Bree Schuster got her braces late -- toward the end of high school -- but might have found her calling early. She remembers the orthodontist she went to at that time, Dr. Scott Newhart. “He wore jeans to work, always carried a coffee cup around, and wore Hawaiian shirts never buttoned up all the way,” she said. “He was the first adult [I knew] who really loved his job, and I thought, ‘I want that job because I want to love my job, too.’” Having practiced orthodontics for 15 years, she loves the job as much as her teenage self imagined. “I tell people all the time, I think it's the best job in the world,” she said. “My greatest joy is watching my patients grow and change.” These changes can be both physical and emotional. “People come in with dental anxiety,” Schuster explained. “They start out anxious, and by the end they enjoy coming in. I see a lot of my patients when they're really young and by the time they're done they're teenagers so they're physically and mentally so different.” Her patients have included her own two children, now almost 16 and 13. That, too, led to a change. “Before [my children] did treatment, a lot of my understanding … was from people reporting back,” she said. “Once I… got to see it first-hand, it gave me better insight. It's helped me to be more empathetic not only with the patients but also with their parents.” Still, Dr. Schuster admits that while the appliances today are smaller and more comfortable, and technology like digital impressions and 3D printing can streamline treatment, the treatment goals and technique remain relatively unchanged. Also consistent is the patients’ desire for individuality. “Kids still coordinate rubber bands,” Schuster said. “Some kids really take it seriously.” The staff make sure to encourage patients’ creativity. She mentioned one patient who said he wanted “galaxy colors” and another who asked for different colors on every tooth. “We really want to make it fun for them,” she said. To that end, patients who complete their course of treatment get their picture put on the Smile Wall and receive a goody bag of formerly forbidden treats like popcorn, bubble gum and gummy worms.
Article by Carly Okyle
Photography by Craig Smith
Originally published in Scotch Plains City Lifestyle