How Many Orthodontists Can Say They've Been in Every Seat in a Practice?

On this episode of Smile Doctors Off Mute, Dr. Scott Law interviews Dr. Kathleen Pale (Orthodontics Limited in Pennsylvania), whose journey through orthodontics began long before dental school.

At eight years old, Dr. Pale was a phase-one patient to treat her high, narrow palate. By sixteen, she started working as a sterile tech in the very practice that treated her. Over the years, she sterilized instruments, assisted chairside, worked at the front desk, managed records, jumped into lab work, and even spent time in general dentistry. Those experiences have shaped the kind of orthodontist, community advocate, and parent she is today.

Having come full circle, now Dr. Pale reassures nervous kids who are in the same chair she sat in, receiving the same treatment she did as a young girl.

Dr. Pale opens up about when she first fell in love with orthodontics, how mentorship played a significant role in her early career, and why parenthood has added a new dimension to her work.

Tune in for a heartfelt conversation about leadership grounded in lived experiences — the kind earned by rolling up your sleeves and doing the hard work. Here’s what you’ll take from this jam-packed episode:

💪 How working every role in a practice shaped Dr. Pale’s leadership style

🎓 Dr. Pale’s unique educational and professional path, from her first job in high school through dental school and orthodontic residency

⛰️ The mentors who opened doors along the way, and how she pays their guidance and generosity forward today

❤️ Why becoming a parent changed the way she relates to patients and their families

MORE INFO

Smile Doctors partnership opportunities: https://smiledoctorspartners.com/

Orthodontics Limited in Pennsylvania: https://www.orthodonticslimited.com/

Email Dr. Kathleen Pale: [email protected]

Find and follow Orthodontics Limited on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ortholimited/

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