Good Neighbor Podcast: Bergen
Bringing together local businesses and neighbors of Bergen County
Good Neighbor Podcast: Bergen
Ep # 133 Building Bright Smiles: Dr. Taylor Eliades' Orthodontic Journey
Dr. Taylor Eliades takes us on her journey from a braces-wearing child to the owner of Aster Orthodontics, a brand-new practice in Franklin Lakes. Unlike many who dread dental appointments, Dr. Taylor fondly recalls her childhood orthodontist experience as "enjoyable" – a feeling she now aims to recreate for her own patients.
The conversation delves into what drives healthcare professionals to open their own practices. For Dr. Taylor, the desire for creative control and adding her personal touch to patient care outweighed the business challenges that come with transitioning from medicine to entrepreneurship. Despite not having formal business training, she's navigating the learning curve through research and networking with other business owners, embracing both the freedom and responsibility of being her own boss.
We explore fascinating developments in modern orthodontics that have transformed the patient experience. Dr. Taylor explains how clear aligners have evolved beyond just Invisalign, making treatment more accessible and comfortable for patients of all ages. She shares her practice's cutting-edge approach using digital scanning and 3D printing technology to create more precise, comfortable fittings – eliminating the discomfort of traditional methods.
The name "Aster Orthodontics" carries special significance, rooted in Greek mythology and Dr. Taylor's heritage. She explains how Astraea, a goddess sent to the skies, would cry when looking down at Earth's troubles. Where her tears fell, colorful aster flowers would bloom – a beautiful metaphor for bringing color and confidence through transformed smiles. Every aspect of her practice, from the logo font to the night sky-themed decor, was personally designed to create a welcoming, modern environment.
Ready to transform your smile or your child's? Visit Dr. Taylor at 779 Franklin Avenue in Franklin Lakes or call 551-209-1243 to schedule a free consultation. Summer appointments are available now – the perfect time to begin treatment while school's out!
Aster Orthodontics
Dr. Taylor Eliades
779 Franklin Ave
Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
(551) 209-1243
Asterorthodontics@gmail.com
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Doug Drohan.
Speaker 2:Hey everyone, welcome to another episode of the Good Neighbor Podcast brought to you by the Bergen Neighbors Media Group. Today we are joined by Dr Taylor Eliades. People like to call her just Dr Taylor, if they can't speak Greek, I guess. Hopefully I pronounced it properly. She is the owner of the brand new practice in Franklin Lakes Aster Orthodontics. Welcome to the show.
Speaker 3:Thanks for having me, and you were pretty close there, eliades.
Speaker 2:Eliades, okay, not Eliades, okay, eliades, okay, close. I did live in Astoria Queens for seven years, so oh, so you know, you've tasted some good Greek food.
Speaker 2:Yeah, my wife's grandmother, yaya, is from Cyprus. There you go. So, anyway, astro Orthodontics, you're located on Franklin Avenue in Franklin Lakes. We were talking before we went on live that you're a new practice. Um, so tell me a little bit about why, like why I mean we can go way back, like to your high school days. Um, like when did you decide you wanted to be a dentist? Why orthodontics? And then why start your own practice?
Speaker 3:sure, um, I think I always knew I wanted to be more in the health care field. The science was a little more attracted to that area, and growing up I had a really nice orthodontist. He was, you know, very sweet and gentle and I was there all the time. I had everything from an expander to a headgear, to braces.
Speaker 3:So I had my fair share of metal in my mouth, but it just was like a very enjoyable experience. I really I liked going there. I liked the environment, how there was always kids there, it was high energy. He's not sitting at a desk all day and so I kind of looked into that. And then, the more I thought about it, I like the idea of helping people out make that nice smile, and people are very comfortable to laugh when they have a nice smile and who doesn't love to be around someone who laughs.
Speaker 3:So I just thought you know that that would be a great avenue to go down and I kind of pursued that all the way.
