June 13, 2025 • 12 mins
Transforming smiles through technology – Dr. David Richter reveals how his practice is revolutionizing orthodontics by cutting treatment time nearly in half. After 30 years in the field, he's leveraging digital workflows and custom braces to achieve what traditional orthodontics can't: faster results with fewer appointments.
"The national average is 22 months," Dr. Richter explains, "but we're seeing about 40% shorter treatment time with custom braces." His approach replaces old-school impressions with digital scans, creating precise treatment plans tailored to each patient's unique dental anatomy. The result? Most patients finish treatment in just over a year with only 6-7 total office visits.
Perhaps most revolutionary is the virtual monitoring system that lets patients send weekly videos of their teeth from home. This constant oversight means Dr. Richter can catch and address issues immediately rather than waiting for the next scheduled appointment. For patients with aligners, this prevents the common problem of treatment delays when aligners aren't tracking properly.
Beyond his clinical work, Dr. Richter holds three patents on dental products and maintains deep community connections through study groups, Chamber of Commerce involvement, and charitable initiatives. His journey through professional burnout to renewed purpose underscores his philosophy: "I am 100% committed to your care."
The stunning, state-of-the-art Richter Orthodontics facility in Greeley stands as physical proof of that commitment. Whether you're considering treatment for yourself or your child, Dr. Richter offers free consultations that include x-rays and photos. Discover how modern orthodontics can transform your smile while respecting your time – connect with Richter Orthodontics through their website or social media today.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Nick George.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a stunning,state-of-the-art dental office
that wows just like the smilesthey create?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
Dr David Richter, with RichterOrthodontics.
Dr David, how's it going?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Great Having a great day.
Nick, how are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Excellent.
We're excited to learn aboutyou and your dental office, your
orthodontist office.
Tell us all about your practice.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Yeah, I've been practicing for gosh close to 30
years now.
We just built a building reallystate-of-the-art four years ago
in Greeley and we're usingreally two treatment modalities.
We're using aligners and custombraces and they're both very
unique.
Yeah, but we can kind of gointo that.
(01:01):
I have a wonderful staff, thebest technology available in the
world literally today fortreating patients.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Go ahead and go into that with the specialties that
you offer.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Right.
So in orthodontics now, most ofthe technology that's used
about 95% of orthodontists stilluse a conventional bracket
system, which is technologiesfrom the 70s, and the challenge
with that is it's kind of aone-size-fits-all and the
challenge with that is thateverybody's teeth are different
shapes and sizes and so when weget to a certain point in
(01:37):
treatment we have to bend thewires and reposition braces and
it just adds a lot of time to apatient's treatment.
A national average is like 22months reposition braces and it
just adds a lot of time to apatient's treatment.
A national average is like 22months and we're seeing, with
the custom braces, about a 40%shorter treatment time.
We're trying to get our officevisits down to six or seven
appointments total and treatmenttimes typically are just a
(01:58):
little over a year or more.
And the difference is the bigdifference is that it's a
digital workflow, and thedifference is the big difference
is that it's a digital workflow.
And so with a digital,basically we don't take
impressions or molds of teethanymore, and then we take a scan
, we create a digital setup ofwhat the teeth will look like,
(02:19):
exactly what we want them to,and then we build the braces
around that.
So once we're on our last setof wires, we're almost finished,
and so we do have to bend thewires one or two appointments,
but it's been a significantreduction in treatment time.
So shorter appointments orsorry, shorter treatment time,
(02:39):
fewer appointments and much,much better finishes.
With traditional braces, thechallenge, the biggest challenge
we face, is really trying tofinish our cases and with all
this inaccuracy it just adds alot of time.
We also use aligners, we useInvisalign, and one thing we're
using with our custom braces andInvisalign is we use a lot of
virtual monitoring.
(03:00):
So with aligners well, withcustom braces, if there's any
kind of compliance that needs tohappen, like if we're trying,
if we have to take teeth out,we're closing that space up.
We can monitor that virtuallyand it basically is a thing they
hook up to their phone, theytake a video and they send it in
every four weeks or so.
We just don't have them comeback in until they're ready.
(03:26):
Traditionally orthodontists thisis how I practiced.
Most of my career was we'd seethem every four to six weeks and
change things, and now we justdon't need to do that.
So it's a big value to patientsbecause their time is so
important and we can reallyhonor that more With aligners.
