What Straightening My Teeth Taught Me About Why Patients Quit

Dr. Tanya Westerbeek had braces as a teenager, got the result she wanted—and then stopped maintaining it. The change didn’t happen overnight. One tooth slowly shifted over the course of years until she finally found herself starting over at 47 with an 18-month Invisalign plan.Eight weeks into treatment, Tanya shares what the discomfort, inconvenience and nearly invisible progress have taught her about patients who quit care after they begin feeling better. Feeling better can seem like the finish line, but it’s often only the middle of the plan. Real, lasting change requires continuing to show up—especially when the immediate problem appears to be gone.