Speaker 2:So yeah, that's great, um, I mean, I think and I haven't heard too many people say you know, when I've had dentists on the show talk about how they just want to help people, you know with their smile, but you know how, you know when you're willing to smile and bare your teeth, versus people that kind of cover it up, or you know they're a little bit more hesitant to smile as brightly and to let go. So that's a really good kind of a great why as to why you do what you do. So you mentioned, like you know, growing up, when you used to go to his office and there were kids around and it was high energy. Is that why you started your own practice? I mean, so you went to dental school. I mean first obviously went to undergrad and went to dental school and got all your certifications and all that. At what point were you working for someone else first, out of you know, once you finished all your studies, or did you go into business right away?
Speaker 3:you know once you finished all your studies, or did you go into business right away? Yeah, so I was out of school. After my residency, I went and worked for someone for two years and it was a pretty fast paced office, very efficient, technology forward.
Speaker 2:I learned a lot.
Speaker 3:So that was really helpful in terms of just practical skills, because in school you kind of learn a little more theory and it's definitely not necessarily the most realistic of a private practice. So just kind of honed my skills and learned everything. And yeah, I worked with a lot of kids. The office was a mixture of kids and adults so I definitely I mean I have fun with both categories, but kids are a little. They're a little more fun to. You can kind of joke around a little more and get a little more out of them.
Speaker 2:So do you get many adult patients in orthodontics, or is it mostly kids like that need braces?
Speaker 3:So you definitely. Nowadays we do see a lot of people, especially with the clear aligners, coming out yeah, and actually from covid. Everyone was doing zoom meetings and they were seeing their faces, so that they were looking at their teeth and like, oh god, look at my teeth and then they yeah so that's why there's been kind of a boom in the adult. Okay yeah.
Speaker 2:Yeah, interesting. So when did you decide to start your own practice?
Speaker 3:I decided probably halfway through my last job that I was at for two years. I just wanted to kind of be a little more in control and be able to do it not necessarily my way, because I I agree with how we were practicing there. I just wanted to just have a little more of my own touch to it and right schedule and stuff like that.
Speaker 3:So I just decided if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna do it now that so I just decided if I'm going to do it, I'm going to do it now, and now meaning just a few months ago. Yeah, so I just opened in middle of April. So she opened. You know the building looks great. It's transformation.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's great. Yeah, and you know the the. The challenge I hear from a lot of doctors who go into business is that you know. Again, if I look at your background of your educational studies, you did your undergraduate and bachelor's of science. You went to the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine. You did your doctorate of dental medicine while graduating top of your class. You were a certificate of orthodontics at the Georgia School of Orthodontics. There's nowhere in here do I see it says you have a business degree, accounting or marketing degree, or where is your certification in entrepreneurial? You know things like that. You know what I'm saying. So you know that's most people who go into business didn't study business that I have on my show. So what has that been like in terms of you know there's obviously there's marketing, there's billing, there's employee relations and all the other things that you don't learn at the School of Dental Medicine.
Speaker 3:Yeah, there are a lot of aspects that are definitely not taught. You can try to seek out courses. A lot of times they're not specific enough to this field, which is probably the biggest challenge. There are courses, but it's a lot of just trial and error asking someone else who's in the field, who's maybe a little older or someone who's you know, for example, payroll. Most companies have to run payroll, so asking a friend in a different business, that's usually pretty similar. So, but for the most part it is just doing a lot of research, seeing what's out there, picking something. You got to make decisions, so making the decision and then, if it doesn't turn out good, you just go down a different avenue and you'll figure it out right, right, yeah, so I used to work for viacom, which is now called paramount.
Speaker 2:It was, um, the company that owned mtv, nickelodeon in Comedy Central, bet and I got laid off in 2017 as technology and consumer behavior shifted. I was in consumer products, but specifically in the home entertainment division home video so you can imagine why I don't work there anymore. But I just saw that there were a big round of layoffs and people were posting on LinkedIn. After 17 years, you know, I've just been laid off and just, you know all my hard years of hard work and dedication and loyalty. It just doesn't matter that. That, that that, and you realize that.
Speaker 2:You know going off on your own. Uh, as I did, as you did. You know, like you just said, you learn as you go. You don't have to worry about the boss hanging over you saying you did that wrong and now your job's on the line or whatever. Listen you, you, you learn as you go and hopefully you have a steep learning curve. Um, but you're free to make mistakes, but also free to to reap the benefits of the of the good decisions you make. Um, I mean, is that one of the things that you've? I know it's only been, you know, half a year, not even. But how is this one of the things that you enjoy about owning your own practice, or is it one of the things that are more frustrating?
