Douglas Palaganas or Dr. Doug always had a vision for a patient-centered practice, as opposed to a business-centered practice. He believes apractice should feel primarily like a practice, not like a business. Every patient of Dr. Dougs deserves his personal attention and is not just another mouth on an assembly line, which is, unfortunately, becoming more of the norm across Long Island these days. Dr. Dougs vision is to for his practice to be anything but that!
Dr. Doug Palaganas, a Long Island native, was raised in Syosset, NY, where he graduated from Syosset High School in 1994. Dr. Doug then moved on to receive his BS in Biology from Cornell University in 1998. During the year following graduation, he took a faculty position just south of Buffalo at the Gow School, a private boarding school for boys with dyslexia, many of whom also had ADD/ADHD. This was an experience that gave Dr. Doug a daily, hands-on education dealing with challenged children, a skill which would serve him well in treating all types of patients later as an orthodontist.
Dr. Doug moved back to Long Island to attend the School of Dental Medicine at Stony Brook University, where he graduated in 2003 ranked first in his class and became a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon, the National Dental Honor Society.
He then spent the next three years in Stony Brooks post-graduate orthodontic residency program, where he received his specialty certificate in 2006 and became a certified Invisalign provider. Dr. Doug has been practicing on Long Island since 2006 and founded Dr. Doug Orthodontics in Rockville Centre in 2013 and co-founded Great Neck Orthodontics with Dr. Janine Ellis in 2014.
Says Dr. Doug: I view continuing education (CE) as an opportunity to grow as a professional. While a certain number of hours are required, I regularly double the annual requirement, and pursue courses related to the advancement of orthodontics and new technology.
CE allows me not only to stay current with the most up-to-date and efficient treatments for my patients, but often provides inspiration for an overall better patient experience. In addition to lecturing at local Nassau, Suffolk, and Queens study clubs, I am also one of the lead organizers of the annual Orthodontic Pearls Conference, providing CE to orthodontists throughout the country.
A resident of Woodbury, Dr. Doug loves spending his time off with his wife Jennifer, a periodontist who he met in dental school, and their 2 children Olivia and Christian. If hes not attending his kids soccer or baseball games, he just might be golfing or at Yankee Stadium or Giants Stadium, as he is a huge New York sports fan!
Supporting and giving back to the Long Island community is an integral part of who Dr. Doug is personally and professionally. He has participated in the Give Kids a Smile program since 2009, providing dental care to underserved children on Long Island. He also participates annually in fundraisers for the Damon-Runyon Cancer Research Foundation, the Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research, and the Cooleys Anemia Foundation.
Every patient changes and grows as they see their teeth straighten. They become more comfortable with their appearance and more confident in their interactions. I cannot help but feel fulfilled when someone who previously was ashamed of their teeth begins to smile and laugh without worry.
Working with so many different people is one of my favorite parts of the job. I spend my days talking with and getting to know fascinating people, and love the relationships that develop. Many of my patients become my friends. My job allows me to create healthy, beautiful smiles for people I care about. I cant imagine doing anything else!
Each year I seek out continuing education (CE) courses on topics related to orthodontics and oral healthcare, including Invisalign. This ensures I remain current on developments in the field, including new technologies and breakthroughs in treatment processes. My patients trust me to provide them with the highest level of care, and the widest range of proven treatments; CE courses ensure I am able to do so.
Im a native of Toronto, Canada, but have called Great Neck, NY my home for over ten years. My husband and I have two wonderful sons, Ryan and Justin, and I am involved with many of their school and extracurricular activities. In addition to helping out at PTA events, Im the parent coach for my boys soccer team.
We recognize that all our patients are unique and deserve to receive orthodontic care that reflects their individual needs. Our experienced and talented team is committed to working with you and your family to create a comfortable, stress-free, and rewarding orthodontic experience every time you visit our practice.
At Great Neck Orthodontics, we have built our practice around a unique practice vision. While orthodontic practices all over our area have been focusing more on the business of orthodontics, instead of the practice of orthodontics. Dr. Doug and Dr. Ellis believe the focus of a truly successful practice needs to be on the patient.
Our focus is not only on personalized, state-of-the-art orthodontic care, but also on providing a top-notch patient/family experience. The patient experience depends on us taking the time to get to know our patients and their families, so we can provide appropriate, individualized care. We want our patients to feel like part of our family. This is not an assembly-line type practice where you see the assistants more than you see the doctor.
We strive to be the best for our patients, because we believe if we are successful at all of the above, our patients will not only refer others to us, but they will be our biggest fans, and will go out of their way to tell their friends and family about our practice!
Great Neck Orthodontics was established with the belief that if we are successful at staying committed to our vision, the business of growing our practice will largely take care of itself; and that will allow us to continue to concentrate our time and efforts on our amazing patients and their care!
Got something youre proud of or funny to show or tell Dr. Doug and Dr. Janine? Take a picture next time youre in the office and well post it on our Facebook, Twitter or Instagram page, or even put it up on our waiting room slide show on our TV! We want everyone to know how great our patients are!
Reviews
Rating 4.9 out of 5 based on 148 reviews
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newest oldest highest lowestClaudia Kolanovic
a year ago
Exceeded my expectations!! Dr. Doug is a master at his craft. I got the smile I've always dreamed of!
