After working at an office where she was pressured to treat 100 patients per day, Dr. Baptist decided to own her own business where she and her staff could slow down and spend more time treating each patient. This is also why we operate out of a single office and do not try to spread our efforts thin over multiple cities. Not only does this benefit our patients experience and treatment outcomes, but it instills an appropriate work-life balance for our staff.
At Baptist Orthodontics, we enjoy treating and transforming patients with difficult cases. Dr. Baptist has worked on patients with cleft lip and palate and other craniofacial abnormalities in the private practice and hospital setting throughout her career. Challenging cases require careful planning and frequent communication with other dental specialists, and we are ready to go the extra mile for our patients!
A temporary build-up is a tooth-colored resin that is bonded to the outside of a chipped or misshaped tooth to make that tooth look whole again. As part of her love for dental cosmetics, Dr. Baptist can perform temporary build-ups in the office to help facilitate orthodontic care. However, if the chip is very large, she may deem it necessary to refer you to a general dentist for a permanent restoration.
We understand that not everybody is going to gravitate towards the same type of retainer. Esthetics, durability, and your bite may impact your preference of which retainer is more comfortable for you. At Baptist Orthodontics, we provide you with two sets of retainers so that you can decide which works best for you.
We are local and readily available to our patients after hours if needed. If you feel that you are experiencing an orthodontic emergency that cannot wait until the next business day, please call our office phone and you will be directed to our emergency line. We can walk you through a solution over the phone or meet you at the office if necessary.
Dr. Baptist grew up in Mt. Prospect, IL, and graduated with honors from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a Bachelors degree in Biology. On her summer breaks, she was a camp leader for children with special needs.
She then attended Southern Illinois University School of Dental Medicine where she achieved a Doctorate degree in Dentistry, as well as a passion for dental esthetics. While there, she was recognized three times by the dental honor society, Omicron Kappa Upsilon, for being ranked at the top of her class.
Lastly, Dr. Baptist earned her Masters degree in Orthodontics and Specialty Certificate in Orthodontics at Saint Louis University. While there, she studied the art and mechanics of tooth movement, as well as the latest research in the field of orthodontics. She even performed her own research project evaluating how overbites and underbites impact the way the general public focuses on each facial feature. Additionally, she worked an externship on the Cleft Lip and Palate Team at Cardinal Glennon Hospital in Saint Louis which Dr. Baptist considers to be one of the most rewarding and enjoyable aspects of her orthodontic residency.