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Office Visit by Chelsea Knorr, Associate Editor, Orthotown Magazine

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Meet “dr_curtis”
by Chelsea Knorr, Associate Editor, Orthotown Magazine

Dr. Alan Curtis (Orthotown.com display name: dr_curtis) is the newest addition to the Orthotown team. As Online Editorial Director, Dr. Curtis helps to facilitate discussion around topics relevant to the orthodontic profession and joins us this month for this installment of our Office Visit feature.

First, let’s talk about joining the Orthotown team! When did you first hear about Orthotown?
Curtis: I remember getting active in the online world of message boards while in my residency. I became a member in June 2005. I love being able to interact with other orthodontists on cases and other practice management topics.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do as Online Editorial Director?
Curtis: As Online Editorial Director I select threads for use in the print magazine. I want to get the magazine readers to become online participants in the message community. I help to start conversations on interesting message threads by highlighting and inviting participation through the e-news e-mail broadcasts. I also periodically write articles or solicit articles from experts in the field.

I have a range of goals for further developing the Orthotown community. I would love to see the participation on Orthotown double in the next five years as the younger “Facebook generation” of orthodontists connect with each other online to discuss this wonderful world of orthodontics.

What is your favorite feature of Orthotown.com?
Curtis: I love the virtual study club progressive cases. This has the potential to be one of the greatest game changers in orthodontics! The vision for the club is to have a repository of cases filed by diagnosis that allows orthodontists to see similar cases to the challenging ones found every day in our practices. This open-source library would be an amazing resource to see how others handle difficult situations.

Switching gears a bit, how and why did you get into orthodontics?
Curtis: I have been exposed to orthodontics from a young age. My father was an orthodontist and I noticed how much he enjoyed work and typically came home happy. I did not realize how unique that was until I got much older. When it came time to choose a career, the choice was clear.

Tell me about your practice in Chandler, Arizona.
Curtis: We are growing! The practice has had considerable growth from 2006 when I purchased the practice and relocated to its current location. We see patients three-and-a-half days per week. We treat a wide variety of patients – anyone with teeth! – from kids to adults. We have two full-time front desk employees and two full-time and one part-time clinical staff members.

We are a family values practice who seeks long-term relationships with patient families. Established in 1973 (by my father, Dr. L. David Curtis, now retired) we are seeing a good number of patients returning with their children for orthodontic treatment. We believe in treating patients at the age that is most conducive to successful outcomes. We use the latest in orthodontic technology to deliver effective comfortable and predictable treatment. Technologies we have adopted into the practice include CBCT, diode laser, CAD/CAM and clear aligners.

I love complicated orthodontics! The more impactions or the more difficult the patient cooperation the better! I have a number of patients that are mentally disabled with severely impacted teeth. The challenge of resolving their problems while winning the patient’s trust and confidence is something I particularly enjoy.

What is your practice philosophy?
Curtis: I know I just said that I love the challenge of complicated orthodontics, but my practice philosophy is to keep it simple. I love science and really love calling on my physics and basic science classes when treatment planning. I feel that the pre-treatment mouth tells us a great deal about the most stable positions of the teeth. Treatment plans should be designed to obtain the most beautiful and functional result with the least amount of tooth movement. Teeth that are irregular and crowded need to be moved to a “lower energy,” more stable position. Orthodontics should be a field that brings order and stability to a system that is out of order. I love creatively coming up with a plan to use natural teeth in a creative way to achieve a beautiful smile.

What is the competition like in your area for orthodontics right now?
Curtis: Last year I was one of six opinions on one orthodontic case. Six! Phoenix, like many parts of the nation, has had a turbulent last couple of years. Competition is tough but the challenge of creating a great experience and customer service difference has allowed all orthodontists in the area to step up their game! I am a firm believer that competition is one of the things that makes America great! While I don’t wish to see five new orthodontic offices pop up next door to me, I feel that this competition helps to create improvements and a better experience for both patient and practice.

You mentioned in your intro column in March Orthotown that you like the challenge of finding creative ways to run a small business in this economy. How has the economy affected your practice, and what creative strategies do you use to keep your practice running smoothly?
Curtis: This economy is the only thing I’ve known! All I can say is that business is simple – seek as many new patients as you can from as many sources you can think of, offer a great experience, quality results and a reasonable price and with reasonable terms. Watch expenses while charging enough to make the business profitable. Track statistics regularly and set goals for growth. I have found that setting goals with staff and freely sharing statistics with them helps to motivate the right people to help take your practice to the next level.

How do you get the word out about services to patients?
Curtis: We regularly invite patients to refer friends and family to our office. I like to get the word out face to face. I give out a lot of business cards! And social media – YouTube, Facebook, blogs – are a great way to market. I also utilize school presentations and in-office internal marketing.

What is your favorite procedure or part of orthodontics?
Curtis: I love the detailing after the braces come off, like incisal enameloplasties (dental manicuring) and soft-tissue laser contouring. These procedures are the icing on the cake! They take a good case and take it to the next level.

What product or piece of equipment could you not practice without?
Curtis: I love my CBCT. It was the best investment ever! I love being able to see the roots and crowns of impacted teeth. This truly has been a game changer in my practice! The revenue that has come to my practice through outside scans for periodontists and surgeons has paid for the machine from the first month I had it. So far, as far as new orthodontic cases, exams and consults, the wow factor has really sold this piece. Whether this will continue, only time will tell.

Speaking of the “wow factor,” what do you find in terms of technology has the biggest “wow” factor for your patients?
Curtis: Digital photography, CBCT images and animated treatment simulations used effectively on HD computer monitors allow patients and their families to see the problems and the results of treatment in ways that are impressive. People feel better about spending money when a doctor can eloquently and confidently present a plan of treatment that addresses a problem that can be clearly seen.

What sort of challenges do you face in working each day?
Curtis: By far the most challenging part of my orthodontic business is managing employees. I have an amazing staff. I feel they are the key to producing excellent experiences and results!

What do you think is the biggest problem orthodontics faces today?
Curtis: Rising cost of orthodontic technology and the increasing speed at which results can be obtained force families to finance more expensive treatment over shorter terms. This, combined with the debt that orthodontic residents are incurring, causes economic factors to influence the decisions made by both parents and practicing orthodontists.

Changing directions, who are some of your mentors?
Curtis: My father; many great instructors at Baylor College of Dentistry; Richard “Wick” Alexander; C. Moody Alexander; Ed and Jeff Genecov; Jahn Valant; and many great orthodontists whom I interact with in organized dentistry. I enjoy meeting with orthodontists from around the nation and hearing clinical and practice pearls from them.

You teach at A.T. Still University as an adjunct professor, what advice would you give someone who is thinking of entering orthodontics?
Curtis: First, I’d say get a well-rounded education with a college major other than the obvious biology or pre-med degrees. Get a degree in marketing or accounting and business. Also, shadow in as many orthodontic offices as you can! I am surprised how many people choose a career without spending much time trying that career on for size prior to investing years of time and hundreds of thousands of dollars on that path.

What do you do when you’re not working?
Curtis: I love being with my family – my wife, Christie, and our three boys, Alex, Will and Jake. Right now I’m in the process of building the boys a treehouse. I also enjoy gardening, photography, skiing, tennis and fishing.

Orthotown Magazine
September 2025
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