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 clear aligner 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.
Northern Virginia is a popular destination for both military families and families relocating to our beautiful local community. Our orthodontist, Dr. Lu, was raised in Northern Virginia and is a proud supporter of our military — and many of our friendly team members have military family backgrounds!
At First Impression Orthodontics, we have a firsthand understanding of the unique needs of our local military families and relocated families.
We’ve had the opportunity to treat many patients who transferred from another orthodontist due to a military PCS and various other reasons.
Some patients have called us asking, “what if I’m moving and I already have braces?” We help these patients transfer to our conveniently-located orthodontist office in Alexandria — where we provide modern orthodontics with advanced technologies, accept all PPO insurances (including United Concordia), offer flexible 0% interest in-house financing, and offer a special active duty military discount!
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.
As soon as you learn about your move, be sure to inform your current orthodontist. Giving them a heads-up early allows time to gather and share your treatment records with your new provider — hopefully First Impression Orthodontics!
If you paid-in-full for treatment, the financial coordinator of your current orthodontist 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 Alexandria (DMV, DC/MD/VA) or the surrounding communities of Lorton, Franconia, Kingstowne, Springfield, Newington, Mount Vernon or Fort Belvoir, come see us for a complimentary consultation with our highly-experienced doctor, Dr. Lu!
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? First Impression Orthodontics has over 580 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? The practice’s online presence should be indicative of their patient experience.
Check out the doctor(s)’ pages; do they have the experience you’re looking for? Dr. Lu is recognized as one of the region’s top orthodontists! He has extensive experience with complex cases requiring orthognathic jaw surgery (as a former member of the VCU Craniofacial/Facial Reconstruction Team.) He’s known not only for his extensive skill, but for his caring nature and passion for helping people too. Learn more about Dr. Lu!
Do they provide the same type of treatment that you’re currently in – braces or clear aligners – or a new, innovative orthodontic treatment, like high-efficiency self-ligating (tie-less) braces?
And most importantly, does your new orthodontist accept transfer patients? At First Impression Orthodontics, we’ve welcomed many families who moved to Northern Virginia!
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 First Impression Orthodontics, Dr. Lu will perform a complimentary, full assessment of your smile to create a personalized treatment plan that picks up where your last orthodontist left off.
We’ll then work out a payment plan to cover the cost of your remaining treatment, calculating your remaining insurance coverage, factoring in your active duty military discount, and developing a flexible financing plan with 0% interest.
We’re proud to support our military!
If you’re in a military family, thank you for your service! We’d be honored to serve you, and we’re proud to offer you a special military discount on treatment.
Our team understands the unique flexibility that military families and other families who move frequently require throughout treatment.
We treat patients from nearby military bases: Fort Belvoir, Fort Myer (Joint Base Myer – Henderson Hall), Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling (JBAB), Joint Base Andrews (Andrews Air Force Base), The Pentagon, and Marine Corps Base Quantico. We also see some amazing patients who moved from different states and cities throughout the country!
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. No matter where you’re coming from, we’re here to support you in managing your transfer with minimal stress.
Looking for a new orthodontist?
If you’re looking for “orthodontists that accept transfer patients near me”, we’d love to meet you! Dr. Lu and our awesome team at First Impression Orthodontics are more than happy to accept you and continue your journey to a beautiful new smile.
- Explore all of our orthodontic treatment options.
- We offer different types of braces and clear aligners (Invisalign®, Angel Aligner™ and our very own clear aligners printed in-house!)
- Find out what makes us Alexandria’s go-to family orthodontist.
- Learn more about our flexible financing options.
- Hear reviews directly from our patients!
And finally, book your complimentary consultation at our Alexandria orthodontic office. 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!
You can also feel free to text or call us at 703-822-0010!
