In the spirit of celerbrating 10 years of Toowong Orthodontics, we have interviewed Dr Faye Goodyear, the Owner and Principle Specialist Orthodontist.
1. What inspired you to purchase Toowong Orthodontics 10 years ago?
I love orthodontics, and I had always wanted to run my own practice. I had previously been in partnership, and when my work partner retired, I decided that buying the practice was the best step for me. It gave me the opportunity to run the practice in the way I wanted it to be run and to create the kind of practice I had always envisaged.
2. What was your vision for the practice when you first took over?
I wanted a modern, clean and well-run practice that was high-tech and kept up to date with new technology. At the same time, I wanted it to feel more like a boutique practice, where we could take the time to really get to know our patients and provide a very personalised service.
I also had a particular interest in multidisciplinary cases, especially surgical cases, so I wanted to be able to dedicate some of my time in practice to managing those more complex cases and working closely with other specialists and dentists.
3. What do you remember most about the very first day of being the owner?
I remember being incredibly stressed! The fit-out had run right down to the wire, so there was a lot happening at the last minute. It was also a huge step financially, taking on a significant amount of debt, and suddenly having responsibility for making all the decisions myself. It was exciting, but definitely quite daunting at the same time.
4. Looking back over the past decade, what are you most proud of?
I’m really proud of the staff who have been part of the practice over the years. Some of them have gone on to do further education, including one who went back to study dental hygiene. It’s been really rewarding to see people develop and progress in their own careers, and I’m proud that the practice has been able to be part of that journey.
5. What has been the biggest milestone for Toowong Orthodontics?
I think bringing on an associate has been a really significant milestone. We’ve also grown from a small practice of four of us to a team of seven, which has been a big change over the past decade. It’s been exciting to see the practice grow while still retaining the personal feel that was important to me from the beginning.
6. Is there a patient story or experience that has stayed with you over the years?
There are so many stories, but I think creating confidence for my patients is one of the biggest privileges of being an orthodontist, and something I’m very proud of.
We sometimes have patients who initially come in talking with their hand over their mouth because they’re embarrassed about their teeth or their smile. Getting to know them over the course of their treatment and then seeing how that confidence develops is incredibly rewarding. With younger patients, it’s lovely to see photos of them at their formals, for example, and with our adult patients, seeing photographs from their weddings or other important occasions is really special.
One particularly memorable moment was when a patient I’d treated as a teenager came back to see me with their own child, who now needed orthodontic treatment. Those sorts of moments make you feel very warm and fuzzy.
7. What do you hope every patient feels when they walk through our doors?
I hope patients feel confident that they’ve made a good choice in coming to our practice. I hope they look around and think that the practice is clean and well run, that we’re high-tech and up to date, but that we also have a personal touch. Most importantly, I hope every patient feels welcomed when they walk through the door.
8. What do you think makes Toowong Orthodontics different from other practices?
I hope the care and attention we give our patients shines through and that they feel we genuinely care about them. I also hope they feel that the practice has a happy vibe. We take what we do seriously, but I think it’s important that the environment is warm, friendly and enjoyable.
9. How has your philosophy of patient care changed over the past 10 years?
I think my philosophy has stayed very much the same. It’s about listening to patients and understanding what is important to them, and then providing individualised care based on their needs and circumstances.
My aim is always to treat each patient in the way that I would hope a member of my own family would be treated.
10. What has been the most rewarding part of helping patients achieve healthy, confident smiles?
Again, I think it comes back to the confidence we can bring to patients. It can almost be a sliding-door moment that changes how someone moves through life afterwards. Seeing that transformation in confidence, as well as the physical changes to their smile, is incredibly rewarding.
11. How important has your team been in the practice’s success?
Absolutely essential. I could never have achieved what I have without the dedicated staff I’ve been lucky enough to have in my practice.
It’s always sad when staff members move on, but we’ve had people leave to retire, to have families and to pursue other opportunities. Those things are wonderful and worth celebrating, even though we’re sad to see a team member leave.
My practice manager, Rachel, has been with me from the very start, and she has been a hugely important part of the success of the practice.
12. What has it been like watching staff grow through the years?
It’s been really rewarding. As I mentioned, we’ve seen staff have families, retire and move on to further study and new careers.
It’s a little bit like having your own children. You hope that you can give them confidence and skills, and that you’ve contributed something positive to their development. Although it’s always sad when people move on, you hope that you’ve played a small part in their working life and helped them along the way.
13. What are some of the biggest advances in orthodontics you’ve seen over the past decade?
I think the move to digital orthodontics has been the biggest change. We now use 3D digital scanners for almost all of our patients, which has very much taken over from traditional impressions.
Digital technology has been particularly helpful when there are a number of different treatment options. We can show patients treatment simulations, which helps them understand what each option might involve and make the decision that’s right for them.
We also now use digital bonding, which has made placing braces more accurate, quicker and easier for the patient, and hopefully helps to make treatment more efficient as well.
14. What exciting developments do you see shaping the future of orthodontics?
I think there’s no doubt that AI will increasingly come into orthodontic practices. However, I think there will always be a place for that personal touch.
Orthodontics is a mixture of science and art, and having a person behind the decisions will always be important. There may also be more sophisticated 3D software that can show patients how their face might change with orthodontic and surgical treatment. I think that’s an area that could become particularly interesting in the future.
15. What does being part of Toowong and the Greater Brisbane community mean to you?
I’ve always been driven to give back. Previously, I worked running Brisbane South for almost 10 years in the public service, and I’ve always felt strongly about contributing to the community.
I’m incredibly grateful to Australia. I moved here 21 years ago, and Australia has provided me with a number of opportunities that I most likely wouldn’t have had in the UK.
I like supporting local communities and have provided sponsorship to a number of local sports teams. I’m also involved with Traction, which is a charity that supports disengaged young people by providing opportunities, mentoring and support, with the aim of keeping them engaged in education and giving them opportunities they might not otherwise have had.
16. What has surprised you most about running your orthodontic practice?
I think the number of hours that people don’t see that go into running a small business has probably surprised me the most. There’s a huge amount of work that happens behind the scenes.
Having said that, I love the fact that I can run the practice how I want it to be run, rather than having those decisions dictated to me by, for example, a corporate organisation.
17. Outside of orthodontics, what keeps you motivated and inspired?
I love hearing about breakthroughs in science, and there are some incredibly talented orthodontists, both in Australia and overseas, who I’ve learned a huge amount from.
I also really enjoy cycling. I find that getting out on the bike and doing something completely unrelated to work is very good for my mental health. I enjoy both the cycling itself and, from time to time, competing as well.
18. What exciting plans do you have for the practice?
I’m hoping that Laura will increase the number of days that she works at the practice, which will allow us to continue to grow. There are also a few new pieces of technology that I’m looking at purchasing, so there are definitely some exciting things on the horizon.
19. How do you hope orthodontic care continues to evolve for future patients?
I think it would be fantastic if we could continue to minimise the side effects of orthodontic treatment and speed treatment up, while still staying within the biological limits of what is safe and appropriate for patients.
20. What message would you like to share with the patients and families who have supported Toowong Orthodontics over the past 10 years?
I’d just like to say a huge thank you for putting your trust in us. I hope we’ve been able to provide you and your families with good-quality, personalised care, and that you’ve enjoyed being part of the Toowong Orthodontics family.
