Dr Doreen Ng is the owner of Ortho Co., a specialist orthodontic practice in Canterbury. The team at Ortho Co. is dedicated to helping patients of all ages to achieve their optimal smile by straightening teeth and aligning their bite and also offers sleep apnoea treatments. Doreen provides a warm, welcoming approach and loves to empower her patients with the confidence a beautiful smile can bring.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I am a fun and friendly Kiwi, who now calls Summer Hill home. I completed my dental degree at the University of Otago and worked as a dentist in New Zealand before moving to Australia to complete a three-year clinical doctorate degree to specialise as an orthodontist. These three years of additional training allowed me to specialise in my field by purely focusing on tooth movement, jaw alignment and helping patients achieve their optimal smile.
Outside of work, I enjoy going to the local gym for yoga and Pilates. I like hiking and kayaking – we are so lucky to have plenty of beautiful places to explore around Sydney.
What did you do prior to establishing Ortho Co.?
I worked as a general dentist in Canterbury during my orthodontic training, which was my first introduction to the wonderful Inner West community. After graduating from orthodontics, I worked as an orthodontist in a large practice south of Sydney and in a lingual orthodontic practice in the Eastern Suburbs. During this time, I completed a fellowship on Sleep Apnoea at the University of Florence, Italy. Prior to starting Ortho Co., I had published my research in several scientific journals and presented at the Australian, American and European orthodontic conferences. In 2016–2017, I was awarded the Milton Sims Award for the Top Young Orthodontist in Australia and New Zealand.
What inspired you to set up your own practice?
Working in Canterbury for five years enabled me to experience the warmth of the Inner West community and the strong support it offered me as a female clinician. I wanted to give back to the community by creating a more welcoming, gentle approach to orthodontic work and take away any negative or threatening perceptions people may have about it, so I resigned from the other jobs to focus my energy on establishing Ortho Co.
Ortho Co. offers a boutique service with private rooms and we spend time getting to know our patients and their families. We want to ensure we provide you with the best communication and customer service, along with an excellent orthodontic result and a beautiful smile.
What services does Ortho Co. offer?
Ortho Co. is a specialist orthodontic practice treating patients of all ages. Our only priority is helping you achieve your optimal smile by straightening your teeth and aligning your bite. Our services include metal braces, lingual braces, clear braces and aligners such as Invisalign. For children we offer functional and myofunctional appliances, plates, braces, expanders and spacers. We also offer sleep apnoea treatments such as SomnoMed, expanders and jaw surgery.
Orthodontics is our sole focus – this means we don’t do fillings, cleaning or other dental treatments, but we do work closely with you and your family dentist for these matters.
What can patients expect from your services?
Getting braces shouldn’t be scary or expensive. At Ortho Co. our mission is to provide a friendly and affordable experience for our patients. From the very first visit you will feel at home at Ortho Co. We take time to listen and explain whether or not you need treatment, the best options for your problem and when’s the optimal time to begin work on improving your smile. We also understand orthodontic treatment is an investment for you and your family; therefore we offer flexible payment plans to help your budget.
What do your clients have to say about your services?
We have received extremely positive feedback from our patients who love our customer service and clear communication style. We regularly get lovely emails from parents thanking us for empowering their kids and ensuring that their children feel relaxed and comfortable in our clinic. Our practice has grown through word of mouth and we are so fortunate to be part of a community that supports small businesses like ours.
What do you love about being an orthodontist?
It is a very fulfilling job to be able to create beautiful smiles and empower our patients with confidence. I love seeing my patients transform. At times they are too embarrassed to smile when they start treatment; however, when we complete treatment they are beaming from ear to ear. I also adore working with children. I find they are often nervous when they first visit but then they relax and love coming to see us.
Do you have any particular areas of interest in dentistry/orthodontics?
I specialise in the latest invisible treatments with lingual braces, clear braces and aligners such as Invisalign for adult and older teenager patients who want a more discreet treatment.
I have a particular interest in sleep apnoea treatment. Sleep apnoea is a serious medical condition where people may stop breathing in their sleep. We screen all our patients for sleep apnoea and offer sleep apnoea treatments, such as oral appliances and expanders, for patients who have been diagnosed with sleep apnoea through their doctor.
What advice you can offer parents who are concerned about their kids’ teeth or jaw alignment?
A lot of parents are grateful when I let them know that their children don’t need to wait for their baby teeth to fall out before seeing an orthodontist. The Australian Society of Orthodontists recommends children have their first visit with a specialist orthodontist at eight years of age (no referral is needed). That way if you have any concerns about your children’s teeth or jaw alignment we can identify problems early and be proactive with treatment, minimising future problems like crooked teeth or abnormal jaw growth. Early treatment with plates, expanders or spacers may help eliminate future need for braces or minimise the severity of braces treatment.
Favourite places in the Inner West?
As an avid foodie, I feel very lucky to live in the Inner West, where there are so many places to explore the world’s cuisines. I’m obsessed with Vecino Café in Canterbury; not only does it have fantastic coffee, it also has the best fried chicken (it’s a fusion between Mexican and Korean cuisine). On my days off, I treat myself to brunch under the jacaranda tree at Envy in Summer Hill – bliss!
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