Twins. Sometimes they’re double trouble. Other times, they’re double the joy.
“We have four-year-old twins, and it’s one of the coolest things,” says Brittany VanBuskirk, D.D.S. “The special bond, growing up together, doing things together because they’re the same age.”
Liam and Sophie give Dr. Brittany and her husband, Kevin, double the reasons to smile. It’s the perfect achievement for children of a dentist.
“They do smile a lot,” laughs Dr. Brittany (VanBuskirkDental.com). “Liam has started drawing, and it’s funny because he draws people with great big teeth, big smiles and rosy cheeks. I like that he thinks of people as having big smiles.“
Maybe that’s because Dr. Brittany sees what he doesn’t – patients who lack confident smiles because of crooked, gapped, chipped or discolored teeth.
“If you’re embarrassed for some reason, we can help. We’ve seen patients cry with joy after we finish their care, once we show them their new or brightened teeth.”
It’s a legacy that began when her father, Dr. Kevin Schierlinger, founded the practice. She followed in his footsteps, earning her bachelor’s degree from the University of Detroit Mercy and her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the university’s School of Dentistry.
While at school, her favorite experiences were mission trips to the Dominican Republic, where she served a community without dental care. “I was grateful to be able to make a difference in their lives,” she says. “It helped me understand the value of building close, long-lasting relationships with my patients and their families.”
Her father retired in 2021 after 39 years, leaving her and his longtime team to move forward with the practice.
“We have an amazing team that has been here for 20 years on average. Our office manager, Dayna Thomas, has managed the practice since I was a child. That means we really know our patients. And we see entire families – parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles. We hear everything going on in their lives, from soccer tournaments to births and graduations.”
When you arrive, you’re immediately greeted by a friendly, caring staff with high standards of quality and integrity. Best of all, you see the same people every visit.
“People want to see their own hygienist to catch up with them. It’s like seeing your hairstylist. We enjoy the rapport and the relationships,” says Dr. Brittany.
She allows extra time with new patients to get to know them. “We could schedule less time with our patients, but we plan for more to get to know them as a person, not just their mouth. New patients can get an hour and a half with me, if they would like it.”
Maybe that’s why she has so many top reviews. Like Carol, who says, “Our family loves this dental practice! Everyone is kind and welcoming. The staff is knowledgeable and competent and goes out of their way to ensure that you have a positive experience.”
Jeff says, “Very clean, close to home, friendly receptionist, hygienist and dentist. They have the latest tech including full-mouth X-rays and an alert system that virtually makes it impossible to miss an appointment.”
And Mary Beth adds, “Dr. VanBuskirk is an awesome dentist! I love how she takes the time to explain the things she is doing while examining your entire mouth. I have a lot of exostosis (bone growth), and she is careful to watch for changes/issues with this and responds to any concerns that I have.”
The smile is only one part of the care plan. Dr. Brittany and her team make sure to incorporate your overall health within the dental treatment.
“Our primary focus is to help you prevent cavities and gum disease,” she says. “Prevention at home makes your regular visits go much easier.”
She understands how uneasy some patients may feel about their dental visits, so she and the team are committed to making visits as relaxing as possible.
“We want you to be comfortable. We develop relationships with our clients, so they’ll feel more trusting and calm. We want to give you a reason to smile.”
Dr. Brittany's reason is her twins – and her patients. Discover your reason to smile by making an appointment at (248) 720-1308.
"We’ve seen patients cry with joy after we finish their care, once we show them their new or brightened teeth.”
