Flanagan Orthodontics staff showcase the Flanagan Orthodontics children’s waiting area which features a flat-screen TV, toys, a football shaped bean bag chair and an X-Box. From left are Dr. Tom Flanagan, billing coordinator Tiffany Volpe and treatment coordinator Christa Pettigrew.Flanagan Orthodontics is celebrating 26 years in business, but in a new, upscale building where Ringgold intersects Fort Oglethorpe.
“We customize the plan to each individual patient,” said Dr. Tom Flanagan. “When they come in we do a complimentary exam. We get a problem list and we figure out how to treat them. And we have lots of advancements in braces and techniques. We use a wand to scan the teeth 3-D.”
That no doubt has contributed to the business being named the Chattanooga Times Free Press’ Best of the Best Orthodontist by readers six years in a row.
“We try to stay new and on top of advancements,” said Flanagan. “I try to pretend it is my child in the chair. I treat them like they are family and give them the best care.”
His patients range in age from 4 to 75, he said.
“We have a good time and do good work,” said Flanagan. “One guy patient asked me to put him next to a certain girl next time so he could meet her. I said, ‘I’m not cupid, I’m fixing your teeth.'”
The business specializes in braces and Invisalign – similar to a retainer – to straighten teeth. In addition to clear braces, patients can opt for team colors, or even have their team’s decal printed on the portion that covers the roof of their mouth.
“I love fixing people’s smiles,” he said. “You give them a pretty smile and they appreciate it. I love that it’s non-invasive. I like being able to concentrate on one thing and be good at what I do.”
Flanagan sold his Hixson and Soddy-Daisy practice locations and moved from the one in Fort Oglethorpe down Battlefield Parkway to the new building last summer.
“It’s fun to come to work in a nice environment,” he said of the new office space. “The wall colors are calming. The interior looks nice. You can do a virtual tour of the office on our website.”
Treatment coordinator Christa Pettigrew has worked for Flanagan for 23 years. She said many patients like the long hours of availability.
“We are on call on weekends for emergencies,” said Pettigrew. “So if someone breaks a wire then we fix it.”
The practice’s regular hours are Monday-Thursday from 7:40 a.m. to 5 p.m. The office is normally closed Friday-Sunday.
To learn more, visit flanaganorthodontics.com or find “Flanagan Orthodontics” on Facebook. The office is at 28 Bragg Lane in Ringgold and can be reached by phone at 706-861-4114.