Speaker 3:I guess it's a little bit of both. The freedom aspect is nice, it's a little bit of both.
Speaker 3:Yeah, the freedom aspect is nice and knowing that if I mess up it's only me, that's necessarily the consequence or the blowback. But um, yeah, it is some. In the other aspect. It could be nice to have someone else to fall back on if you don't know what you're doing. But I, I think overall I mean, I always knew I wanted to own my own practice, so it was just a matter of time and I think down the road the freedom is just going to be so much more liberating than a lot of companies now are getting bought up by these big companies, the DSOs.
Speaker 3:You don't really have control, and that's what you want in your business.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So one of the questions I have is I have an 11-year-old son and we've been to the orthodontist twice to have him. You know he still has some teeth left but he's definitely got this like overbite Okay, but some of his friends have just gotten braces, but he's not ready. What age should a child begin orthodontic treatment?
Speaker 3:oh, so that varies for everyone. Um, your first visit to the orthodontist should be at age seven, just to get checked out, just in case you have. You know, maybe there's a lot of crowding, they need an expander. But for the most part you're kind of I'm assuming you're on like a maybe a half a year check, something like that with him yep yeah, typically wait for all the adult.
Speaker 3:The babies need to fall out and the adult teeth to come in okay, that way you're not sitting in the braces forever, or the liners whichever one you choose um, because they are hard to clean around and you know you don't want them on longer than you have to. So usually, once all those adult teeth are in, you can get going.
Speaker 2:So what's an aligner? Is that, you know, is that different than braces?
Speaker 3:Yes, so braces are the metal little brackets most people are familiar with.
Speaker 2:Yeah, train tracks, yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and the aligner everyone thinks Invisalign. Invisalign is just one company.
Speaker 1:There's many companies out there.
Speaker 3:It's the clear, basically sucked down shell that has. You get incremental aligners, trays. Each tray has a little bit of movement in it and you just successively move through the trays until you're at your final destination.
Speaker 2:Okay, okay, and then that's more. You know, that's not normally for 11 and 12 year olds, it's usually for adults, as you mentioned, or even older teens could be a candidate for aligners.
Speaker 3:So, yeah, they're actually a lot more. The technology has come a long way. It used to be, you know, we were only doing it for adults, for limited treatment, but now, because the aligner material is so much better, we are doing a lot more on younger and younger patients and it's working. And so, yeah, I offer aligners or braces to pretty young. I mean, I don't want someone who's not going to you know, a seven-year-old wearing that because they're going to lose it, or something like that.
Speaker 3:But, teens high school. If they can prove that they're responsible enough to wear them, then we'll probably work with them to do the aligner.
Speaker 2:So when you get braces. How long, I know it can vary, but what's the typical length of time somebody wears braces for?
Speaker 3:Oh, I would say like maybe 18 months Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you know, I was probably a candidate. My lower teeth are all crooked, but for whatever reason, maybe I didn't realize I was living in England at the time. I wasn't.
Speaker 3:Oh, yes, yeah.
Speaker 2:It's really funny. I mean, austin Powers does a great spoof on that but I did live in England, but I was a college student at that point. I was at uni, as they say, university and it is true, a lot of British English people do not get their teeth quote unquote fixed. And you know, is it because orthodontics isn't covered under their national health plan or do they just not care so much? Because I personally was shocked that this guy had such bad teeth and he had such a good looking girlfriend. I was like damn, that would never fly in America, or I would say back in the States. You know, it looked like his teeth were just thrown in, you know, with a bunch of glue and you just threw them in there. They're like all over the place. I mean, they weren't yellow or anything, but I was like damn, you know spaces and this, and that doesn't matter, you know, in England.
Speaker 2:I mean we're going back 30 years maybe things have changed, but yeah.
