Why DFW Moms Are Choosing Elate Orthodontics for Their Kids
Serving Frisco, The Colony, Prosper, Little Elm, Plano, Lewisville, Carrollton, and Aubrey
By Dr. Kevin Baharvand DMD MS. Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontics. Cover clinician, American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. Co-founder, Elate Orthodontics.
Every week, families walk into one of our three offices and say some version of the same thing: “Our neighbor sent us. Her daughter just finished treatment here.” That pattern, from Tribute to Windsong Ranch to Castle Hills to Star Trail, is not an accident. It reflects something specific about how we practice and who we are.
This post is for any DFW family still weighing their options. I want to explain honestly what drives that word-of-mouth and what you should actually look for when choosing an orthodontist for your child.
The Corporate Orthodontic Problem in North Texas
Most orthodontic offices that have opened across Frisco, Prosper, and The Colony in the last five years are owned by private equity groups or dental service organizations. The doctors are employees. The business model runs on volume, with as many patients through the chair as possible, as fast as possible.
That model has real consequences for your child:
🔹 You may meet the doctor at the consultation and rarely see them again
🔹 Treatment decisions get delegated to assistants or coordinators
🔹 Cases that are not tracking correctly go unnoticed longer
🔹 Treatment timelines stretch past the original estimate
Dr. Julia Kang and I started Elate in 2019 specifically because we saw this problem up close. We are the owners. We see every patient. We make every clinical decision. When your child’s treatment finishes ahead of schedule, which happens regularly, it is because someone with full clinical accountability was watching that case from start to finish.
What Board Certification Actually Means for Your Child
Any licensed dentist can call themselves an orthodontist in marketing materials. The American Board of Orthodontics certification is different. It requires passing written and clinical examinations that fewer than 30% of practicing orthodontists complete. I renewed my Diplomate status in 2026.
Beyond board certification, my clinical research was selected for the cover of the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, the highest-impact peer-reviewed journal in the specialty. Dr. Kang holds a DMD MS from Boston University and is a member of the Omicron Kappa Upsilon national dental honor society. We lecture nationally on aligner therapy and mentor other orthodontists on complex case management.
I share this not to impress you, but because it directly affects your child’s outcome. The doctor reviewing your child’s records, designing their treatment plan, and monitoring every adjustment is operating at the level of someone who publishes in and teaches from the orthodontic literature.
✔️ Board-certified orthodontist, renewed Diplomate status 2026
✔️ Cover clinician, American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
✔️ National lecturer on aligner therapy
✔️ Both doctors are Boston University DMD MS graduates
✔️ Omicron Kappa Upsilon national dental honor society members
Why Families Choose Elate. By Community.
Tribute, Phillips Creek Ranch, Lone Star Ranch, Hollyhock
Frisco is the only market in North Texas where we operate two offices. West Frisco at FM 423 and Lebanon Road, and North Frisco at University Drive and 380 across from Cook Children’s Medical Center. Both share the same doctors, same technology, and same clinical standards. If your schedule changes, you can switch locations without starting over.
Windsong Ranch, Star Trail, Lilyana, Magnolia
Prosper grew from fewer than 10,000 residents in 2010 to one of the fastest-growing municipalities in the United States. That growth brought corporate orthodontic chains that scaled for volume. Prosper families who have been to both tell us the difference is immediate. The wait times, the rotating providers, the sense that no one really knows their child’s case. Our North Frisco office on 380 serves Prosper families directly, and most tell us their treatment finishes faster than they were quoted elsewhere.
Castle Hills, Lake Lewisville Corridor
The Colony is where Elate was founded. We earned Best New Business from The Colony Chamber of Commerce in 2019 and back-to-back Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite recognition. Many of our Colony patients are second or third children from the same family, which is the most honest signal of trust in orthodontic care. You do not send your third kid somewhere unless the first two had a genuinely good experience.
Little Elm, The Shores, Lakeside
Little Elm families are often surprised by how close we are and more surprised by the difference between a board-certified specialist practice and a general dentist offering orthodontics as a side service. Orthodontists complete two to three additional years of specialty training beyond dental school, focused entirely on tooth movement, jaw development, and bite mechanics. We see Little Elm families at both our Colony and West Frisco locations.
West Plano, Legacy Corridor
Plano has more orthodontic options per square mile than almost anywhere in DFW. What Plano families tell us sets Elate apart is the transparency. They know exactly what their child’s treatment plan is, what each phase costs, and what the finish line looks like before they sign anything. We do not pressure families at consultations. We give them the information they need to make the right decision, even if that decision is to wait.
