Interview with PASHA Orthodontics

Most of you in Naperville know PASHA Orthodontics. We've known them for the past eight years. When my oldest got his braces, things were routine — he went for his appointments, heard the doctors tell him over and over to brush his teeth, wear the retainers and the rubber bands, and like all teenagers, never listened!

My youngest started on her ortho journey last year, and we got to see a different (pleasant) side of the PASHA team. We were to leave for an international trip last December, and on the eve of our journey, our daughter broke a bracket. The following day was Saturday and PASHA was closed. My daughter was uncomfortable, and I didn't know what to do — and as with most unfortunate things, she'd broken her bracket at 8 PM, way past the office's closing time.

I still called them. The call went to voicemail, and the voicemail listed a number for emergencies (not 911). I called and texted the emergency number. Within a couple of minutes, I got a text back. Dr. Tushar Shah was on the other end, and he offered to see my daughter at his home on Saturday morning. I've lived here for almost twenty years, and no doctor has ever offered to see me at their residence. This was admirable.

We went to his house in the morning. When things go wrong, they don't stop at a tiny thing: when Dr. Shah saw my daughter's broken bracket, he said he couldn't fix it with the limited tools at his home — so we headed to his office, where he fixed her bracket, and within hours we were on our flight for vacation.

Dr. Shah's kindness stayed with me. I've met Dr. Patel a number of times too, and his advice is precise and spot on.

I wanted to know more about them — hence this interview, which I thoroughly enjoyed.

1. We know PASHA stands for Patel + Shah. What other name options did you explore?

My partner, Dr. Patel, opened his first office in Naperville in 1999, fresh out of school — originally as 'Prestige Orthodontics.' He started in a small (1000 sq ft), one-man show and began building his reputation.

We met a few years later. Knowing we got along well personally and professionally, we decided to join hands as Patel and Shah — PA-SHA — and open our first location halfway between both of our homes. In 2005, Pasha Orthodontics was born, and together we opened a larger office in Aurora.

To be honest, we didn't worry too much about the name — we just wanted it to be clear we were a doctor-owned and operated practice. We both live within a few minutes of our Aurora office. Our kids go to the same schools our patients go to. We strive to know our patients personally, to be involved in the community — we give our personal cell phone to all patients and our entire team. Having our names attached to the practice was always important. We also joked that if our wives ever ask, the name PASHA represents our wives, Pareena and Shefali. :)

2. Why did you choose orthodontics rather than dentistry?

"I knew in high school, when it was time to pick a career, that I planned to enter the dental field. Not having the best experience with my own orthodontist, I was driven to see this dream through. I thought that by obtaining my specialty degree, adding a little kindness, and following my passion for orthodontics, I could make a positive impact on patients." — Dr. Patel

"I was never a great student in high school and had no interest in dentistry. My undergraduate degree was in biomedical engineering, and I planned to join my dad's shop after college. But things started to click once I was in college — and in an effort to impress my girlfriend, who is now my wife, I hunkered down and did well. Once I got into dental school, I knew I wanted to work with kids and loved how ortho transformed smiles. It also made the decision easy since I wasn't very good at general dentistry — which is way harder than orthodontics. I learned it's a dream career and a perfect fit for my personality." — Dr. Shah

3. From the outside, your workplace looks incredible. How do you keep employees happy?

Over the years we've had to grow and learn what works through trial and error, like anything in life. We always wanted to create a culture of kindness, invest in a warm and welcoming environment, spread positivity, and make beautiful smiles along the way.

We've learned we must surround ourselves with a team that shares our values both in and outside the workplace. Surround yourself with positivity — it spills over to patients in abundance.

We are a close practice, always finding ways to promote teamwork and acknowledge hard work. We have an amazing office manager and great team leaders who share the same core values and help create a fun, happy environment. We're not a perfect group — we've had our share of drama — but we have more good days than bad, and we all feel like we make a difference.

We've come a long way from when Dr. Patel opened his doors with one team member to now — three locations, four doctors, and 25 team members. Our roots in the community run deep.

4. Do Americans over-correct their teeth?

We don't want to generalize for an entire nation. :) But we'll concede there does seem to be a pursuit of the "perfect smile" in certain areas. Sometimes over-correction can happen. We try to minimize it by listening to our patients and getting as close as we can to meeting expectations without over-treating.

There are physiological and biological limitations, and chasing a perfect smile can do more harm than good. We explain the most realistic possible outcomes and encourage patients to accept an ideal, beautiful smile over a "perfect" one.

5. PASHA is one of the most successful dental practices here. What advice would you give small business owners?

First of all, thank you! We think it's all about how you make your customers feel. If they know you care about them and they know you're honest, you're halfway home. Make them smile, go the extra mile, listen to them, and acknowledge every person in some way.

The other key ingredient — just as important — is treating your team with the same respect and kindness you treat your best customer. Listen to them, acknowledge them, and be as generous and flexible as you can.

People will see through the charade if you don't care enough. How you treat people and what your values are will always show, no matter what you say.

6. What advice would you give your twelve-year-old self about teeth?

Haha — I was not very compliant, so I'd be wasting my time talking to my 12-year-old self... but I'd try to keep it simple:

• Brush twice a day, and never go to sleep without brushing.
• You're going to need these teeth for another 80+ years. You don't get another set.
• Minimize sticky, chewy candies — and drink water after every meal to slow down decay until you can brush.
• And when your braces come off, don't forget to wear your retainer. :)

Website: pashaorthodontics.com

Originally published November 2020.