PLANO, Texas — Generally speaking, getting kids to go to the dentist is like pulling teeth, but not at Wincrest Orthodontics in Plano.
In fact, Dr. Ben Winters says he’s unlocked the secret to making dental work fun.
What is it?
TikTok.
He posted his first video in 2019.
“We came back the next day and it had a million likes, and we had 100,000 followers in one day,” he said.
Now, he’s up to nearly 8 million followers.
“[I get] millions of views a day on my videos just talking about braces, which is pretty crazy,” Winters said.
He calls himself "The Bentist" and says thanks to his videos kids are actually excited to get their teeth worked on.
In fact, some parents have driven five hours just for an appointment with Dr. Winters.
“If your kid is saying, ‘I want to go to the dentist,’ you’re going to say, ‘Yes, I would love that,’” Winters said.
It also helps that he’s got 3D printers and some of the latest high-tech dental innovations that make their jaws drop. He even has a social media wall where kids can create their own TikToks.
And for every patient that comes in, he also gives them something: encouragement.
He asks the kids to “do something nice,” not only the name he gives to his line of dental products but a motto he lives by.
For every toothbrush he sells, Dr. Winters donates one to a child in the hospital.
“Do something nice,” he said. “It’s that easy.”
Perhaps that’s the real secret.
For these kids, it was never about the videos, but the doctor who cared enough to make them.
Because of him, some of his patients now have dreams of being a dentist.
“It’s really cool that I can do that for a multitude of kids,” Winters said. “Even if it’s just one.”
It’s just one of many reasons his patients walk away with a smile.
For more information on Dr. Winters or Wincrest Orthodontics, visit https://wincrestorthodontics.com/ or follow him on the social media channels below.