On July 15th, Saddle Creek Orthodontics celebrated 10 years of making patients smile, and we couldn’t have been more excited! This was a huge accomplishment for our practice, and to show how far we’ve come, we’re sharing 10 milestones for 10 years – so stick around and learn more about what’s made Saddle Creek Orthodontics run for an entire decade!
#1: Saddle Creek Orthodontics Opens Its Doors
Let’s set the scene: it’s the year of the hipster, cartoon mustaches cover everything in sight, and the question on everyone’s mind is, “What does the fox say?” If you’re thinking we were in 2013, you’re right, and these aren’t the only iconic events of the year – because 10 years ago, in July, we opened the doors of Saddle Creek Orthodontics.
It all started with the perfect location in “Old Germantown” near the Shops of Saddle Creek. Before moving here, we didn’t have a name for our practice, but “Saddle Creek” struck a chord with our entire team (which, at this point, was only Dr. Kyle and his wife Anna), and the name stuck.
The new office space had previously been a glorified storage unit that Shoemaker Financial used after their building burned the year before, but after four months of construction, we finally had our own practice, and Saddle Creek Orthodontics was well on its way to making patients smile.
On our first day, Anna and Dr. Kyle were out on their own, with the whole future ahead of them. Thanks to some advanced website mojo that Dr. Kyle’s friend and future business partner Alex Rasmussen hooked us up with, we began to see some growth. Our very first patient was Brendan Welty, the son of longtime friends George and Dana Welty. Soon, we had three patients. Then we had six. It didn’t take long for us to have enough patients to need to hire some help.
#2: We Hired Our First Team Members (& Then a Whole Lot More Along the Way)
Once we opened up shop, it didn’t take long to start bringing in the staff. Our longest-tenured team members are Grace and Tricia, who have both been with us for nine years running, and thank goodness for that!
Over the past 10 years, we’ve had around 50 different people who have worked on our team, each of them contributing so much of their heart and soul to making SCO the home it is now for our patients. Today, our team consists of 20 people with hundreds of years of collective experience in orthodontics – and it definitely makes a big difference, as our patient experience and clinical outcomes are as good as they’ve ever been.
#3: We Opened Two New Locations in Collierville & Midtown
In May 2016, we moved in next door to our good friends at the Children’s Dental Center in Collierville. This put us in a prime location to work hand-in-hand with a pediatric dental practice, providing patients with the next step in their smile journey without having to travel too far. We stayed in Collierville until May 2023 and created so many wonderful memories in the process – and we’re headed right back to C-Ville with a new location at 60 Market Center Drive in October 2023!
But Collierville wasn’t our only office location in the 901; we also opened our doors in Midtown in 2018! While we absolutely loved our time there and met so many incredible families, we ultimately decided that three locations spread our resources a bit too thin. So, after a year, we decided to close operations and simplify our efforts to two locations again. We miss you, Midtown!
#4: We Had Fun With Halloween Costumes!
After 10 years in practice, it’s safe to say that we’ve got a series of office traditions that turn up year after year – and one of our favorites is to celebrate Halloween with a group costume! From our first Halloween theme in 2015, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, to Sushi, Napoleon Dynamite, The Office, The Sandlot, and even last year’s The Price Is Right; we’ve had a ton of fun along the way.
And who designed and directed all of these costumes, you might ask? We’re sending a major shoutout to Anna for all her hard work making the Halloween festivities so fun for our whole team!
#5: We Engaged With Our Communities On the Local & National Levels
Not everybody knows this, but Dr. Kyle is a nationally-recognized lecturer, podcast host, and thought leader in the field of orthodontics. If you entered a room with hundreds of orthodontists from across the country (like at the annual American Association of Orthodontists meeting), many of them would already know Dr. Kyle for his work in the community, especially through his Facebook group called “The Digital Orthodontist” which is now the third largest group in orthodontics with over 5,900 members.
