She has 3,000 “Likes” on Facebook. She has a huge teenage fan base. She is constantly on tour, and when she is home, celebrities flock to her. She is a master of invention and reinvention, always staying a few steps ahead of the times. She is not Lady Gaga. She is Jacqueline Fulop-Goodling, DMD, aka “Dr Jacquie Smiles.”
After receiving her DMD degree and completing her orthodontic residency at Boston University School of Dental Medicine, Fulop-Goodling stayed on as a professor. She became the first female Director of BU Dental School’s Orthodontic Department. She also recently became the first woman ever to receive the “Super Elite Provider” award from Invisalign, a company she’s been affiliated with since its inception. In 1999, Fulop-Goodling participated in the pilot program, which at the time was exclusively for orthodontists. She was impressed by the technology and enthusiastically became part of the first group certified in the Northeast.
Since then, her practice has grown to include four locations in Manhattan and Long Island. The past few years’ economy hasn’t been easy on most. “When people are worrying about their mortgages and putting food on the table, orthodontics—especially for adults—can be a tough sell,” she explains. She has, however, found a way to use the challenging financial climate to her advantage. Thanks to an understanding of social marketing, some outside-the-box thinking, and patience, she has managed what many have not: converting casual Web browsers into orthodontic patients.
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