Meet Dr. Yvette Battle | Orthodontist and Sneaker Aficionado

We had the good fortune of connecting with Dr. Yvette Battle and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Dr. Yvette, what do you attribute your success to?
I believe the success of my brand has been authenticity and being able to connect with people in the community. I do my best to show up authentically as myself first and create that type of culture within the orthodontic office as well. We are not your typical orthodontic office. I am not what your typical orthodontist looks like. From our decor, to the music, to the artwork, to the sneaker fashion. We are a “vibe” as our patients and patrons like to call it. And not to mention last, but we deliver on the results. I have strong desire to help elevate the oral health and overall health of my community via dentistry and orthodontics. But I believe in order to do that, especially in an underserved community with high dental anxiety, you have to gain trust, you have to be relatable. People have to know and feel your intentions. I believe when people come into our office they can instantly feel the vibes and the intentions. Also knowing that I’m from the community and showing them what it means to build a successful black owned business from the ground up while living in the community. It feels like they’re rooting for me

What should our readers know about your business?
Bronzeville Orthodontics is a community accessible, high-quality, specialty orthodontic practice. Our mission is to provide access to world-class digital and virtual orthodontic care for children and adults in Bronzeville and surrounding communities of Chicago. We specialize in the diagnosis, prevention, and correction of teeth and jaw irregularities that can lead to dental disease. Bronzeville Orthodontics offers services in the form of traditional braces, clear aligner therapy, ceramic braces, lingual braces or hidden braces, retainers, teeth whitening, and other smile-enhancing treatments.

When Covid hit in 2020, like many of us, I had time to do some soul searching. I was faced with some life changing decisions. One of those decisions was to continue to work for someone else, or to combine my talents of making people smile with the seemingly elusive goal of being a business owner as well. In my mind it was now or never; scary and uncertain times were ahead but I jumped out there. In retrospect, it was divine timing. While in quarantine, I started searching for commercial spaces within my community where I could open my practice and truly make an impact. Just as the vaccines started becoming more available and some of the restrictions of quarantine were being lifted, I found the perfect location in the heart of Bronzeville, Chicago to build a state of the art orthodontic office; a few short blocks from my house. In July 2020 I obtained the commercial space, by September 2020 we had broke ground on transforming a vacant storefront of 3 years (and an eyesore) into a beacon of excellence, hope and necessity in the neighborhood. After a 4 month gut and build out, when we officially opened the doors in February 2021. We were met with an overwhelming outpouring of love and support from the community and community leaders. To build an orthodontic practice from the ground up, during Covid, in my own underserved community was important for visualization, solidarity and service. From the decor, to the music, to the prioritization of a prime patient experience. The mission and word of mouth spread. Bronzeville Orthodontics has become synonymous with confidence and excellent service, transforming countless lives with our free consultations and personalized care for patients of all ages and backgrounds, from all Chicagoland communities. As most of our patients simply put it, we are “a VIBE”!!

As a new business owner, overcoming challenges is part of the journey. One significant challenge I faced was establishing a customer base as a new face to the industry and neighborhood. To tackle this, I focused on building strong relationships within my community, attending networking events, and offering special promotions to attract initial customers. Additionally, I invested time in refining my product/service based on feedback and market demand. Through perseverance and strategic planning, I gradually expanded my customer base and gained momentum in growing my business.

Recent studies have shown that there are only approximatey 300 African American, female orthodontists in the country. So subsequently that makes me 1 in 300. What I’ve learned can be summed up in a quote I saw once – “Give yourself permission to go after your dreams [feverishly]. this isn’t a time to think small or give into any fears that you can’t achieve something. If you’ve never seen anyone around you reach a similar goal, that’s even more of a reason to show the world that it’s possible” -Unknown author

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
This is a tough one…

Coming to Chicago, I would say lets grab some breakfast/brunch at Truth’s Italian in Bronzeville or Roux in Hyde Park, A couple of great spots to drink and hang out are the Mesler at the Sophy Hotel and Pier 31 down at the beach. A walk or bike ride or cookout along the lakefront. Check out some of the many festivals and street fairs that are held daily. Catch a Chicago Sky WNBA game. Visit a few local art galleries and of course do some sneaker shopping. Super low key.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I keep a very tight circle. I have a core of best friends who are just elite. Elite professionally, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.
Through 25-30+ years of friendship. They have seen it all and helped me navigate it all through childhood, adolescence and adulthood. From facing adversity to years of school, the military, health scares, school again, marriage, starting a family and building an orthodontic office during covid.
They really help keep me centered in what’s important in life all while cheering on my goals and aspirations.

Website: https://www.bronzevilleortho.com

Instagram: @bronzevilleortho

Facebook: @bronzevilleortho

Other: Tik Tok: @drb_ortho

Image Credits
Dr. Yvette Battle
Bronzeville Orthodontics