In addition to his thriving podcast and internet presence, Dr. Kyle was also the president of the Memphis Dental Society, a founding team member for the MidSouth Mission of Mercy, and a board member for a half-dozen other boards and dental or orthodontic societies.
Always one to share the love, Dr. Kyle has taken the whole team to several meetings and in-office courses so we can learn more about the orthodontic advancements that make your treatment run more smoothly. Saddle Creek Orthodontics has also hosted eight total continuing education events for our local dental community, proving our dedication to professional growth across the board.
#6: We’ve Supported Our Community & Our Community Has Supported Us
We firmly believe that without a strong sense of community, we wouldn’t be where we are today. The Saddle Creek Orthodontics team loves to sponsor and support our patients in all their adventures, whether it’s theater, cheer, the Germantown Football League, or anything else they set their minds to!
Our drive to support patients in the Midsouth doesn’t stop there, however. Here’s a snapshot of what else we’ve been up to over the years:
- Embrace Memphis: We started this nonprofit to help raise funds for orthodontic treatment for foster children and their families.
- Palmer Home: Every May, we operate the Smiles for Palmer Campaign, which allows $50 from every new patient’s down payment to be donated directly to Palmer Home.
- Make A Wish: Saddle Creek Orthodontics had the honor of providing free braces treatment for a teen who wanted a straight smile more than anything else!
#7: We Were Closed for 7 Weeks During Covid
Like everyone else, we had to make a lot of adjustments to meet the “new normal” when the coronavirus hit in March 2020. For seven whole weeks, we paused our practice until we could find a way to accommodate our patients without putting them at risk. But during that time, we didn’t stop doing our part for the community. Instead, we donated gloves and supplies to local hospitals to help the individuals fighting on the front lines of the pandemic.
As a team, we always look for the positive in any situation, and Covid was no exception. We took the extra time during the lockdown to expand our Germantown location. Our entire team stuck together like glue as the lockdown wore on, and we saw to our patients’ needs through virtual consults and visits. It just goes to show that the people you want on your team during a really tough time are the team members we have at Saddle Creek Orthodontics.
#8: We Welcomed Dr. John to the Practice!
After nine years in practice, it was time to bring in some new talent – and that’s where Dr. John came in! Like Dr. Kyle, Dr. John grew up in Jonesboro, Arkansas, and like Dr. Kyle, he attended UTHSC in Memphis for dental school and orthodontic residency. So when it came time to make the decision, it made all the sense in the world to add such a friendly, kind-hearted, and competent doctor to our team.
Now, we don’t know what we’d do without him!
#9: We’ve Had So. Much. Fun.
If it isn’t obvious already, we love having fun. Over the years, we’ve done so many things to engage with our community, including creating our own stuffed animal mascot named Sully the Sloth, publishing two children’s books (check out “All the Best Faces Wear Braces” and “There’s Nothing Finer Than Aligners”), sending Flat Dr. Kyle around the world, filming our “Braces Off” music video (which was featured on Good Mythical Morning, no less), and much more.
We’ve also done some incredible giveaways and prizes! We sent not one but two families on Caribbean cruises for the ultimate vacation of a lifetime, and we also gave away countless other gifts like Nintendo Switches, scooters, vacuums, gift cards galore, and even a Memphis staycation. It pays to be a Saddle Creek patient!
#10: We Delivered Over 7,000 Smiles & Counting
No matter what else we do, we always bring it back to the basics: creating beautiful smiles for patients of all ages. From engagements and weddings to graduations, births, and many other life milestones, our team has shared so many experiences with our patients. Over the course of our 10 years in Memphis, we’ve made countless memories, and we aren’t going anywhere!
See You In Another 10 Years!
Thank you, Memphis, for the honor of making your families smile for a decade! We couldn’t do what we do without you, and we can’t wait to see what happens next for our practice. And if you’re just now joining us, welcome! You’re in for a treat.
Schedule your free consultation with our team today!
Best,
