So you’re in active orthodontic treatment at the halfway mark to your beautiful new smile. You’ve gotten to know your orthodontist and team, but suddenly, your family is moving.
Maybe you’re in a military family (thank you for your service!) Or maybe mom or dad got a job opportunity in a new city. Whatever the reason may be for relocating, now you have to find a new orthodontist to continue your treatment.
Is it possible to switch orthodontists before your braces or Invisalign treatment is complete? Here’s everything you need to know!
Can I Change Orthodontists?
The answer is yes. You can switch your orthodontist during treatment. Life happens!
Families relocate. Orthodontic transfers happen all the time.
At Wiewiora & Dunn Orthodontics, we’ve had the opportunity to treat many patients who transferred from another orthodontist. Some patients have called us asking, “what if I’m moving and I already have braces?” We help these patients transfer to one of our convenient orthodontist offices in Lake Mary or Longwood, FL.
We’ve also treated patients who were not happy with their orthodontic treatment prior to starting treatment with us. We create personalized treatment plans for these patients and deliver exceptional results.
How to Change Orthodontists: Step by Step
Switching orthodontists mid-treatment can be done in a few steps. We’ll help you cover all of your bases, from informing your old orthodontist to preparing your new orthodontist, to ensure a smooth transfer process during treatment.
1. Inform your orthodontist.
Let your orthodontist know as soon as you find out that you have to relocate to a new orthodontist. The sooner your orthodontist knows, the sooner he or she is able to prepare necessary information for your new orthodontist.
If you paid-in-full for treatment, the financial coordinator may have to configure a plan to provide you with a refund. It’s important to allow your orthodontist enough time to prepare for your transfer.
2. Search for orthodontists in your new area.
Grab your phone, laptop or computer and search for an “orthodontist near me.” If you live in Longwood, FL, or any surrounding areas, we encourage you to request your complimentary consultation with Dr. Wiewiora, Dr. Dunn, and our team, of course!
While you’re searching for practices near you, check out their Google reviews to learn more about their patient experience. Are the majority of the reviews positive? Wiewiora & Dunn Orthodontics has more than 345 five-star Google reviews!
3. Pick the right orthodontist for you.
Assess each practice’s website. Is it up-to-date? Does it have the resources you’re looking for? Do they have before-and-after photos showcasing their work? Check out the doctors’ pages; do they have the experience you’re looking for? The practice’s online presence should be indicative of their patient experience.
Do they provide the same type of treatment that you’re currently in – braces or Invisalign®? And most importantly, does your new orthodontist accept transfer patients? Give them a call to find out!
How Much Does It Cost to Change Orthodontists?
There shouldn’t be a cost to change orthodontists. However, if you paid in full for your current treatment plan, you will have to work with your treatment coordinator to configure a refund.
Once you visit a new orthodontist who performs a full assessment of your smile, that orthodontist will create a treatment plan to pick up where your last orthodontist left off. You’ll then work out a payment plan to cover the cost of your remaining treatment.
We Support Our Military!
If you’re in a Military family, thank you for your service! We’d be honored to serve you. Our team understands the challenges that our military patients face and the flexibility their families require throughout treatment.
We’ll help you make a smooth orthodontic transfer, whether you begin treatment with us and have to transfer to another orthodontist mid-treatment, or you make a transfer to our location mid-treatment. Either way, we’re here to support you in managing your transfer with minimal stress.
What to Ask the New Office Before You Move
Four questions settle most of it. What will you charge to finish this case, and how is that figure calculated? Will you continue the existing plan or start over with new records? How long do you expect the remaining treatment to take? And what happens to the balance I have already paid to the previous office?
An office that answers those directly, in writing, is one you can plan around. Vague answers about sorting it out later are worth walking away from, because the money questions are exactly the ones that turn into disputes.
Records Transfer Is Routine
Your records belong to you. The previous office sends the diagnostic records, imaging, treatment plan and progress notes to the new practice, and this is an ordinary administrative task rather than a favour. Most offices handle dozens of transfers a year, particularly in areas with military families or frequent job relocations.
It is worth requesting the transfer in writing and following up if the records have not arrived within a couple of weeks. Treatment can usually begin without them if necessary, but starting with the full history avoids duplicate imaging and gives the new orthodontist a much clearer picture of how your teeth have responded so far.
Why the New Fee Is Not the Full Fee
A transfer fee is normally calculated from the work that remains rather than the case as a whole. An office picking up a patient with six months left charges very differently from one starting a twenty-four-month case.
That said, expect the new practice to charge for a fresh examination and often new records, because they are taking clinical responsibility for the outcome and cannot do that on someone else’s two-year-old radiographs. That is reasonable, and it should be a modest figure rather than a second full course of treatment.
What You May Be Owed
If you paid a lump sum at the start, ask the previous office for a refund of the unused portion, prorated to the treatment actually completed. Most practices do this as a matter of course.
If you are on a monthly plan, arrange to stop payments from the transfer date rather than assuming they will lapse on their own. Get both in writing. The most common transfer problem we see is not a clinical one – it is a patient still paying two offices three months after the move.
When Switching Is Not the Best Move
If you are within a few months of finishing and not moving away, completing the case where it started is usually simpler and cheaper, even if the relationship has been imperfect. Changing hands late in treatment means new records, a new fee and a period where the new orthodontist is learning a case that is nearly over.
If you are unhappy rather than relocating, raise it directly first. A conversation about slow progress, missed expectations or communication often resolves the issue faster than a transfer, and a good office would far rather have that conversation than lose a patient quietly.
If You Are Moving Mid-Treatment
Tell your current office as early as you can. They can time the last appointment sensibly, prepare the records, and in some cases recommend a practice in the area you are moving to.
Ask them to place you in a stable configuration before you go, so a gap of a few weeks between offices does not cost progress. And schedule the first appointment at the new practice before you move rather than after – waiting lists are real, and a two-month gap in adjustments is the part of a transfer that actually sets treatment back.
Are You in Need of a New Orthodontist?
If you’re looking for “orthodontists that accept transfer patients near me,” we’d love to meet you! Our team at Wiewiora & Dunn Orthodontics is more than happy to accept you and continue your journey to a beautiful new smile.
- See the different types of braces we offer. We provide Invisalign clear aligners for all ages too!
- Find out what sets us apart from other orthodontists.
- Learn more about our two highly experienced orthodontists, Dr. Wiewiora and Dr. Dunn!
- See our flexible financing options.
- Read through our patient reviews!
- See some of our beautiful smile transformations.
And finally, request your free consultation with us. Our team will guide you through the process to ensure a smooth and seamless transition. We’ll help you get all of your ducks in a row!