Houma couple perfecting the art of the smile

After three years of marriage, Drs. Catherine and Mark Coreil have joined forces to enhance the Houma area’s orthodontic services.

Long before they became a couple – in marriage and business, Dr. Catherine Schwab Coreil was known locally. Her father owned and operated Schwab Law Firm for years before retiring and turning the family business over to Catherine’s sister, Anna.

After graduating from Louisiana State University’s School of Dentistry in New Orleans, Dr. Catherine opened her orthodontics clinic next door to Schwab Law Firm. She operated the business independently for 12 years.

Dr. Mark, on the other hand, is a relative newcomer to Houma. He practiced dentistry in his hometown of Ville Platte, La., and in Lafayette for 20 years after graduating from Louisiana State University’s School of Dentistry.

Combined, the couple has 33 years of experience.

The decision to provide orthodontics over regular dentistry for the Coreils came down to a matter of passion.

“When you are training to be a dentist, you get to work in all the areas. You get to do every part of dentistry,” Dr. Mark said. “And both of us fell in love with this and we knew it was something that we wanted to do forever.”

To commemorate their partnership, the couple changed the name of Schwab Orthodontics to Le Centre Orthodontics Arts.

“Try saying that five time fast,” Dr. Mark said, chuckling.

The concept for the name came about because the business is in the center of Houma and the husband-and-wife team is at the center of orthodontic technology, he explained.

The name change officially went into effect on July 17.

Even with their trendy name, the Coreils still offer more than most Houma orthodontists, Dr. Mark said. For instance, at Le Centre Orthodontics Arts, patients get the expertise of two dentists instead of one.

“Having two doctors in one office has its advantages because patients get more coverage and more experience,” he said. “We both teach at the School of Dentistry in New Orleans so we tend to have to keep up with all the new technology and concepts because we have to teach that to our students. We’ve worked with other dentists before. But after we trained, we knew this was what we wanted to do.”

The Coreils are focused on their relationship with patients, another factor that Dr. Mark contends helps set them apart.

“Some patients are accustomed to being one in a number, where there are a lot of patients seen in a day,” he explained. “We try to keep our numbers down, so that when you come to our office you have a real experience with the doctors and staff and you don’t feel like you are being rushed. Your questions are answered and you understand what’s going on. It’s an experience like no other.”

Since the partnership began, Le Centre Orthodontic Arts’ patient numbers have increased tremendously. The majority of the patients are children under the age 18, but the adult patient load has also increased by 30 to 40 percent.

The Coreils believe the rise is because they offer clear braces and lingual braces to most ages. The latter can be worn on the inside of the teeth, according to Dr. Mark, who specializes in clear and lingual braces.

“This helps the adults out because wearing braces is sometimes referred to as a kid thing, but actually it’s not. Adults can wear braces, too. The clear and inside braces are just another incentive to help them decide to get their teeth aligned.”

Another factor that’s impacted Le Centre’s business is patient referrals. “Local dentists recommend patients to us all the time, but most are referred by patients,” Dr. Mark said.

But what about the cost of this trendy look for the teeth? Because braces are considered cosmetic, insurance companies do not usually pay for children or adults to get braces.

“A lot of patients have orthodontic insurance with their dental insurance, but most times they don’t because the service is primarily cosmetic,” Dr. Mark said in agreement. “But the cost has never been an issue because we offer flexible financing. We can arrange payments over a period of time.”

Aside from being professors and professional orthodontists, the Coreils have extensive training beyond school.

The couple took a two-year course in California to learn more about the human bite.

Dr. Mark also works closely with patients that have facial deformities, such as a cleft lip or a cleft palate. He has been on the staff at the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans for 13 years.