Meghan C
a year ago
Had a great experience during my consult with Dr. Ellis. She was very knowledgeable, explained everything to me clearly, and was honest about her expectations of my treatment if I decided to peruse orthodontics. The office itself was also transparent about pricing and offered payment plans if needed. The staff was very kind. Overall I was very impressed with the entirety of this office.
rachel ehrlich
a year ago
We lov Dr Doug and Dr Ellis! Both of my kids have been thru a lot of orthodontic work. Pricing is fair! I highly recommend!
Sandy Dilmanian
2 years ago
Dr. Doug is excellent, very thorough, patient with answering all questions, experienced, and does very high quality work! I highly recommend him!
A Gleason
2 years ago
Extremely professional and friendly. High-tech and modern equipment in office do away with antiquated procedures (painless 3-D photo teeth scans vs. old trays with molding) Had a bad experience with an orthodontics office on Glen Cove rd and decided to try out this office after a family friend recommended. GN Orthodontics is accessible and offers tailored and truthful solutions to help. Cannot thank them enough. Had gone in over a year ago for invisalign and just recently out the blue had a question about whitening. I received an essay of a response with detail and help on how to proceed, I was shocked with the level of care I have always received. Cannot recommend enough.
Natasha Carr
2 years ago
Dr. Doug and his team are professional, friendly, and extremely knowledgeable. They made my invisalign experience wonderful. I was reluctant initially to get braces but they made sure it was as seamless as possible. I have referred my entire family to this dental office. If you're thinking about getting some work done here, just do it!
Almas Mirza
2 years ago
Dr. Doug was wonderful and professional. We never had to wait long to be seen and Dr. Doug always took his time. Thank you!
Danielle Valentini
2 years ago
My experience with the Great Neck Orthodontists has been nothing short of phenomenal! Dr. Doug and Dr. Ellis are professional, efficient, knowledgeable, kind and most importantly they truly care about you and your teeth. As an adult with braces, I was very anxious in the beginning. Both doctors put me at ease, always answered all my questions and explained every step of the process. They want everyone to achieve their perfect smile. I am so happy I trusted them with my teeth. I cannot stop smiling!
Nancy Zheng
2 years ago
Great place with great people! We have been with Dr. Doug for the last two years and just complete the orthodontic treatments for both of our daughters. Both girls enjoy their visits to the office each time. We trust the doctor and the staff on site. We always leave the office with a smile. Thank you all for the great work done. We enjoy our experience very much and would strongly recommend the office!
T G
2 years ago
Dr. Ellis and her team is amazing, professional and the facilities are excellent. Gabby at the front desk was very welcoming and helpful. Dr. Ellis made my daughter feel very comfortable. This was her first consultation for Bracers and I am so happy with the visit.. Happy daughter, happy Mother..
CZ
2 years ago
Very happy with the treatment we received so far. My son had issue with his braces and was able to be seen quickly. The office is very flexible, both doctors and staffs are friendly and responsive. Many offices can provide treatment, but not a lot will give you the pleasant experience as GN Orthodontics does. Will recommend to my friends.
Rebecca Ramdeholl
2 years ago
I've known Dr Doug and team since my little brother started his orthodontic treatment a few years ago. Upon meeting the Great Neck Ortho team, I immediately initiated having my own treatment done here and it was the best decision I could have made. Dr Doug is so attentive to detail and truly looks out for his patient's best interest. Additionally, his team is very accommodating and comforting. My results after completing my aligner treatment is phenomenal! I have received so many compliments and have referred everyone I know to consult with Dr Doug and his team. I can't thank them enough for guiding me through this treatment! Beyond happy with my results and I highly recommend Great Neck Ortho.
Lauren Kohanim
2 years ago
I had the best experience with great neck orthodontics! Everyone was so sweet and helpful
Theresa Patterson
2 years ago
Dr. Doug is very friendly, kind and professional. He did a great job of informing us on the steps we needed to take to correct our daughter's teeth. We just finished all treatments and we are so happy with the results. I have recommended this practice to everyone I know!
Rence Collections
2 years ago
Great job ever done. Dr Janine gave me my smile back. I highly recommend them for the great job they do.
Arnequa Campbell
2 years ago
I would highly recommend Great Neck Orthodontics! They have treated me with care and consideration throughout my entire experience. I am more than satisfied with my results and anyone seeking orthodontic treatment is in more than good hands!
Grace Wong
2 years ago
My daughter had a great experience with the Drs and staff at Great Neck Orthodontics. I highly recommend them. Give them a try with a free consult!
Lori Senior
2 years ago
I would highly recommend Great Neck Orthodontics to my friends and family. I just completed my Invisalign and their office was amazing to work with. Dr. Doug and Dr. Janine made the entire process so smooth. The staff is always super friendly and welcoming which now a days is more important than ever.
BB ILLA
2 years ago
I just got my metal braces off today and the results are fantastic! I am so pleased with my new smile & Dr. Ellis is amazing! Confident, caring, efficient & very talented. She made sure I was 100% satisfied with my results & I really appreciate the time she took to make sure I was happy with my results. This is a great office if you are looking for orthodontic treatment! Thank you Dr. Ellis!
Cecily Yip
2 years ago
Dr Doug and all the staff are excellent!
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