The Orthodontist is a specialist orthodontic practice dedicated entirely to children and teenagers, treating young patients up to the age of 18 from across the Wellington region, Kapiti and the Wairarapa. The Johnsonville clinic at 123 Moorefield Road is one of the practice's two outreach clinics, complementing its state-of-the-art main surgery in Lower Hutt and a Paraparaumu clinic on the Kapiti Coast. Referral is not necessary, so families can request a consultation directly.
The Orthodontist is a specialist orthodontic practice with a simple focus: children and teenagers only, up to the age of 18. From its Johnsonville clinic at 123 Moorefield Road, the team provides orthodontic care to young people from across the Wellington region, alongside the practice's main state-of-the-art surgery in Lower Hutt and a second outreach clinic on the Kapiti Coast in Paraparaumu. Referral is not necessary — parents and young patients can simply request a consultation and start the conversation from there.
The practice's stated goal is that all young New Zealanders grow up confident with a smile they can be proud of. Treatment is delivered in what the team describes as a professional, fun, caring and friendly environment, and reviews from families back that up: parents describe Bhavik and his team as professional, welcoming, kind and patient, with a waiting room that children genuinely enjoy thanks to its Lego and film collectibles.
Braces are the most common treatment, and the practice is highly experienced at fitting them and monitoring progress. Braces can correct deep bites, cross bites, open bites, overjets, midlines, crowding, spacing and narrow jaws. For those who would rather keep things subtle, popular clear braces are available that are, in the practice's words, basically invisible.
Beyond braces, the team offers a range of interceptive and supportive treatments depending on the issue being corrected. These include the URA (upper removable appliance) for cross bites, space maintainers and holding arches to preserve gaps after early loss of baby teeth, twinblocks — upper and lower plates that correct prominent front teeth — palatal expanders to widen the upper jaw, habit breakers to stop thumb or finger habits, and custom sports mouth guards.
Once active treatment finishes, retainers take over. The practice fits both fixed retainers — thin stainless steel wires bonded behind the front teeth — and clear removable retainers worn for set hours each day, and gives families detailed care instructions to protect the result for many years.
Every journey starts the same way: with a consultation. First bookings are made through the practice's request-a-consultation form, and the team encourages questions at every stage, with dedicated resources on braces, retainers, emergencies and appointment practicalities. Costs depend on the type of treatment and how long it takes, and this is discussed at the first visit. To spread the cost, The Orthodontist offers an interest-free payment plan system, with Qcard finance terms also available.
Genuine emergencies are rare in orthodontics, but small issues do happen — a wire breaks or a colour band comes off, for example. The practice provides clear guidance on the most common problems and what to do about them, and asks patients to get in touch quickly if a fixed retainer breaks, bends or detaches.
The Johnsonville site is an outreach clinic, so appointment availability differs from the main Lower Hutt surgery — the practice asks families to get in touch to discuss current availability for Johnsonville. The freephone number 0800 843 678 reaches the team, and general questions can be sent through the website's enquiry form. The practice is affiliated with the New Zealand Association of Orthodontists, the New Zealand Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists, and families travel from Wellington, Kapiti and the Wairarapa for treatment. For young patients, that means specialist children's orthodontics close to home, backed by an experienced, genuinely kid-friendly team.