Wirral Life March 2018 | Page 60

W L I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER! BY RICHARD GIBSON Richard Gibson is a Consultant Orthodontist working out of Wallasey Orthodontics, the only Consultant led specialist orthodontic practice on the Wirral. His practice deals exclusively with braces. Whether it be a discrete Invisalign aligner or a lingual Incognito appliance hidden behind your teeth – Richard and his team have the knowledge and expertise to help you uncover the smile you’ve always dreamed of. February 2014 – you may not remember what happened, but it’s a month I won’t forget. Did the planets align? – Not according to my watch! Did England win a famous sporting victory? – Probably not! February 2014 is when I received the keys to Wallasey Orthodontics and this part of my journey began. I’d worked at the practice whilst I was finishing my Consultant training at the hospital and knew it to be a busy practice, with a lovely atmosphere and great staff – it had great potential! It had been established in 1982 and was run as a single orthodontist venture. We looked at every aspect of the service we provide, from the style of braces we offered and their success, the patient journey, the technology we employ, the environment, the access, uniforms, facilities, waiting times, the information we provide and our model of delivery – you name it and we looked at it! I guess the starting point was our mission statement. To make a positive difference in the lives of children, young people and adults by offering the highest-quality of orthodontic care in a comfortable and friendly environment. By providing a team of professional, honest, compassionate and committed staff, we aim to improve patient health, appearance, self-confidence and overall quality of life. From here we set out our 5-year plan to shape the practice and our delivery of care. Over the last four years we’ve added 2 new surgeries, including a downstairs treatment room to upgrade our disability access. We’ve had a complete IT refit installing new state-of-the-art patient management system to safeguard the information we hold and use on a daily basis and 60 wirrallife.com make it easier to manage our growing patient cohort. We’ve refurbished from top to bottom to make sure the environment is conducive to a great experience for our patients but also works as a business with the highest standards of cross infection control and hygiene. We’ve introduced processes and systems to streamline the treatment we provide and utilise cutting edge and evidenced based appliances. We’ve looked at your feedback and used this to personalise the service with a wider range of cosmetic appliances (Invisalign and Incognito), free WiFi and reduced waiting times. We are now leading the way with our technology and design of our appliances with 3D intra-oral scanning using our iTero scanner and planning tools – not only to make the process easier but also to improve the way we take consent and inform you before and during your treatment. We’ve built close ties with our local community and dentists, offer work experience, are engaging in a supported internship with Wirral Met and have gone even greener with our solar panels. In a way, we have been going through our own transformation, alongside our patients, over the last few years. Just as they have improved in the function of their teeth, the health of their mouths and the beauty of their smile – we have evolved by building on our strengths and developing the potential we have to change lives. We won’t stop developing our service because there are always ways to make it that little bit better. Why not come and see us for a complimentary consultation to find out about how we can help in your own transformation. Contact Wallasey Orthodontics or visit our website at www.wallaseyorthodontics.co.uk to see the ways we can make you smile.