Castle Hills, Hebron Corridor, Prestonwood
Families from Lewisville and Carrollton most commonly come to our Colony location via Hebron Parkway, a straightforward drive that takes less time than they expect. Both cities have corporate orthodontic offices, and families who have tried them describe the same experience: long waits, inconsistent providers, and treatment that drags past the original estimate. Our Colony office runs on time. You will rarely wait more than a few minutes past your appointment.
Savannah, Cross Oak Ranch, Union Park
Aubrey is growing fast and the specialist orthodontic options locally have not kept pace. Families from Savannah, Cross Oak Ranch, and surrounding communities make the drive to our North Frisco location on 380 because they want a board-certified specialist, not a general dentist doing orthodontics as a side service. Most tell us the drive is worth it and their treatment finished sooner than expected.
Three Locations. One Standard of Care.
West Frisco Office
FM 423 and Lebanon Road, next to the UPS Store
Serving Tribute, Phillips Creek Ranch, Lone Star Ranch, and west Frisco families.
The Colony Office
Highway 121 and FM 423, next to Ross Dress for Less
Serving Castle Hills, Lewisville, Carrollton, and The Colony families.
North Frisco / Prosper Office
University Drive on Highway 380, across from Cook Children’s Medical Center
Serving Hollyhock, Windsong Ranch, Prosper, Aubrey, and north Frisco families.
Treatments Built for Every Stage of Life
Elate handles the full range of orthodontic care for children, teens, and adults. Treatment plans are not templated. Every plan is designed around the individual patient’s records, bite, growth stage, and goals.
📌 Phase 1 early orthodontic treatment for intercepting bite and growth problems before they compound
📌 Traditional metal braces and clear ceramic braces
📌 Invisalign and Angel Aligners, one of the largest Angel Aligner providers in DFW
📌 Airway orthodontics for mouth breathing, sleep-disordered breathing, and jaw development issues
📌 Palate expanders for crowding and crossbite correction
A Note on How to Actually Choose an Orthodontist
Most families choose an orthodontist based on proximity, price, or a Google ad. I would encourage you to add three questions to that process:
🔹 Is the treating doctor board-certified? Ask specifically. Not “are you experienced” but whether they hold Diplomate status from the American Board of Orthodontics.
🔹 Will I see the same doctor at every visit? In corporate practices the answer is often no. In a private practice it should always be yes.
🔹 Can you show me cases similar to my child’s? A confident specialist will show you before and after records. A practice running on volume will redirect you to testimonials.
We welcome all three questions at our consultation. We will answer them directly. And if for any reason we are not the right fit for your child’s case, we will tell you that too.
Flexible Financing That Actually Works
Cost is the number one reason families delay orthodontic treatment. Elate works with most major PPO insurance plans and offers 0% interest financing, in-house payment plans, and Cherry financing for families who need more flexibility. HSA and FSA dollars apply to orthodontic treatment.
We verify your benefits before your consultation so you walk in knowing your out-of-pocket before you make any decisions. Most families with orthodontic benefits see their insurance cover between $1,500 and $3,500 of treatment.
Use the Elate Finance Calculator to get a ballpark estimate before you come in. We do not pressure families at consultations. If the timing or budget is not right, we will tell you what to watch for and when to come back.
1,000+ Five-Star Reviews Across Three Locations
Elate has over 1,000 five-star reviews across Google, Nextdoor, and Facebook. These are not reviews from a first visit. They are from families who went through 12 to 24 months of active treatment and came back to say thank you.
Volume and consistency of reviews at this level, across three locations over several years, is harder to fake than a single high rating. It reflects families from Tribute to Windsong Ranch to Castle Hills who trusted us with their children and had a genuinely good experience.
✔️ Over 1,000 five-star reviews across Google, Nextdoor, and Facebook
✔️ Readers’ Choice Best Orthodontist, The Colony
✔️ Best New Business, The Colony Chamber of Commerce 2019
✔️ Back-to-back Nextdoor Neighborhood Favorite
✔️ Best Orthodontic Practice, Denton County
Schedule a Free Consultation
The first step is a free consultation with Dr. Baharvand or Dr. Kang. Not a coordinator, not an assistant. One of the doctors. We will evaluate your child’s smile, explain what we see, give you a specific treatment timeline and cost, and answer every question you have. You will leave with a complete picture whether or not you decide to start treatment that day.
Most families tell us the consultation alone was worth the drive.
Schedule your free consultation and choose your closest location →
Call or text us at 972-538-4343