Kind of historically and mostorthodontists still do this they
see them every 8 to 10, 12weeks and the problem with that
(03:50):
sometimes they come back in andthey're not wearing well and
things rise up.
But it's sort of the problemcompounds until the point they
come in, and then we have to dowhat's called a refinement, we
have to create more aligners andthen you have to wait for those
to come back and again, that'svery inefficient and adds more
treatment time.
So with our virtual monitoringwith our aligner patients,
(04:10):
they'll take a video every weekbefore they switch them and we
can catch things that wewouldn't normally pick up on.
So with virtual monitoring withaligners, we're really seeing
our patients every week throughvirtual monitoring, but they
just don't have to come inmostly until they're done with
their aligners.
We're seeing really seeing ourpatients every week through
virtual monitoring, but theyjust don't have to come in
mostly until they're done withtheir aligners.
So it's a.
It's a.
It's just a awesome evolutionof our technology is fine to
(04:35):
come through through digitaltechnology and we're able to
pass that, that value, on to ourpatients.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
How did you get into the business?
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Well, to be honest with you, I wanted the autonomy
I loved my dad was anentrepreneur.
I loved being an entrepreneur.
I wanted my own business.
I was in business school andcollege and I decided I don't
want to work for a corporation.
So I looked at dentistry and Ithought that was cool.
I liked working with my handsand since then it's been more of
(05:10):
a.
It's been more of a like acommunity for me kind of an
outreach, where we havesomething of such value and we
want and we do a lot ofcharitable events with our
community and I just wanted Iwant to have that impact on
people's lives and be a part ofthat and it's really a
life-changing event.
(05:30):
I mean, as orthodontists, wewant our patients' teeth to fit
well and function well and thatadds a lot of longevity to their
teeth throughout their life.
But, as we all know, in ourculture, having a really
beautiful smile and surveys showthat the first thing people
notice 50% of the time are youreyes and your teeth and so we
(05:53):
just feel cool to see thattransformation in adults and
kids.
But that was mostly why I gotinto it.
But it's changed.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I hear.
The teeth in the eyes are awindow into the health of the
rest of the body, so it makessense that we see that first.
Who are your target customers?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
How do you attract them now?
Most really, there are severalsources.
We work a lot with ourreferring dentists and that's
always been great communication.
Especially in a community thissize.
We have the ability to reallyinteract with them.
I have a study group that Ilead with local dentists.
Our patients refer a lot too.
(06:36):
Our goal is for them.
I'm 100% committed to theirtreatment, and so a lot of our
referrals come from our patients.
We do a lot of social mediastuff too, and that's a big.
Obviously the trend inmarketing is that way, and so we
connect that way.
We, you know, we offer, we makeoffers and we do a lot of fun
(06:59):
Instagram kind of things, and sowe have that.
We really try to do outreacheson all the points.
So our dentists, our patients,patients and social media.
We don't do a lot of print ads,things like that, but I'm a
part of the chamber of commercehere in Greeley and so just
trying to really connect withour population.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Have you thought about doing your own podcast?
Speaker 3 (07:26):
No, I haven't, but you do a good job, nick.
I'm I'm kind of thinking aboutthat now.
I have outside of work.
What do you?
Speaker 2 (07:33):
do outside of work?
What do you do for fun?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
uh well, I'm a five boys.
Um, I do have a six-year-oldand my age range is significant,
but um, love spending time withmy family, biggest thing ever,
um and ever.
And one of my passions isreally inventions, and so I have
three patents on dentalproducts that I'm working on
(07:57):
scaling with large companies andjust really trying to make this
whole process more efficient.
It's interesting how we as aprofession still use technology
that's very old and that and ithasn't really adapted well.
So I love seeing things to helpthe process go smoother for my
team, for my patients, and so Ilove doing that.
(08:18):
I love to work out, love hiking.
I do love to ski I haven't beenin a while, but I mostly
spending time with my family.
That's the most important thingto me.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Lately, that's been me too.
Let's switch gears.
Can you describe a hardship orlife challenge that you've
overcome and how it made youstronger?
What comes to mind, you know?
Speaker 3 (08:41):
honestly, I felt about 10 years ago I was really
burned out on the profession andum, and I think the biggest
obstacle for me was me.
I got kind of got my way I.
I felt like I tried everythingbut I I really hadn't, and so I
really um, I got a dental coachthat worked with me and um, and
(09:05):
then we we discovered a lot ofthe things that I was doing.
I was, I was unaware of um andcreating blocks with my team,
asking them to do things.