Speaker 3:No, I think it's. They just don't care over there, which I you know there's more to it than just the looks. It's the health of your teeth and everything. So yeah, it is surprising.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it is. It is funny, but yeah. So I don't know why I didn't get braces when I was younger. We didn't live in England, but you know, maybe I was the fourth kid in four years and man, I just kind of forgot.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that happens.
Speaker 2:Four and a half years. So you have you know something you're calling Summer at Aster Smile, into Summer at Aster Orthodontics. So what is that about?
Speaker 3:So right now we're just trying to get people. Summer is the best time to get kids in, because there's no school.
Speaker 3:There's no you know we're not taking them out of activities that they need to essentially catch up on. So we're trying to get as many people in to get the consults, just to get informed, know what's going on. We're open some saturdays um consults are free. So you set up an appointment, come on in, we'll take an x-ray pictures scan and just see what's going on in there. And then we're also doing doing kind of like a limited time discount just for people that come in, just some incentive off of treatment.
Speaker 3:So that's kind of interesting and how do like.
Speaker 2:How are people? I'm on your website, that's how I saw that, but how else would I know that you're doing that?
Speaker 3:I do have some Facebook ads running, so those are going out there. Instagram ads Okay. Stuff like that. Most people will look at the website though, so I'm thinking that's going through the website.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:But other than that, I'm around town, I'm trying to do I did. Well, I was supposed to do the Wyckoff Day, oh no. It rained out, even though it really didn't rain day that got rained out, even though it really didn't rain. I know I did franco mike's day it. It was very windy that day and that one had to get moved because of the rain as well.
Speaker 2:So two years ago.
Speaker 2:Almost every. You know I have seven towns where I have magazines and white cough does theirs in june, um, but normally everybody else does it after waiver day and some they're all the same day. So I'm like, oh, I can't be in three places at once. But two years ago I get almost everybody got rained out, you know and got, and it's tough to reschedule these things because you spend a all the vendors book the time, but then you have all the, you know, ems, emt, the, the permits and everything else. So, um, I wonder if they'll come a time when they stop doing all these town days, because I think it's a bit of an overkill now because every town, like I said over in Northern Valley where I live, like Harrington Park and Old Depends the same day, maybe Norwood's the same day and Northvale's the following week, and then maybe Haworth and Demarest, it's like, yeah, I was, you know, and for me, who has like a brand in each of those towns, it's tough. Sometimes I just go to the town day but I don't have a table.
Speaker 2:That makes sense, Because I can't you know I can't be everywhere, but yeah, so you know there's a lot of orthodontics, you know orthodontics practices out there, so what do you think is you know different about yours? Or why would somebody want to come to your practice?
Speaker 3:Well, yeah, no, no, it's all good. I, I personally designed the whole office. So every little you know, every handle, every little thing, I put, you know, a lot of thought into everything that I designed. I wanted to make it welcoming and kind of a calm vibe, but also modern and clean upscale.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 3:So it's a little bit of both there. And I think, in terms of treatment wise, I'm using I don't want to say the top of the line, because most people are using that, but some more new techniques that are a little more comfortable. So, for instance, when you get your braces on, a lot of orthodontists will place them one by one on each tooth. But now what I'm doing and this is, you know, what more of the younger generation is doing is you can digitally place them on the computer, on the scan that we took on your teeth, and then it gets 3d printed into a tray and then the tray just slides onto your teeth. So there's four quadrants of trays that when you come in for that bonding appointment, it's much quicker, much more comfortable and it just helps with maybe someone who's a little, has a little dental anxiety or anything like that, yeah, wow so it's really cool yeah.
Speaker 2:It is amazing, even x-rays today. Yeah, you don't have to have. You know those painful things in your mouth. The film and then the camera, if you want to call it that right up to your cheek and and and I love how you know they could take a picture of your tooth and put it right up on the screen and see it and then show you the patient's and sometimes, like I don't want to see my mouth, I don't want to know what's in there.
Speaker 2:I don't want to see that. I'll take your word for it, but you know it's important. I can show you right away. Hey, this is what we're looking at. This is where we see this.
Speaker 3:So yeah, it's helpful to describe. Yeah, yeah it's helpful to describe, especially in orthodontics, because it's hard to see what's going on in the back of your mouth or your bite or something like that. So we utilize the screens a lot to show with pictures, or I'm using a 3D model on the screen to flip it in such a way that you can see it a little better and understand issues.
