FRESH from receiving a major award, Tweed orthodontist Dr Francis Wong is all smiles.

His aim is to provide the Tweed with dental products at affordable prices, and he’s just been recognised with an award in the US.

An orthodontist since 1983, Dr Wong owned and operated two practices in Perth while clinical lecturing for postgraduate orthodontic students at the University of Western Australia for 20 years, before establishing South Tweed Orthodontics in 2008.

Specialising in lingual (behind the teeth) braces, DrWong began using SureSmile (robotic technology) in 2013, on his way to receiving the 2015 Outstanding SureSmile Lingual Practice award in Century City, Los Angeles, in February.

What inspired you to open the South Tweed business? My mission in opening the Tweed practice was to offer lingual braces that are not visible at an affordable prices and I looked forward to seeing and treating patients. Most orthodontists do not offer lingual, and if they do, patients told me the prices they were quoted in Australia were double what we offer. I looked forward to choosing and training staff to have the same respect and standard of care as I have and I wanted to be in control of my scheduling.

What do you most enjoy about operating your own business? I enjoy getting to know patients and it is interesting to hear about their families and activities and I am grateful for the appreciation they express. I also like developing and adopting new techniques to raise standards. We were humbled to win the award in Los Angeles and we are using SureSmile for our patients with traditional braces.

What’s the biggest advantage in operating on the Tweed? We live in a beautiful area where the climate is fantastic. Being part of a smaller community while being connected to the Gold Coast community while having an airport so close is great. I enjoy being a local, living as well as working in Tweed Heads, where we share the same laid-back lifestyle as most of our patients, who we often run into in shops or restaurants.

What’s the biggest challenge in operating a business on the Tweed? I wouldn’t say there’s a particular challenge, but it’s been a little bit of a slow process letting the community know thy have access to lingual braces that have been available through a doctor since the 1980’s.

What are your future plans for the business? I have enjoyed sharing my experience and techniques while lecturing in Australia and abroad and I hope to eventually invite an orthodontist to work with me here. I may also open other locations where I can train and work with other orthodontists who share a similar passion for orthodontics.

Phone South Tweed Orthodontics on 0755248400 or visit them at 3/129–133 Minjungbal Dr.