Meet The Team

Dr. Jay Burton believes orthodontics should be about more than making teeth straight. It should begin with understanding the whole patient—how they are growing, how their jaws and teeth fit together, how they breathe and function, and what treatment today may mean for them years from now.

That philosophy shapes the way Dr. Burton approaches every patient at SmileMaker Orthodontics. Rather than beginning with a particular appliance or treatment system, he begins with a simple question: What does this patient actually need?

Looking Beyond Straight Teeth

For a growing child, that may mean evaluating facial and jaw growth, airway and breathing, eruption of the permanent teeth, and whether intervening earlier could make a meaningful difference. Sometimes the best decision is to begin treatment. Just as importantly, sometimes it is to watch growth and wait.

For teenagers and adults, the same philosophy applies. Treatment should be designed around the individual—not around a predetermined technique.

That is why Dr. Burton’s practice includes traditional braces and clear aligners as well as more advanced approaches such as palatal expansion, MARPE, growth modification, and interdisciplinary treatment when appropriate. Three-dimensional CBCT imaging, digital scanning, and other technologies allow him to see and evaluate things that traditional two-dimensional orthodontic records cannot always show.

Technology, however, is a tool—not the goal. The goal is better diagnosis and better treatment decisions.

A Career Built Around Asking Better Questions

Dr. Burton’s interest in the science behind orthodontic treatment has been a constant throughout his career.

He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics, a distinction that reflects his commitment to continued evaluation and advancement within the specialty. He has also served on the faculty at the University of Tennessee orthodontic program, where he had the opportunity to teach and work alongside future orthodontists.

His background extends beyond clinical orthodontics. Dr. Burton also earned an MBA and previously served as an assistant professor of management and marketing. That experience has influenced the way he thinks about running an orthodontic practice: systems and technology matter, but they should ultimately make the experience better for patients, families, and the people caring for them.

He continues to study emerging research and evolving treatment techniques, particularly in areas involving growth and development, skeletal expansion, airway and breathing, three-dimensional diagnosis, aligner therapy, and other advances within orthodontics.

Not because every new idea should be adopted, but because patients deserve a doctor who continues asking whether there may be a better way to treat them.

The SmileMaker Philosophy

At SmileMaker Orthodontics, the objective isn’t to make every patient fit the same treatment philosophy.

It’s to understand the problem first.

Then choose the treatment that makes the most sense.

That means explaining the options, discussing the advantages and limitations of different approaches, and helping patients and parents understand why a particular treatment is being recommended.

Dr. Burton believes families should feel comfortable asking questions. Orthodontic treatment is a significant commitment, and patients deserve to understand what their doctor sees, what the goals are, and how the proposed treatment is intended to accomplish them.

Ultimately, the technology, training, appliances, and credentials are simply tools.

The reason for using them is much simpler: to make thoughtful decisions for each patient and give them the best opportunity for a healthy, functional, confident smile that lasts.