Meet the Doctors | About Our Staff | Office Policies | Start-Up Visits
Hamilton Orthodontists, Dr. Taylor and Dr. Edwards, both love the long-term differences they make in people's lives through orthodontic treatment. The degree of improved self-esteem is a universal benefit. They enjoy watching the positive effect their treatment has on their patients, and feel fortunate to be able to offer such a service.
Dr. Michael Taylor
Dr. Taylor, after only one year of university, received early acceptance to the Doctor of Dental Surgery Program at the University of Toronto. Upon graduation he was accepted as a dental resident at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto. This also involved providing general dental treatment in remote areas of North Western Ontario. The following year he entered the orthodontic graduate program at the University of Toronto. He was a part-time clinical instructor in the undergraduate department of orthodontics at the University of Toronto for six years. He is presently on the graduate faculty and is an instructor in the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Toronto. He assists graduate dentists in their training to become certified orthodontists. He instructs in the specialized area in the treatment of craniofacial anomalies and other significant facial growth disturbances and facial differences.
Dr. Taylor has been a staff orthodontist at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto since 1980. He is extensively involved in the treatment of Cleft Lip and Palate, as well as a variety of Craniofacial Anomalies (facial growth disturbances). These treatments are by far the most challenging and complex of all orthodontic care. He has served on the executives for the Hamilton Academy of Dentistry and the Ontario Association of Orthodontists. He eventually became the president of The Ontario Association of Orthodontists and received their distinguished service award.
Dr. Taylor believes firmly that one of the responsibilities of a professional is to give back to the community. He is involved in fundraising for several charitable organizations, and is closely involved in a non-profit senior’s residence and nursing home. He also loves the outdoors and enjoys scuba diving, biking, hiking, skiing, and canoe tripping with family.
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Dr. Lance Edwards
Dr. Edwards received his D.D.S. degree from the University of Toronto, Faculty of Dentistry in 2000 where he graduated with honours. He furthered his general dental education by completing a hospital dental residency at the Toronto General Hospital in 2001, where he became proficient in the management of dental emergencies and treating medically-compromised individuals. Following that year, Dr. Edwards practiced general dentistry in the Greater Toronto area until July 2002 when he attended the University of Rochester Eastman Dental Center for orthodontic specialty training. Dr. Edwards received his certificate in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics in June 2004 and his Fellowship of Royal College of Dentists of Canada for the specialty of Orthodontics in September 2004.
Dr. Edwards enjoys working with both children and adults, helping them to achieve a healthy and beautiful smile. His philosophy is to provide the best orthodontic treatment possible to promote self-confidence and better oral health in a fun, friendly and caring environment. When not practicing orthodontics, Dr. Edwards enjoys spending time with his family, playing hockey, golf and outdoor activities at the cottage.
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All our staff are highly trained and committed to providing a personal and professional approach towards our patients and their orthodontic care. We recognize that our success is a direct result of our attention to every detail and the importance of treating each patient as we would our own family.
Our hygienists are all fully trained in orthodontics, including the most challenging of orthodontic care involving cleft lip and palate and craniofacial anomalies. Our staff maintains their commitment to providing our patients with the most up to date techniques through continuing education workshops and courses throughout the year, including C.P.R. Many of our office administrators are also trained dental assistants and all have a thorough understanding of orthodontic treatment.
We understand that good communication between the patient, the family, the orthodontist and other dental specialists is vital to the ultimate success of the treatment; we make this one of our priorities.
Most importantly, we appreciate that when our patients decide to proceed with orthodontic treatment, it is the beginning of a long term and special relationship. Our goal is to make this relationship one of those experiences remembered as being positive and valuable.
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Monday to Thursday from 8:15am to 4:30pm.
We schedule appointments for our patients Monday to Thursday from 8:15am to 4:30pm.
Our administrative office is open from 8:15am to 11:45am on Friday to assist you with any questions or concerns you may have. Appointment date and times can be checked anytime online by logging onto our website. We will be happy to assist you with your registration.
