Much More than Straight Teeth
Led by founder Dr. Jake Dorfman, Dorfman Orthodontic Group makes a lasting difference by enhancing smiles of all ages, uplifting the communities it serves, and philanthropy.
by Erica Young

Home means something different to everyone. When Jake Dorfman, D.M.D., M.S., thinks about home, words such as “community,” “connection,” and “happiness” spring to mind.

In January 2020, when Dr. Dorfman launched Dorfman Orthodontic Group (DOG Ortho, for short), he saw it as a literal homecoming to the Bucks County community that shaped him. A graduate of Council Rock High School South in Holland, Dr. Dorfman left the area to attend Penn State University and later completed his dental and orthodontic specialty training at the Temple University Kornberg School of Dentistry in Philadelphia.
 
“When it came time for me to open my own practice, I knew a few things,” says Dr. Dorfman. “I knew I wanted to provide a personalized, fun orthodontic experience. I also knew I wanted to stand for much more than just straight teeth. I wanted to make an impact on the community and be part of the area that we were serving.”
 
However, the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic soon after opening stalled much of his plans. The ensuing time gave Dr. Dorfman a chance to focus on what really mattered. As things began to slowly get back to normal, his vision for DOG Ortho of giving back and finding ways to engage with the community began to be realized.
 
“The mission of our practice is to spread happiness with every smile,” he says. “That means creating confident smiles and getting out there in the community to impact our patients and families lives, whether that’s working with local schools, sports teams, or some other worthy cause.”
 
Dr. Dorfman and the staff at DOG Ortho have since jumped into the fray with both feet—sponsoring youth sports teams, raising the profile of other local small businesses, and celebrating wins with their patients at every level. Browse the DOG Ortho Instagram page (@Dog_Orthodontics), and you’ll find members of the DOG Ortho team out and about in the community, sharing giveaways, celebrating milestones with their patients, and hosting charity events.
 
“Philanthropy and our patient community are pillars of our practice,” Dr. Dorfman explains. “As part of our mission to spread happiness, we work with our patients to raise money and donate to charities in our community.”
 
DOG Ortho forms a philanthropic relationship with every patient on Day One; at the start of every braces or Invisalign treatment, the team allots funds to be donated to an annual charity. From there, the DOG Ortho team members research and nominate charities to support, and the patients and families of the practice then vote on which charity will receive the donation. It is truly a DOG Ortho community effort, and the winning charities so far have included St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and the Bucks County SPCA.
 
“Our team was able to go to the Bucks County SPCA together and bring them this check that was raised with the support of our patients, and meet the people and the animals this money was directly impacting,” says Dr. Dorfman. “It was a great way to see our mission in action, and we’re excited to continue that into the future.”
 
Community engagement extends far beyond the practice’s philanthropic endeavors. DOG Ortho’s Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok pages include reels and posts celebrating new smiles as well as posts from Dr. Dorfman focusing on orthodontic education and community involvement. In addition, he has hosted dental education presentations in local schools—one focusing on dental health and orthodontics, and another focusing on orthodontics as a career choice for older kids and teenagers.
 
“Dental education and teaching kids about proper oral hygiene while in braces has always been important to me,” he adds. “The school presentations are really fun for everyone. By the end the kids are out of their seats, shouting and laughing. Much like our practice, I’ve worked really hard at making the environment educational but also welcoming and a lot of fun.”
 
Patient education is an essential part of the DOG Kids Club and the “Everyone Smiles” program, a DOG Ortho creation that encourages patient compliance through prizes, contests, giveaways, and more. The DOG Ortho website includes information for all ages to help patients and prospective patients understand DOG Ortho’s unique approach, detailing braces and Invisalign treatment, and highlighting flexible financial options for families.
 
Each of DOG Ortho’s two Bucks County offices—one in Southampton, another in Bensalem—has been remodeled to match the “DOG” vibe; for anyone who has not yet seen one of the offices, expect lots of bright colors and welcoming spaces to offer a fun, comfortable visit for all ages. Dr. Dorfman says this includes the rising population of adult patients who want to transform their smiles by way of clear aligner therapy such as Invisalign.
 
“For the last few years, a lot of adults have sat in a Zoom meeting and taken more notice of that gap between their front teeth or crooked lower front teeth,” says Dr. Dorfman. “We are able to offer fast, easy solutions for adults, like Invisalign, which can be as short as three to six months of treatment and with lower fees that reflect this.”
 
DOG Ortho is constantly reinventing itself to better serve patients. Dr. Dorfman cites the introduction of new 3D digital scanners to eliminate traditional goopy impressions. In addition, DOG Ortho has rolled out custom take-home and in-office teeth whitening packages as an extension of patients’ orthodontic treatments.
 
“Every decision we make is with the intention of maintaining the highest quality of care and improving the patient experience,” says Dr. Dorfman. “We always say that we stand for more than straight teeth, and we’ll continue to give back to our local communities and make an impact.”
 
Dorfman Orthodontic Group
dog-ortho.com
 
345 Knowles Ave.
Southampton, PA 18966
(215) 357-7003
 
3101 Bristol Road  
Bensalem, PA 19020
(215) 750-1900
 
Photo by Dani Drew Photography
 
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Life, December 2023
 

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