They didn't do it.
I didn't really set them up forsuccess, and so I have a
totally different approach aboutthat now.
My faith has grownsignificantly over the last
several years and that's been abig, big part of that, with my
(09:26):
family and with my team as well.
You know, I've had a blessedlife, nick, I can't, there's not
, I haven't.
My dad's 98.
He's still well, he shouldn'tbe driving, but he's does
sometimes and my mom's 90 andshe's still driving,
unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Um, but they're in good health.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
So've got a big 104-year-old goal kind of thing,
and so I try to work out fivetimes a week.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
And I just love life, I'm just the best person.
Dr Richter.
Please tell our listeners onething that they should
absolutely remember aboutRichter Orthodontics.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
I am 100% committed to your care and I have come to
this point in my life where andmy dad always told me just do
the best you can.
And the more I learn about thetechnologies and implementing
those things, the more I know Ican deliver that care the best
that I can.
And it's not just about gettingyour teeth to fit well in that,
(10:28):
but it's also about yourexperience.
If you come and see our offices, it's awesome, man, and it's
really a testament to mycommitment to that.
I just want people to know thatI'm not in it to, you know,
start patients that don't needto be started.
I want to address the concernsand really explain things in a
way they understand.
(10:54):
And mostly, I guess, nick, thatI'm just really really committed
to people's care and whateverthat means.
If they need to call mepersonally, whatever challenges
they may have.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
I don't want that to be an obstacle at all.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I want to give the best possible treatment I can to
people.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
In a world where people live in their screens,
what are the best ways that ourlisteners can learn about
Richter orthodontics off the topof your head?
Social media website.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Yeah, we do Instagram .
You can go to our website andsee things.
We do Promotionals we're doingfree braces.
So if I think, I don't rememberthe deadline but if people
start within a certain period oftime, they can we put them in a
drawing for free braces.
Again, social media would beInstagram.
I know we have Facebook ads andthings like that.
(11:37):
Website's a good source.
Our contests have landing pages.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
What's your website again.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
RichterOrthononicscom , that's easy.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Well, Dr Richter, I really appreciate you being on
the show.
We wish you and your businessthe best moving forward.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Thank you, Nick.
It's been a pleasure.
I hope to meet a bunch ofpeople through this and just
come in and see we don't chargefor our exams.
We're happy to take a look.
We take x-rays and pictures.
I'd just love to meet morepeople and share this awesome
technology.
We have to give them the bestcare possible.
Thank you, Nick.
I appreciate the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognpfortcollinscom.
That's gnpfortcollinscom, orcall 970-438-0825.
This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place
where local businesses andneighbors come together.
Here's your host, Nick George.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast.
Are you in need of a stunning,state-of-the-art dental office
that wows just like the smilesthey create?
One might be closer than youthink.
Today I have the pleasure ofintroducing your good neighbor,
Dr David Richter, with RichterOrthodontics.
Dr David, how's it going?
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Great Having a great day.
Nick, how are you doing?
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Excellent.
We're excited to learn aboutyou and your dental office, your
orthodontist office.
Tell us all about your practice.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Yeah, I've been practicing for gosh close to 30
years now.
We just built a building reallystate-of-the-art four years ago
in Greeley and we're usingreally two treatment modalities.
We're using aligners and custombraces and they're both very
unique.
Yeah, but we can kind of gointo that.
(01:01):
I have a wonderful staff, thebest technology available in the
world literally today fortreating patients.
Speaker 2 (01:09):
Go ahead and go into that with the specialties that
you offer.
Speaker 3 (01:13):
Right.
So in orthodontics now, most ofthe technology that's used
about 95% of orthodontists stilluse a conventional bracket
system, which is technologiesfrom the 70s, and the challenge
with that is it's kind of aone-size-fits-all and the
challenge with that is thateverybody's teeth are different
shapes and sizes and so when weget to a certain point in
(01:37):
treatment we have to bend thewires and reposition braces and
it just adds a lot of time to apatient's treatment.
A national average is like 22months reposition braces and it
just adds a lot of time to apatient's treatment.
A national average is like 22months and we're seeing, with
the custom braces, about a 40%shorter treatment time.
We're trying to get our officevisits down to six or seven
appointments total and treatmenttimes typically are just a
(01:58):
little over a year or more.
And the difference is the bigdifference is that it's a
digital workflow, and thedifference is the big difference
is that it's a digital workflow.
