“Work hard early on and then have the flexibility that comes with being your own boss.”
Dr. Pat Varble - Varble Orthodontics

We learned a lot AND received a new toothbrush, toothpaste, and other goodies!

Dr. Varble has been in practive for 27 years. He attended school at SIUC and majored in zoology with the intention of going into conservation. There weren't many jobs available in that field at the time; his older brother was already in the orthodontia field and he decided to go back to school for dentistry.

After completing dental school, he worked as a general dentist for two years. He realized he wanted to specialize in orthodontia and went back to school to complete his residency - that’s 10 years total of school!

He started out working with his brother and now is the sole orthodontist for all three of the locations in: Jerseyville, Litchfield, and Bethalto. On average they have around 75 patients per day. Word of mouth is his best form of marketing😁. This wouldn’t be possible without his highly skilled assistants and office staff.

One of the orthodontic assistants, Kristy Vahle, also spoke to the students. She explained that she too changed her career path. She was originally going to school for teaching and ended up becoming a certified dental assistant. She worked as a dental assistant for 10 yeras before joining Varble Ortho in 2020. Kristy really enjoys her job and the team. The office staff consists of: Kristy Vahle, Terri Hinderhan, Melinda Fleming, Jane Amburg, Heather Dodd, Casey Massey, Rebecca Bohannon, and Jamie Boomershine. Some of these ladies have been there for many years and Dr. Varble mentioned how appreciative he was of his staff.

He not only has three successful locations, but he also teaches at SIU School of Dental Medicine. His favorite part of his job is working with young people and the ability to be in control of his schedule by being his own boss. School was long and expensive, but he wouldn’t change a thing and truly loves what he does.

His mom always said, “you gotta pay to play”.
He said the job can be stressful, but that there are far more pros than cons. His key to keeping a successful business is staying positive and not taking his work home with him. His son and daughter are both currently in school to become orthodontists as well.

Thank you for having us today!