I’ve always believed what we do at ARCH Orthodontics goes far beyond straightening teeth. We have the opportunity to transform confidence, change how people see themselves, and sometimes make a profound difference in their lives.
Zack Bern, a Westwood High School senior, is a powerful example of why that belief means so much to me, and I’m so happy he agreed to share his experience so other people can understand how transformational a new smile can be. Today, after going through our treatment process, Zack is a captain of the Westwood soccer team, preparing for the next chapter of his life with a newfound confidence, happiness, and comfort in his own skin, but that wasn’t always the case.
“I had two huge gaps in my mouth,” Zack remembers. “You look in the mirror, and you see yourself, and you think you’re not a good-looking person.”
For a young boy navigating middle school, those feelings were devastating. Zack became painfully self-conscious about his appearance, particularly his smile.
“I would not smile with my mouth open,” he said. “I’d kind of smirk because I didn’t feel comfortable smiling. I’d always assume people would react to my teeth.”
Think about that for a moment. A young person experiencing happiness but feeling unable to fully express it. Brutal.
When Zack began orthodontic treatment, we talked about what was possible. I could envision the smile we were working toward, but asking someone who has struggled with his appearance for years to imagine a different reality isn’t all that easy.
“I was in a little bit of disbelief at the beginning,” Zack admits. “I’d hear from Dr. Chase, hear from my parents, ‘You’re going to develop this perfect smile,’ but at the time, I’d never experienced that.”
Gradually, as his treatment progressed, Zack began seeing the changes. His teeth came together. His confidence grew, and something remarkable happened.
He started smiling!
“Now, obviously, I smile a lot,” said Zack. “I’m really comfortable smiling. I love smiling. It’s how you express being happy. When you’re not fully smiling, you’re kind of suppressing your happiness a little bit.”
That observation captures something extraordinarily important about orthodontics. A smile isn’t simply about appearance. It’s about allowing the happiness inside you to become visible to the world.
“The difference is insane,” Zack says. “My smile is pretty much picture-perfect. I’m so grateful for what Dr. Chase has done with my teeth.”
Zack also learned that transformation requires patience, discipline, and commitment. After some early challenges with his braces, he became more diligent about following the instructions we gave him about what to eat and what to avoid to make sure the braces didn’t break.
“The happiness I’ve had in my life that stems from just smiling, it matters so much,” he said.
As Zack enjoys his senior year at Westwood High School and embraces everything that comes next, he was more than willing to offer some words of wisdom to young people who might be struggling with the same insecurities he once faced.
“It gets better,” he said. “It takes time, but you’re going to be at such a good place. Be patient and just know there’s a better time coming. You’re going to feel really good about yourself when it’s all done.”
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
We don’t just transform smiles, we help people discover the confidence to share their happiness with the world, and seeing Zack smile today is a wonderful reminder of why I love what I do.
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