FYI

Dr. Jason VanLue of VanLue Orthodontics in Las Vegas, NV appreciates perfection. Whether it’s changing someone’s life by giving them that dazzling smile they’ve always wanted, or taking care of the classic cars he owns, he makes sure that every detail is covered.

Dr. VanLue took some time out of his packed schedule to talk a little with us about orthodontics, his practice and, of course, his love of cars.
 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

I was born and raised in Indiana, and I currently live in Las Vegas, where I’ve lived for over 25 years.

I started out in college wanting to be a mechanical engineer. I always liked doing hands-on things, fixing cars — a lot of hands-on creativity and dealing with aesthetics. But my brother-in-law is a dentist, and my sister is a dental hygienist. They told me I might want to check out the dental field. So, I did and ended up switching from mechanical engineering to dentistry. I graduated from UNLV School of Dental Medicine and specialized in orthodontics. I’ve been working now for 13 years, and I opened my own practice at the end of 2020.

Going into private practice has allowed me to provide great orthodontic care and treat patients within a friendly environment with top-notch customer service. I’ve tried to make the office reflect my personality, and so I’ve hung pictures of my favorite classic cars everywhere. It makes the office a little more friendly, and the kids love them.
 

Why did you decide to become an orthodontist?

I enjoyed the restorative part of general dentistry, and I think that’s what drew me to orthodontics — the cosmetic part, the aesthetics, the symmetry, the detailed aspects of moving teeth and changing bites. As I mentioned, I was a mechanical engineering major at first. And when I went into orthodontics, I discovered that it’s basically mechanical engineering in the mouth. So, it’s come full circle.
 

You describe “WOW” moments when a person gets their braces removed. What’s a significant moment you can recall?

What I really enjoy doing is trying to get everything as perfect as possible and give that pleasing smile where everything fits together. And yeah, those wow moments are the ones where you can just tell you’ve changed someone’s life.

I remember an adult who was in his late 20s, and his job put him out in the public interacting with people quite a bit. He had a fair amount of work that needed to be done. To see the transformation when we took his braces off was a special moment.

You see people smile for the first time and even shed some tears. You can tell you’ve made a huge impact on their life. Their self-esteem and self-confidence grow, and it allows people to smile confidently and look at someone and talk and not be embarrassed by their teeth.
 

Tell us about a typical day. What kind of patients do you see?

We usually set up longer appointments in the morning. Those include placing or removing braces. Most of the afternoon and early evening are all filled with shorter appointments where adjustments are done. Consultation appointments are available all day.

With the shorter appointments, we can accommodate as many people as possible, including kids who have been in school all day. The day also consists of making retainers for people who have had their braces removed or those who need new ones.
 

What technological advances and trends do you see happening in orthodontics?

I’m impressed with the advances we’re currently seeing. In the past, orthodontists used to create impressions with a moldable material to make appliances, retainers and aligners. Now we can use a 3-D scanner to create a file that can be converted into a tangible model where those devices can be made.

This allows us to be more precise, and the tools and technology we’re using mean patients won’t be in for adjustments as much. It’s easier and more convenient, and that’s a great key to customer service.
 

You’re very active in your local community. Tell us about the work you do.

We’re a community partner, so we try to be as active as we possibly can to support the local schools and community events and help give back in any way possible. Whether it’s an event at the park like a 5K run, stargazing party or food trucks, we’re there supporting the cause, handing out things for the kids and informing people about what we do. We also support the local schools. In fact, our office is located close to the schools, and a couple are within a five-minute walk. We sponsor the high school football team as well.

I’m proud to be a part of this community, and I try to participate as much as I can while I’m away from the office.
 

What do you like to do in your free time?

I have three children, so I spend a lot of time supporting them in their extracurricular activities, which include basketball, jujitsu and soccer.

I do enjoy cars — classic and muscle cars. So, I try to get to whatever kind of car shows that might be around. Due to the amount of time involved, I don’t usually enter my cars and show them, but we try to go. I’m lucky that my family enjoys attending these events and appreciates old cars. We try to do as many things together as we can, especially if it’s outdoors. 

Congratulations to Dr. Jason VanLue on being named our Dental Health Partner of the Month! Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts with us.