Appointments
When we place your orthodontic appliances (brackets, expanders, headgear, etc.) the appointment time can be as short as thirty minutes or as long as two hours. The length of time depends on the type of appliance Dr. Taylor or Dr. Edwards has prescribed for you. You’ll then see us at regular intervals of six to twelve weeks, with most visits being approximately 15 to 30 minutes. At these regular adjustment appointments and under the direction of Drs Taylor and Edwards, our hygienists will adjust your orthodontic appliances to facilitate your treatment. It is very important that you keep your appointments in order for your estimated treatment time to stay on schedule. We have arranged our schedule to allow our appointments to run efficiently and on time throughout the day. In fairness to the other scheduled patients, we may not be able to squeeze a late arrival into the schedule. We may have to reschedule the appointment for another day, unless there is an opening available that we did not expect. We will do our best to accommodate you with the appointment time of your choice; however, depending on the type of appointment required we may not always be able to do so. Should you need to change an appointment please contact the office during office hours. This will allow you to speak directly to one of our receptionists and reschedule the appointment in a timely manner. Please keep in mind we do require 24 hours notice for appointment changes.
Emergency Appointments
In orthodontics minor emergencies sometimes arise. Examples of emergencies are: tissue irritation resulting from appliances or retainers, discomfort from poking wires, loose or broken brackets and bands, lost or broken appliances and retainers. We have assigned specific times within our schedule to see to our emergency appointments. We will only see patients who have scheduled appointments. When the office is closed for holidays we arrange for another orthodontist to care for our patients who may require urgent care. For several immediate care options please click on "instructional video" located in the left menu and select the emergency video option. Please feel confident that in the event of an emergency you will always be cared for.
Financial Considerations
The cost of orthodontic treatment depends on the severity of the patient’s problem and the length of time required to complete the treatment. You will be able to discuss fees and payment options with Natalie or Dianne at the consultation appointment prior to treatment. We have various interest-free payment options and work hard to make orthodontics affordable. In the event you have orthodontic insurance we will also prepare the necessary forms you require to submit for coverage approval. For your convenience, we accept payment by cash, cheque, Visa, MasterCard and debit card.
Wheelchair Accessibility
We have a wheelchair accessible entrance available via our rear entrance. Please provide advance notice if you require the use of this entrance, so that we can be ready to assist you.
Our Accessibility Policy
In accordance with the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005, we have established an office accessibility policy and trained our staff to follow its directives.
Our orthodontic office is dedicated to the use of reasonable efforts to ensure that our policies, practices and procedures are consistent with and meet the requirements of the Accessibility Standard for Customer Service, Ontario Regulations 429/07 under the Accessibility of Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005.
We are committed to providing persons with disabilities an opportunity equal to that given to others to obtain, use, and benefit from the orthodontic services available in our office. We extend this commitment to include the families, support person, or service animals that accompany and assist a patient during their visit to our office. Our orthodontic services will be provided in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities. If necessary, we will work with persons with disabilities to assist them in identifying alternative means to access orthodontic services.
Our altimate goal is to meet and surpass patient expectations while serving people with disabilities. If you wish to view our Accessible Customer Service Policy you can request one from our administrative staff.
If you have accessibility requirements and require the use of our wheelchair accessible entrance please provide advance notice so we can be ready to assist you.
First Visit
Your first visit to see Dr. Taylor and Dr. Edwards will be very straightforward and easy. We will be asking you to complete a medical questionnaire upon your arrival. Natalie or Dianne, our new patient coordinators, will then introduce you to our office. The doctor will then conduct a clinical orthodontic examination and will discuss his findings in detail with you.
Dr. Taylor and Dr. Edwards will be able to inform you if orthodontic treatment is required at this time or in the future and answer any questions you may have. Our goal is to have you leave our office informed and comfortable with the new information you have been given. We appreciate you are probably hearing about orthodontics for the first time so we have allowed enough time for the doctor to answer all the questions you may have, so please do not feel rushed.
Observation Visit
If, after Dr. Taylor's or Dr. Edward's clinical examination, the doctor does not feel that treatment is recommended at this time he may decide to schedule an observation appointment for a later date. This appointment is usually a quick appointment to check dental development and determine if the patient is ready to commence orthodontic treatment.
Diagnostic Visit
If treatment is recommended, Dr. Taylor and Dr. Edwards will require diagnostic records. The Doctors will analyze the records to determine a custom treatment plan for each patient. Complete diagnostic records typically include photographs, x-rays and impressions to make study models.
Consultation Visit
Dr. Taylor and Dr. Edwards will discuss, in detail, their orthodontic treatment recommendations. Natalie or Dianne, will review the recommended treatment, answer any additional questions you may have, schedule appointments to commence treatment and discuss financial arrangements.