I love being an orthodontist. I have the unique opportunity to develop relationships with families over a long period of time, and havea lifelong impact on the happiness and confidence of their family members. Self-confidence is such an important part of a persons success. It is so important for anyone, especially young adults, to have a healthy self-image so they can flourish and succeed.
If my presence in their lives at such an impressionable age can in any way help them nurture this self-confidence, whether it is through my clinical ability to give them a beautiful smile, or by being someone that they can talk with, feel close to, and maybe even regard as a rolemodel, I will have considered myself successful.
I am lucky to have such a devoted team who share my passion and love for our practice and patients, and who bring their own unique qualities to our practice. I love that I can trust their opinions, share my decision-making with them, and share our success as a practice with them. We all LOVE to have fun! It is our goal to make every visit to our office one thats filled with laughter, smiles, and friendship.
Since I keep my techniques and technology as modern as possible, my patients benefit directly from the increased efficiency and comfort of their treatment. I value continuing education immensely, because it keeps me current in orthodontic theory and practice, and fulfills my enjoyment in learning new things. I participate in meetings and seminars through the American Association of Orthodontists and the Northeastern Society of Orthodontists throughout the year, and have completed the two-year Dr. McLaughlin mini-residency. In addition, I am part of the New Connecticut Study Club: a group that meets every six weeks to connect, collaborate, and educate each other on the latest in orthodontic technology and care.
It is important to me to give back to the community that has helped my practice grow and has been so good to me. I served on the board of the Kennebec Valley Chamber of Commerce and am a proud Smiles Change Lives provider.
I am a native of New York City and moved all around Maine before settling in Portland. I have a miniature dachshund name Charlie, and when I am not in the office I can be found running so that I can eat my way through Portland! Otherwise, I love photography, playing the cello, painting, and traveling all over the world. I am passionate about being a good friend; I care deeply about the people that I love, and am always striving to be a better person and friend to those in my life.
No. All orthodontists must be licensed to practice, but at this time only 1 in 3 orthodontists have continued on to complete Board Certification. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) certification process signifies a unique achievementa significant step beyond the two to three years of advanced education required for a dentist to become a specialist in orthodontics. The process requires the orthodontist to demonstrate actual accomplishments in patient care with detailed case reports on the treatment provided for a broad range of patient problems. Board certification is a voluntary achievement that all orthodontists do not choose to pursue. In order to become board certified by the ABO, an individual orthodontist is thoroughly interviewed by a highly respected panel of examiners to demonstrate their orthodontic knowledge, clinical skills and judgment.
One. The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) is the only certifying board in the specialty that is recognized by the American Dental Association. The ABO was founded in 1929 and is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. The boards purpose is to elevate the quality of orthodontic care for the public by promoting excellence through certification, education and professional collaboration.
Successful completion of the examination process demonstrates the orthodontists highest commitment to excellence in orthodontics to both the orthodontic profession and the general public. It represents a commitment by a licensed specialist that he/she has the necessary knowledge base and skills to treat patients to the highest of standards. It exemplifies a practitioners commitment to continue to keep abreast of the latest advances in patient care, and to continue to deliver these latest advances to patients. Many orthodontists see it as a demonstration of their dedication to the specialty and the highest level of personal achievement.
Since the establishment of the ABO in 1929, the certification process requirements have continued to adjust to the demands of the specialty. Today, the process involves a thorough Written Examination (240 questions) covering all areas of information which an orthodontist should be knowledgeable. Successful completion of this board exam allows the orthodontist to proceed to the Clinical Examination where they present detailed case reports from their practice/residency, demonstrating a history of excellence in patient care. These cases are evaluated by a panel of examiners and later discussed during an oral examination where the applicant is tested on a wide variety of academic and clinical topics. After successful completion of these examinations, the orthodontist has officially achieved Board Certification, for a time-limited period. The orthodontist must go through Certification Renewal every 10 years to maintain their certification status by demonstrating this continued level of patient care.
I can be found in many different areas of the office, from scheduling, creating financial accounts, meeting with new patients, taking diagnostic records and helping the office to flow smoothly each day. Introducing new patients to our office and working closely with their families to achieve their dreams of a healthy smile, are my favorite parts of my job. Dr. Kleinlereris so dedicated to what she does, and its very apparent. Her goal is not only to develop personalized treatment plans for each patient but also a personal relationship in which they are informed, comfortable and understanding of every step of their treatment.
When Im not at the office I enjoy spending time with my family members and very energetic Boston Terrier puppy, Stella. I really like to sing as well but you will find me whistling more then anything at the office.
I am Kate and I am a fun and fabulous part of our family at MK Orthodontics. I graduated from UMA Bangor in 2011 for dental assisting. Here at our office I am an orthodontic assistant. I am specially trained by the most brilliant orthodontist I have ever met, and would be honored to someday have half the smarts she has. At our office, I am part of a family; a family that shares the passion and motivation to not only straighten smiles but have an impact on lives.
I am human though, so when I am not in the office, I love to spend time with family and friends. I have an amazing niece that consumes lots of my time; she is a mini-Kate in training! I love to dance too much, sing too loud, and make every day better than the last.