Godley Family Orthodontics Blends Cutting-Edge Care With Community & Compassion
Photographer / Heather Haas
Dr. Danielle Godley is the face and smile of Women in Orthodontics for Zionsville. Her practice, Godley Family Orthodontics, serves patients of all ages with personalized care.
“I do everything from early interceptive care for kids all the way up to adult orthodontics,” Dr. Godley says. “Whether that’s classic braces, Invisalign, clear aligners, retainers, growth guidance and adult expansion.”
When Dr. Godley opened her practice, she had a vision to bring modern treatment options to Indiana.
“I completely embraced technology from day one,” she says. “I want to be on the forefront of having modern technology in my office. I want this to be the most comfortable, efficient, safe journey for people who go through orthodontic treatment.”
She ditched the old-school gooey putty impressions for a digital scanner that allows her to capture people’s teeth and bites digitally. She then crafts retainers from those scans with 3D printing technology.
Since being featured in Boone County’s September 2024 issue, the practice has expanded in more ways than one.
“We have experienced pretty crazy growth,” Dr. Godley says. “Honestly, starting my own practice I went into it knowing I would be a small business. I love what I do, so that never bothered me, but I didn’t expect to be embraced by the community as much as I have been. My team has grown, and we’ve evolved in our systems and how we do things.”
Indiana University alum Kelsey Bolakowski manages the office and serves as a myofunctional therapist/orofacial myologist. Her title may be a mouthful, but she explains it simply.
“It basically is how to retrain or train how to use your facial and mouth muscles properly,” Bolakowski says. “It’s kind of like physical therapy but for your mouth.”
From expanders and mouthguards to gum tissue contouring, Godley Family Orthodontics offers a breadth of services to meet patient needs. The practice boasts impressive braces that stand apart from competitors.
“I love the braces I invest in,” Dr. Godley says. “They are the most hygienic braces on the market. They have a pre-pasted base so they go on faster. They seal around the bracket, so it’s much more hygienic for patients and just creates a better experience.”
Godley Family Orthodontics goes beyond aesthetics by looking at the overall health of patients with a focus on a healthy airway.
“I’m a fairly airway-focused orthodontic practice,” Dr. Godley adds. “That just means considering airway, the whole body, breathing as part of orthodontic treatment. I do have a lot of people who travel to me just looking for a way to expand their jaw and breathe better and have a full-health perspective.”
Airway orthodontics address jaw irregularities and oral habits that inhibit proper breathing, sleep and function.
“It’s a newer area of research,” Dr. Godley says. “It’s amazing, the ability to help a child or adult whose jaw is fused to be able to open up their jaw again. And help them breathe and feel better and avoid risks that can come with sleep disorders. You can transform someone’s life.”
Airway issues can lead to chronic conditions including obstructive sleep apnea and sleep-disordered breathing.
Dr. Godley earned her Doctor of Dental Surgery from Indiana University School of Dentistry and her Master of Science in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics from the University of Michigan. She is also a member of the Women in Orthodontics Facebook forum.
“I love supporting other women in business,” she says. “It’s been a challenging journey to do a startup and be a business owner. I learn from my local colleagues and other business owners all the time.”
She volunteers at Smile for a Lifetime Foundation and the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation’s Gifted Smiles program.
Both Smile for a Lifetime and Gifted Smiles recruit volunteer orthodontists to help children from low-income families receive orthodontic care that would otherwise be too costly.
“I’ve had the most wonderful experience volunteering my time. I love being able to use my gifts to give back,” Dr. Godley says.
Dr. Godley even founded her own program to pay it forward called Yeti-Set-Smile. The program accepts donations to provide free orthodontic treatment to survivors of pediatric cancer. Donors of $25 or more are rewarded with a plushie of a Yeti mascot, complete with a set of faux braces.
For Dr. Godley, the Yeti was the natural choice for a practice mascot.
“It was the perfect embodiment of magic and joy — everything that goes along with my practice,” she says. “It’s been very well-received by kids and adults and fits my vision for my practice. We’ve designed our little mascot that patients can adopt.”
That childhood whimsy harkens back to when Dr. Godley kindled her love for the orthodontic profession. She sings the praises of her childhood orthodontist, despite him putting her in headgear.
“I look back on it in such a positive way,” Dr. Godley says. “He practiced in the way that I tend to practice where it was doctor time every time. He remembered things about me, and I felt a connection with him and not just the team.”
She’s carried those values into her practice, where the motto is to inspire joy by crafting beautiful smiles.
Godley Family Orthodontics is located at 12036 N. Michigan Road, Suite 110 in Zionsville. Call 317-913-2828 or book a free consultation online at godleyfamilyortho.com.
