At this stage, we’ll monitor your child periodically. These visits are complimentary, so even if we take an x-ray of your child’s teeth to re-evaluate the progress of their teeth and smile, it’s always on us! Overall, we’re on the lookout for any early problems with the jaw’s growth trajectory, bone structure and developing or emerging teeth. Rest assured, there will not be any treatment performed at these appointments. If treatment is recommended, we’ll always discuss the procedure and associated financial investment with you before getting started. We strive for complete transparency and no surprises. We won’t begin the journey towards your child’s perfect smile until we have your official green light!

Once your child’s spy card is complete (mission accomplished!) and we determine that they’re ready to graduate from the Smile Spies Club and move onto their next quest, we’ll schedule a spy mission debrief to discuss our recommendations for orthodontic treatment. At this time, we’ll take updated x-rays, 3D models and photographs to evaluate the progress of your child’s teeth, smile and bite (if not taken previously). From there, Dr. Matt will evaluate your child’s teeth and jaw structure to determine their diagnosis, treatment options, the estimated treatment timeframe and associated financial investment. Finally, our treatment coordinator will work directly with you to customize a payment plan (including affordable monthly payments and interest-free financing) that fits your unique needs, lifestyle and budget. As with the observation stage, we strive for complete transparency and no surprises. We promise to be candid in our diagnoses and recommendations, alternative treatment options and costs. Together, we can hit the ground running on day one and get you started on the journey toward your personalized, perfect smile.    

A Relentless Commitment to Fun. Regardless of what stage of the observation program your child is in, fun is at the heart of everything we do for our patients — and the Smile Spies Club is no exception. With a gift bag full of goodies to keep your child’s spy skills sharp – including an invisible ink pen, flashlight, spy notebook, magnifier, sticker, and an official club membership card – Walker Orthodontics always has an element of fun, surprise and delight in store for kids who join the club. With every appointment, your child will receive a sticker to add to their club membership card, and once they’ve completed their spy mission (attended every visit), they’ll win a prize! This ensures their adventure to the Orthodontist is filled with excitement, instead of fraught with boredom or fear. And best of all, it’s completely complimentary.

At Walker Orthodontics, we’re passionate believers in the power of early orthodontic detection and intervention. Anywhere between 4 and 7 years old is the ideal time to conduct an initial assessment, catch warning signs and swiftly remedy certain issues before they require more invasive, costly procedures to correct. So even if your child’s baby teeth haven’t fallen out or things appear normal, there are often problems lurking beneath the surface that aren’t immediately obvious or visible (e.g. teeth becoming impacted, bumping into one another under the gums, etc.). For that reason, it’s critically important to attend these follow-up appointments. Given the level of specialized expertise required, it’s essential to ensure an orthodontist is monitoring your child’s dental growth and development, in lieu of a dentist or parent. While dentists evaluate the overall health of the teeth and mouth and advise about brushing, flossing and cavities, orthodontists specialize in a proper bite, or the way the teeth and jaws develop and function.

The moral of the story: there’s often more than meets the eye, yet if we work together, we can spot the early warning signs and intercept problems before they arise.