Ricks Family Orthodontics opened in Northeast Bakersfield in early 2016. Dr. Ricks chose this location because he grew up in Northeast Bakersfield. He attended Eissler Elementary School, Chipman Jr High and Highland High school. Northeast Bakersfield is, and always has been, his home.
The practice of orthodontics has come a long way since Dr. Ricks had braces. Dr. Ricks loves all the new advances in Orthodontics. He keeps up to date on all of the latest advances and has incorporated the best into his practice. Some of our favorites are: Digital scanning with ITERO instead of the goopy impressions, low radiation digital x-rays, 3D printers, IMAC computer systems and Acceladent.
Most people do not know that there is a difference between an orthodontic bracket purchased in China for pennies and the highest quality American made brackets. Dr. Ricks uses the highest quality bracket system on the market. These brackets are made by 3M a company who has been leading the orthodontic industry in innovation and quality for over 80 years. Each bracket is cast of the highest quality materials and comes in individually sterilized packages. The brackets have a state of the art adhesive preapplied which has been clinically proven to reduce the incidence of cavities. No expense has been spared when it comes to the building of your smile.
We are here to serve our neighbors in Northeast Bakersfield. We do not want which insurance you have to be a barrier between you and your new smile. We are in-network providers for many PPO insurances and accept all PPO insurances.
Your new smile is an investment. We understand that and want to help make your goal of the smile of your dreams a reality. To facilitate that we offer in-house financing with many different down payment and monthly payment options. And just to make your smile a little wider, our standard financing options are interest-free!
The dental board of California has strict rules regarding which duties within the practice of orthodontics have to done by an orthodontist and which duties can be delegated to assistants. Many of the duties that can be delegated must be done by special orthodontic assistants who have furthered their clinical training through additional schooling and certifications with the dental board of California. Dr. Ricks adheres strictly to the dental board of Californias regulations regarding which practices can only be done by an orthodontist. Dr. Ricks has gone to great lengths to make sure only assistants with proper board certifications are allowed to perform delegated duties. This level of adherence to board regulations is unfortunately rare in our community today.
On a bright and sunny day in February, Dr. Kenny Ricks was born in Van Nuys, CA, and shortly thereafter moved to Bakersfield. He attended Eissler Elementary, Chipman Jr. High and Highland High School. After serving a mission for his church, Dr. Ricks got his Bachelor of Science Degree at California State University-Bakersfield in 2009, majoring in biology and minoring in Chemistry. He then attended Loma Linda School of Dentistry, where he graduated with honors at the top of his class in 2013. After dental school, Dr. Ricks continued his education at University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine where he received a Masters degree in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics and his Orthodontic Certificate. In March 2016, he opened Ricks Family Orthodontics in his hometown of Bakersfield.
Dr. Ricks constantly reads current literature in orthodontics and attends multiple continuing education seminars each year to keep up-to-date with the latest innovations in the field. He is a member of the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Association of Orthodontics (AAO).
Obviously he spent a lot of time in school, but outside of school, Dr. Ricks is a husband and a father of four amazing kids. He says, My family is my life and my motivation for the way I practice orthodontics. All of my kids are fun and full of energy. Each have their own very distinct personality and different interests. I love watching them learn, grow and experience new things. One of the things I love about orthodontics is that I get to enjoy my patients fun personalities and watch as they grow over the time they are in treatment. Its an amazing blessing to be a part of their lives for a couple of years!
Dr. Ricks loves the outdoors. He spends his time outside, hiking, backpacking, fishing and playing a variety of sports. He also loves playing the guitar and the piano and listening to all kinds of music. Dr. Ricks is highly involved in his church and loves to volunteer as a soccer coach and referee.
Arnie Alban has been with the practice for over 10 years and is the glue that keeps the practice together! After a 6 month stint working for Bank, Arnie Alban decided the banking career was not for her and joined another local dentist before joining practice as a junior Dental Assistant with very little experience.