Harte Orthodontics create smiles, teach life lessons
SPARTA — Doug and Larry Harte, a father and son team has been making people smile in more ways than one. Their profession is practicing orthodontics, but this family duo does more than braces. The Hartes teach life lessons through mentoring and setting examples.
Starting up Harte Orthodontics
Larry Harte started Harte Orthodontics in Sparta about 40 years ago. In its early years, the only orthodontics office in Sussex County in a 500 square- mile radius. They estimate treating about 20,000 patients over the years.
“People came from all over including Pennsylvania, and they are still returning. Now we are treating their kids and even the third generation,” said Doug.
Relationship building and injecting humor by the doctors with the patients is essential to long-term results and trust.
“It’s a family — it’s a relationship," saif Doug. "We give them love. They expect a good job, but we are great motivators. Teeth are teeth. We try and educate these kids. We adapt with the times. We text, we tweet and we Facebook.”
Working with kids
February is Children’s Dental Health Month, an educational initiative that began 20 years ago in pre-school through elementary grades where Harte presents a fun and interactive program.
“I give kids names, 'Mr. Molar,' 'Mr.Incisor'; I have a six-foot solid mahogany toothbrush showing them the right way to brush teeth in a circular motion three times a day for three minutes at a time,” he explains.
Harte sings and dances as well to get his other points across about hygiene, healthy foods and eating breakfast everyday. And all the students receive toothbrushes, floss and a cartoon booklet.
To take it further, Harte does motivational speaking to high school students.
“I go to these high schools and talk about what I think it takes to be a winner in this life and tools to be a success like communication, reading, writing, math and how to apply these skills.”
Technology, early evaluation and more options for straightening teeth have caused many improvements in orthodontics over the past 20 years. Early evaluation is recommended starting around seven or eight years old.
“We use a growth x-ray machine that guides us in making sure people get to the right place. Many adults come in for restorative dentistry,” said Doug.
Unlike other dentistry, there are no needles, no drills and no pain in this process. But still Harte focuses on making the children comfortable and confident.
“I make funny jokes and go out of the way to make kids love this place and not be afraid when it comes time for their appointment. When they are taking their braces off, we throw them a whole mini-party with a graduation ceremony and a diploma.”
Patients have to wear clear and translucent braces for an average of 18 to 24 months. Again, the mechanics and materials are better today, and the wires used for braces were developed by NASA.
“The old wires were stiff and hurt. These are softer, flexible, thermally activated and hurt less,” Doug said.
Although expensive, payment plans are always an option — “We never lost a patient for a fee. We can make it work being as creative as possible and maximizing any insurance the patient has,” Doug said.
Convenience for the patients is offered also with late hours and appointments available on Saturdays.
The Hartes are members of the American Association of Orthodontics, a professional organization encompassing six regions in the United States. Doug Harte is on the executive board of the northeast region. Once a month, he teaches dental residents at his alma mater University of Pennsylvania.
There was a time when Doug thought he wanted to be a marine biologist but his life-long exposure to orthodontics changed his mind.
“I grew up doing this," Doug said. "It’s a combination of skills — physics, science, psychology and art. There are lot of humanities involved with both sides of the brain working.”
Harte Orthodontics is located at 6 Apple Tree Lane, Sparta. For more information contact 973-729-5277 or www.smilesbyharte.com.