Choosing an orthodontist is a bigger decision than it looks from a page of search results. You’ll likely see this person every couple of months for a year or more, and the care you get shapes how your smile looks and feels for decades. Families across Broomfield and North Denver have plenty of options, so it helps to know what to look for before you book a consultation.
The 10 questions below come straight from conversations we have with families at Wildflower Orthodontics. Bring them to any consultation you schedule. For each one, we’ll explain why it matters and then share how we answer it ourselves.
1: Is the Doctor a Board-Certified Orthodontist?
While a licensed dentist can legally offer braces or clear aligners without any extra training, there’s specialized training you’re going to get with an orthodontist that you won’t get with a dentist. In fact, Dr. Keri points out that orthodontics makes up just less than 1% of a typical four-year dental school curriculum.
Orthodontists complete two to three additional years of specialty training after dental school, focusing on how teeth, jaws, and faces develop and move. Board certification goes one step further, with additional testing that demonstrates clinical excellence and a thorough understanding of orthodontic research.
Dr. Keri Kenning of Wildflower Orthodontics is a board-certified orthodontist, as well as a part-time educator at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, where she teaches orthodontic residents the Damon Ultima braces system. Her background includes four to five years on Invisalign’s University and Early Career Advisory Board, along with published orthodontic research.
2: Is It a Private Practice or Part of a Corporation?
Many orthodontic offices are now owned by large corporate groups, which can add layers between you and the person making decisions about your care. In a private practice, however, the doctor who treats you is also the one setting the standards.
Wildflower Orthodontics is a private, female-owned practice in Broomfield. When you call or text, you’ll reach our team in the office, and the same people get to know you by name over the course of treatment. When Dr. Chris Biety retired in December 2025 after 40 years of serving Broomfield, Dr. Keri, a fellow Creighton Dental School graduate, opened Wildflower Orthodontics to carry that same standard of care forward.
3: Will I See the Same Orthodontist at Every Major Appointment?
Some practices rotate patients between several doctors, and Colorado allows orthodontists to delegate a large share of treatment to dental assistants. With this in mind, it’s worth asking who will actually be in the room at your appointments, especially the big ones, like getting your braces on and off.
At Wildflower Orthodontics, Dr. Keri sees patients at nearly every appointment and makes the clinical decisions herself. She personally places and removes braces instead of handing those steps to an assistant. Because your treatment and financial plans are handled under one roof by one doctor and one team, your care stays smooth and connected from start to finish.
4: Is My Treatment Plan Built Around Me?
Every smile deserves its own way of blooming. A good orthodontist builds your plan around your teeth, your goals, and your daily routine, and tells you honestly when one option fits better than another.
Dr. Keri sees Damon braces and Invisalign® clear aligners as different tools for different jobs. Her first question is whether you can realistically wear aligners about 22 hours a day. If not, braces are often the better fit, and when both can deliver the result you want, she’ll walk you through the trade-offs and let you choose. For kids, she’s intentionally conservative, only recommending early treatment when it’s truly needed, and when it’s not, tracking growth with complimentary check-ins through our Kids’ Club Observation Program.
5: Does the Doctor Use Modern Technology?
Orthodontics is detailed work, and modern imaging tools show what’s happening below the surface, including tooth roots and jaw structure.
Dr. Keri is trained in the digital era of orthodontics, with clear aligners and 3D printing built into her residency. At Wildflower Orthodontics, a low-dose 3D X-ray (CBCT) helps her study your anatomy in detail, and an iTero scanner captures your teeth digitally, so you’ll never bite into gloopy impression molds. We also use in-office 3D printers to make models and retainers.
While Dr. Keri embraces modernity, she is also careful about new products and waits for solid evidence before bringing them to patients.
6: How Often Will I Need to Come In?
Treatment has to fit into real life, so ask how often you’ll need appointments and how much can be handled without a trip to the office. Fewer, more productive visits mean less time away from school and work.
Most Wildflower patients come in about every eight weeks, depending on their treatment and progress. Damon braces are designed to need fewer adjustment visits for the right patients, and we use telehealth whenever it makes sense, from photo-based questions to remote aligner fit checks. As a newer practice, we also have appointment openings that can be hard to find at busier offices.
7: Are Smile Enhancements Like Gum and Tooth Contouring Available?
Tooth position is one piece of a beautiful smile. The edges of your teeth and the line of your gums also shape how balanced it looks, but many orthodontic plans stop once the teeth are straight.
While other practices may stop there, that’s not Dr. Keri’s approach. Rather, she compares finishing orthodontic treatment without looking at the gumline to a manicure where the nail tech polishes your nails and skips the cuticles.
Dr. Keri uses a diode laser for gum contouring, which can soften a gummy smile and improve the proportions of your front teeth. It usually takes about 30 minutes, with little to no bleeding. She also offers enameloplasty (tooth contouring), gently polishing away fractions of a millimeter of enamel to refine tooth edges, with no anesthesia or downtime.
8: Does the Office Offer Flexible Financing?
The price of treatment and how long it takes are two of the biggest questions families bring to a consultation. A good practice is upfront about both and will offer payment options that fit your budget.
Wildflower Orthodontics offers in-house financing with flexible payment plans, interest-free options, and down payments starting as low as $250. We accept all major private dental insurance plans, along with HSA and FSA funds, and our team will research your benefits, file claims, and explain your expected out-of-pocket costs before you commit. Additionally, if someone from your family who helps make the financial decision can’t attend your consultation, we can send a video walkthrough so everyone’s on the same page.
9: What Happens After My Braces or Aligners Come Off?
Retainers are an essential post-treatment step because they protect everything you’ve worked for. Teeth naturally want to drift, so most patients wear retainers full-time at first and then at night for life. Ask what happens if a retainer gets lost, cracks, or stops fitting after dental work.
Our Retainer Assurance program starts from a simple idea: life happens. It protects your smile for up to 10 years with affordable retainer replacements, repairs, and minor touch-up aligners when you need them. Because we store your digital retainer models, we can get your smile back on track without starting from scratch.
10: Do I Feel Comfortable With the Doctor and Team?
This question may be the most important one, and it’s easy to overlook. Orthodontic treatment involves a lot of appointments, questions, and adjustments, so you should feel at ease talking with your provider. After your consultation, think it over. Did they listen to your concerns and explain your options clearly? Did you understand why they recommended a particular treatment, and could you ask questions without feeling rushed into a decision?
Dr. Keri starts with the hard conversations up front, including realistic expectations and any compromises, and she gives you time to decide without pressure. Parents are welcome in the treatment area, and she shares updates at every visit, so very little comes as a surprise. She’s also a self-described hype girl who loves celebrating every milestone with you.
Let Your Smile Bloom at Wildflower Orthodontics
The best way to answer these questions is to visit a practice for yourself. Your complimentary consultation with Dr. Keri takes about 40 minutes and includes a low-dose 3D X-ray, a thorough exam, a personalized treatment plan, and a clear look at your insurance and payment options. You don’t need a dentist referral, and you can even start treatment the same day.
We’d love to meet you in Broomfield!
