While in orthodontics school, Mike Willes put braces on himself to know what it felt like since he had never needed them as a kid. He moved his teeth out of alignment and then moved them back into their proper place. He wanted to be sure he understood what his patients would be experiencing.
Dr. Willes loves what he does. He's very science-minded but has a precise, artistic eye, combined with a desire to achieve as close to perfection as possible. Plus, he loves kids and teens. That’s why Dr. Willes could be seen doing curbside delivery of patients' next sets of Invisalign aligners during the pandemic shutdown, whenever possible, so that their progress could continue.
Board Certified and still constantly learning through conferences and other continuing education, Willes Orthodontics has put all pandemic protocols in place, including patients and parents now waiting in cars for their appointment times, temperature checks and questionnaires, recommended PPE, additional sanitation, etc. As a point of reference, the American Dental Association reports no known transmissions of coronavirus from dental settings. The orthodontic/dentistry industry was already taking best practices precautions, and now they’ve added additional layers of protective protocols.
Willes Orthodontics was established in 1996; Dr. Willes and his staff have been serving patients in Carlsbad and throughout the North County area for more than 20 years. Each member of the Willes Ortho team chose to work in orthodontics because of the life-changing impact it can have for their patients. Together they aspire to create beautiful smiles not just when the braces come off, but at every appointment.
Because so much of what Willes Orthodontics does is focused on kids and teens who love Halloween, they have always tried to come up with creative ways to have a fun and entertaining holiday. In fact, they were the first in the San Diego area to do a Halloween candy buyback more than 20 years ago. For as long as they’ve been in the Village, Willes Orthodontics has encouraged kids to sell back their candy after Halloween, paying $2 per pound while providing a matching $2 per pound to participating schools. The candy is donated, along with ample toothbrushes, to Brother Benno's and Bread of Life charities, where the candy is given out a few pieces at a time.
With Halloween limited this year due to COVID-19, Willes Orthodontics was challenged to come up with a creative way to celebrate and make it fun. But according to staff, they succeeded in finding a fangtabulous (in their own words) way for their patients and the community to have a bit of fun with the Willes Ortho MONSTER MASK Contest launching Thursday, October 1st. They will be giving away more than $400 in cash and prizes for the best decorated face masks in three categories. The Willes Ortho MONSTER MASK Contest is open to patients, families, friends, and all residents of North San Diego County. Visit Willes Orthodontics on Facebook or Instagram starting October 1st, for complete rules and details.
The measure of a company often lies in the legacy it leaves behind. To that end, it is inspiring to know that Dr. Willes so inspired his son, Teagan, who was born while Dr. Willes was in orthodontics school, to follow in his footsteps. Teagan just started dental school at the University of the Pacific, known to be one of the most competitive dental schools in the United States and has a long-held reputation for producing the best clinicians. By all accounts it looks like Willes Orthodontics will be around to serve our community for quite some time!
To learn more about Willes Orthodontics, its staff, and the services they offer, visit them online at www.willesortho.com.