And so with a digital,basically we don't take
impressions or molds of teethanymore, and then we take a scan
, we create a digital setup ofwhat the teeth will look like,
(02:19):
exactly what we want them to,and then we build the braces
around that.
So once we're on our last setof wires, we're almost finished,
and so we do have to bend thewires one or two appointments,
but it's been a significantreduction in treatment time.
So shorter appointments orsorry, shorter treatment time,
(02:39):
fewer appointments and much,much better finishes.
With traditional braces, thechallenge, the biggest challenge
we face, is really trying tofinish our cases and with all
this inaccuracy it just adds alot of time.
We also use aligners, we useInvisalign, and one thing we're
using with our custom braces andInvisalign is we use a lot of
virtual monitoring.
(03:00):
So with aligners well, withcustom braces, if there's any
kind of compliance that needs tohappen, like if we're trying,
if we have to take teeth out,we're closing that space up.
We can monitor that virtuallyand it basically is a thing they
hook up to their phone, theytake a video and they send it in
every four weeks or so.
We just don't have them comeback in until they're ready.
(03:26):
Traditionally orthodontists thisis how I practiced.
Most of my career was we'd seethem every four to six weeks and
change things, and now we justdon't need to do that.
So it's a big value to patientsbecause their time is so
important and we can reallyhonor that more With aligners.
Kind of historically and mostorthodontists still do this they
see them every 8 to 10, 12weeks and the problem with that
(03:50):
sometimes they come back in andthey're not wearing well and
things rise up.
But it's sort of the problemcompounds until the point they
come in, and then we have to dowhat's called a refinement, we
have to create more aligners andthen you have to wait for those
to come back and again, that'svery inefficient and adds more
treatment time.
So with our virtual monitoringwith our aligner patients,
(04:10):
they'll take a video every weekbefore they switch them and we
can catch things that wewouldn't normally pick up on.
So with virtual monitoring withaligners, we're really seeing
our patients every week throughvirtual monitoring, but they
just don't have to come inmostly until they're done with
their aligners.
We're seeing really seeing ourpatients every week through
virtual monitoring, but theyjust don't have to come in
mostly until they're done withtheir aligners.
So it's a.
It's a.
It's just a awesome evolutionof our technology is fine to
(04:35):
come through through digitaltechnology and we're able to
pass that, that value, on to ourpatients.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
How did you get into the business?
Speaker 3 (04:46):
Well, to be honest with you, I wanted the autonomy
I loved my dad was anentrepreneur.
I loved being an entrepreneur.
I wanted my own business.
I was in business school andcollege and I decided I don't
want to work for a corporation.
So I looked at dentistry and Ithought that was cool.
I liked working with my handsand since then it's been more of
(05:10):
a.
It's been more of a like acommunity for me kind of an
outreach, where we havesomething of such value and we
want and we do a lot ofcharitable events with our
community and I just wanted Iwant to have that impact on
people's lives and be a part ofthat and it's really a
life-changing event.
(05:30):
I mean, as orthodontists, wewant our patients' teeth to fit
well and function well and thatadds a lot of longevity to their
teeth throughout their life.
But, as we all know, in ourculture, having a really
beautiful smile and surveys showthat the first thing people
notice 50% of the time are youreyes and your teeth and so we
(05:53):
just feel cool to see thattransformation in adults and
kids.
But that was mostly why I gotinto it.
But it's changed.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
I hear.
The teeth in the eyes are awindow into the health of the
rest of the body, so it makessense that we see that first.
Who are your target customers?
Speaker 3 (06:16):
How do you attract them now?
Most really, there are severalsources.
We work a lot with ourreferring dentists and that's
always been great communication.
Especially in a community thissize.
We have the ability to reallyinteract with them.
I have a study group that Ilead with local dentists.
Our patients refer a lot too.
(06:36):
Our goal is for them.
I'm 100% committed to theirtreatment, and so a lot of our
referrals come from our patients.
We do a lot of social mediastuff too, and that's a big.
Obviously the trend inmarketing is that way, and so we
connect that way.
We, you know, we offer, we makeoffers and we do a lot of fun
(06:59):
Instagram kind of things, and sowe have that.
We really try to do outreacheson all the points.
So our dentists, our patients,patients and social media.
We don't do a lot of print ads,things like that, but I'm a
part of the chamber of commercehere in Greeley and so just
trying to really connect withour population.
Speaker 2 (07:23):
Have you thought about doing your own podcast?
