New orthodontic and pediatric dental office opening in Rigby this summer
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RIGBY – Several medical clinics are under construction in Rigby.
A 5,000-square-foot space at 688 Rigby Lake Circle will soon be the home of Rigby Pediatric Dental and Mooso Orthodontics & Imaging Center. The clinics are two separate businesses but will share the same space.
Dr. Bret Mooso owns Mooso Orthodontics. It is scheduled to open Aug. 1. Dr. Kory Bingham owns Rigby Pediatric Dental, which is slated to open July 1.
“This is the first pediatric practice (in Rigby),” Bingham tells EastIdahoNews.com. “One of our goals is to help children have a positive experience in their formative years so that they’re not afraid to go to the dentist as adults.”
Rigby Pediatric Dental will serve patients between 1 and 14.
“When they get beyond 14, they’re ready to go to a general dentist. Sometimes they don’t care for the kid atmosphere in a pediatric practice,” Bingham says.
The Rigby project is an expansion for Mooso Orthodontics, which has been in operation at 1580 Elk Creek Dr. in Idaho Falls for 28 years.
Mooso says he’s wanted to expand for the last several years. He drives past Rigby frequently and has noticed the growth. Family members who live near Rigby suggested it would be a good location for his clinic, Mooso says.
Bingham began looking for a place to open a new clinic in Rigby two years ago. His son runs cross country and Rigby High School’s cross country team is impressive, Bingham says. It was that connection that made Rigby an appealing place to him.
Once he acquired the space, he invited Mooso, whom he had built a strong professional relationship with over the years, to join him in the venture.
“Kory asked me if I’d be interested in coming in with him because he had a bigger plot than what he wanted to build on,” says Mooso.
Mooso says the timing was perfect because he was already considering expanding in Rigby and he had just hired a new employee.
Since they both offer related specialized services, Mooso says the chance to work side-by-side is a fantastic opportunity.
“It gives us the ability to work hand-in-hand with a pediatric dentist for any special needs that pediatric patients might have,” says Mooso.
Though there are other orthodontists in town, Mooso says they are only there part-time.
“This will provide another option for people and we’ll be there full-time,” he says.
Mooso Orthodontics offers braces and Invisalign, a transparent device used to adjust or align crooked teeth.
“If you’ve ever had a bleach tray or a nightguard that just slides on over your teeth, that’s what (Invisalign) is,” Mooso says. “It’s a way to move teeth without using braces.”
Mooso says his wife was instrumental in his decision to become an orthodontist. She was a dental assistant when he first met her. He was studying agriculture at the time, but later decided to change fields because he liked the way the dentist interacted with his patients.
To this day, he says it’s the relationships with his patients that make his job rewarding.
“Some are kids and some are adults, but I’ve got 28 years of friendships that I’ve built,” Mooso says. “I enjoy seeing my patients outside of the office and being able to communicate with them as friends.”
Bingham says he was inspired to become a dentist because he had a positive experience with his family dentist growing up who always treated him well. He says he enjoys the interaction with children in his practice.
“It’s fun to figure out what works for one child doesn’t work for another. I really enjoy that challenge,” Bingham says.
Once it’s up and running, Mooso Orthodontics & Imaging Center will be open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The hours of operation for Rigby Pediatric Dental are still being determined.