. We all pitch in and get the job done. Most of us have been here for many years and have cultivated great personal relationships outside of the office.

What’s a usual day like in the practice?
Bakker: We always start our day with a morning meeting to go over our schedule. We end each meeting with a joke of the day. There is always laughter in our office. Our office can get very hectic at times. We work to ensure that each patient is seen on time.

Katie Koropp: We typically have three doctor days and two assistant days per week. On the days we have a full schedule it is very busy, but we work at a pretty consistent pace. We see an average of 60 or so patients on those days and the majority of them are in the afternoon after school hours. We schedule our longer appointments in the morning so we can accommodate more school-age children into our afternoon appointments.

What is the most important team-building exercise you (as a team) have undergone?
Hales: Continuing education classes are not only a great chance to be together out of the office as friends, but it gives us the opportunity to grow in knowledge. Of course, our annual Christmas shopping event is a big hit too!
Orthotown Magazine
October 2025
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