Speaker 3 (07:26):
No, I haven't, but you do a good job, nick.
I'm I'm kind of thinking aboutthat now.
I have outside of work.
What do you?
Speaker 2 (07:33):
do outside of work?
What do you do for fun?
Speaker 3 (07:36):
uh well, I'm a five boys.
Um, I do have a six-year-oldand my age range is significant,
but um, love spending time withmy family, biggest thing ever,
um and ever.
And one of my passions isreally inventions, and so I have
three patents on dentalproducts that I'm working on
(07:57):
scaling with large companies andjust really trying to make this
whole process more efficient.
It's interesting how we as aprofession still use technology
that's very old and that and ithasn't really adapted well.
So I love seeing things to helpthe process go smoother for my
team, for my patients, and so Ilove doing that.
(08:18):
I love to work out, love hiking.
I do love to ski I haven't beenin a while, but I mostly
spending time with my family.
That's the most important thingto me.
Speaker 2 (08:31):
Lately, that's been me too.
Let's switch gears.
Can you describe a hardship orlife challenge that you've
overcome and how it made youstronger?
What comes to mind, you know?
Speaker 3 (08:41):
honestly, I felt about 10 years ago I was really
burned out on the profession andum, and I think the biggest
obstacle for me was me.
I got kind of got my way I.
I felt like I tried everythingbut I I really hadn't, and so I
really um, I got a dental coachthat worked with me and um, and
(09:05):
then we we discovered a lot ofthe things that I was doing.
I was, I was unaware of um andcreating blocks with my team,
asking them to do things.
They didn't do it.
I didn't really set them up forsuccess, and so I have a
totally different approach aboutthat now.
My faith has grownsignificantly over the last
several years and that's been abig, big part of that, with my
(09:26):
family and with my team as well.
You know, I've had a blessedlife, nick, I can't, there's not
, I haven't.
My dad's 98.
He's still well, he shouldn'tbe driving, but he's does
sometimes and my mom's 90 andshe's still driving,
unfortunately.
Speaker 2 (09:45):
Um, but they're in good health.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
So've got a big 104-year-old goal kind of thing,
and so I try to work out fivetimes a week.
Speaker 2 (09:55):
And I just love life, I'm just the best person.
Dr Richter.
Please tell our listeners onething that they should
absolutely remember aboutRichter Orthodontics.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
I am 100% committed to your care and I have come to
this point in my life where andmy dad always told me just do
the best you can.
And the more I learn about thetechnologies and implementing
those things, the more I know Ican deliver that care the best
that I can.
And it's not just about gettingyour teeth to fit well in that,
(10:28):
but it's also about yourexperience.
If you come and see our offices, it's awesome, man, and it's
really a testament to mycommitment to that.
I just want people to know thatI'm not in it to, you know,
start patients that don't needto be started.
I want to address the concernsand really explain things in a
way they understand.
(10:54):
And mostly, I guess, nick, thatI'm just really really committed
to people's care and whateverthat means.
If they need to call mepersonally, whatever challenges
they may have.
Speaker 2 (10:59):
I don't want that to be an obstacle at all.
Speaker 3 (11:01):
I want to give the best possible treatment I can to
people.
Speaker 2 (11:05):
In a world where people live in their screens,
what are the best ways that ourlisteners can learn about
Richter orthodontics off the topof your head?
Social media website.
Speaker 3 (11:14):
Yeah, we do Instagram .
You can go to our website andsee things.
We do Promotionals we're doingfree braces.
So if I think, I don't rememberthe deadline but if people
start within a certain period oftime, they can we put them in a
drawing for free braces.
Again, social media would beInstagram.
I know we have Facebook ads andthings like that.
(11:37):
Website's a good source.
Our contests have landing pages.
Speaker 2 (11:45):
What's your website again.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
RichterOrthononicscom , that's easy.
Speaker 2 (11:53):
Well, Dr Richter, I really appreciate you being on
the show.
We wish you and your businessthe best moving forward.
Speaker 3 (11:57):
Thank you, Nick.
It's been a pleasure.
I hope to meet a bunch ofpeople through this and just
come in and see we don't chargefor our exams.
We're happy to take a look.
We take x-rays and pictures.
I'd just love to meet morepeople and share this awesome
technology.
We have to give them the bestcare possible.
Thank you, Nick.
I appreciate the opportunity.
Speaker 1 (12:20):
Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor
Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tognpfortcollinscom.
That's gnpfortcollinscom, orcall 970-438-0825.
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