Speaker 2:Yeah, that's great. And what are your hours? Um? Are you open every day, monday through friday?
Speaker 3:now, obviously you have the saturday hours yeah, so um mostly open every day here. Um we're doing late. Tuesdays and thursdays are until seven um eight to seven, and then um monday, wednesday, friday, is eight to um six, and then Saturdays are short, pretty convenient, that's great. It's good. You know a lot of right now. It's a lot of after school. You got to be open for anyone after school but summertime hoping to get those.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, you're, I mean you are doing a lot, but as as your, I guess, as your husband said, you, uh, you don't sit still for very long, so, uh, that's great. I mean that's an important, it is an important trait to have as a new business owner, because you do have to constantly grind it out and and just hustle. You know it doesn't. It's as, you see, is you know, every business, including my own, you just don't, you know, put the door and say open for business and everybody comes rushing in. You know, I think we all wish we could do that.
Speaker 2:Or you hear these stories like, oh yeah, I have an Instagram page and I got all my business from Instagram. I'm like, really, like somebody saw you dancing around, like I'm always shocked how I see dental practices or doctor's offices and they have their staff, you know, dancing to music and I'm like that's supposed to give me the confidence to call you for an appointment. I mean I get it drives, I might stay and watch it, but and you got likes and you got maybe some stickiness, but is that the reason I'm calling a doctor or a dentist? Not not me personally.
Speaker 2:But you know, listen, every little bit of keeping people you know, getting their attention and keeping them, keeping you top of mind, I guess, is why they do it, and that's the business I'm in. So I understand it to some extent. But, um, the fact that you can't sit still for very long, I think, is a good trait to have, uh, when you're, you know, opening your own practice. So, my, my, you know my two cents, yeah. So, um, you know the name of Aster and your and the font that you use is a very Greek, uh theme to it. So you know your name. I mentioned you have a Greek name, so is there anything else? And I guess Aster was the Greek goddess, uh, astraea, uh, what was she? The goddess of Astraea, what was she the goddess of.
Speaker 3:She was the goddess. She became the goddess of the skies. Essentially, there's a very long story on her, but she was banned from the earth because she was too pure. They sent her to the skies. When she looked down and she saw I guess this was a time of like the war. There were wars going on. This was again back in Greek mythology.
Speaker 3:She cried, and then, when she cried, her tears would hit the earth and these little flowers, which are called asters, would bloom, and they're very, very colorful flowers. So anywhere her tears touched it would turn into color. So, a little bit of Greek history there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, that's great, but yeah, I just wanted to incorporate my Greek background and something with a little bit of meaning that I could kind of yeah, I like the idea of a star or like the night sky. You know, my office is a little more night sky themed, so that was just kind of kind of the path I went down.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I love that. I love that. I mean, it's you right, it's a bit of who you are and it's not just some sterile cookie cutter place. Yeah, and that's great. Well, Dr Taylor, if I pronounce that properly.
Speaker 3:That was pretty good.
Speaker 2:I think that means thank you in Greek. A few words I learned again in Astoria. That's about it. I don't know what do they say when you, when I, when I would call the front desk at the hotel, they'd say yeah, yeah.
Speaker 2:So, anyway, that's my Greekreek, uh, my, my greek culture, so I apologize. Um, this was great, so let's just I'm going to review. You are on 779 franklin avenue in franklin lakes, new jersey. Phone number is 551-209-1243 and it's Aster A S T E R orthodonticscom and Dr Taylor. This is great. I really appreciate you sharing with us and you know, if you have any parting words you'd like to say, anything I left out.
Speaker 3:No, this was awesome. I had a lot of fun, and I guess I would say anyone who's listening and has kids or for themselves. We are here to you know, to show you everything that you want to get done and come on in, even if you want to see the building just come say hi, we're open.
Speaker 2:Excellent, all right. Well, we're just going to close it out, with Chuck here and you and I'll be right back.
Speaker 3:All right Cool, thank you.
Speaker 1:Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpbergen. com. That's gnpbergen. com, or call 201-298-8325.