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Dr. Sky Naslenas
B.Sc, DDS, M.Sc, FRCD(C)
Staff Orthodontist, Hospital
for Sick Children
Associate in Dentistry,
University of Toronto
Owner:
Royal York Orthodontics
i n t e r v i e w : Aviva Vetter
p o r t r a i t : Wilson Huynh Studio
Dr. Naslenas, a mirror image of Nicole Kidman, is energy,
charm, and professionalism personified. Perhaps for all
those reasons combined, the local cohort of Canadian
bred models and actors have sought out Dr. Sky as the
Orthodontist of their choice.
Dr. Sky sets high expectations for herself and gets results.
A clear vision of what she wanted out of life propelled her
to complete dentistry school and open her own practice,
all the while having a vibrant and fulfilling family life.
She envisioned a clinic where patients feel like they are
part of the journey.
The age of Google has equipped us all with plethora
of information, hence patients are well-informed and
opinionated. Dr. Sky has introduced a fresh ‘co-discovery’
approach into her practice. She endeavours to listen and
work together with patients, reconciling their wants and
needs. The culmination of these treatment plans produces
everlasting results of beautiful smiles, ensuring that the
most comfortable and well suited treatment modality is
used to get the patients there.
Why dentistry, especially the branch of orthodontics?
I love the aspect of design; I am a very visual person. It was
important for me to have an artistic element in my chosen
career path. It was difficult to reconcile my interest in arts with
my love for health sciences. I started out pursuing medicine,
aiming to become a plastic surgeon. My desire for more control
over my life in terms of a work life balance persuaded me to
decline admission into medical school. Instead, I decided to
pursue a career in Orthodontics and never looked back! I get to
design beautiful smiles in the context of well balanced faces,
in an environment of my choice. I derive enormous joy and
satisfaction from achieving a final result that is aesthetically
pleasing and functional at the same time.
What prompted you to open your own clinic?
I had a very real image in my mind of how I wanted to practice
Orthodontics, which didn’t mesh well with other practices I
was invited to join. I wanted to wake up in the morning and be
excited to go to work and make a difference. Part of that vision
included my own practice design, and being able to hire the
right team to work along side of me.
Any challenges being a female orthodontist today?
Well, I was six months pregnant in a male dominated field when
I opened my clinic in 2005. It’s always been a challenge and in
some respects it continues to be, well after establishing myself.
To tell you the truth, I am always up for a challenge! By now,
patients know who we are and what we stand for. They find us
on their own from far and wide based on our reputation.
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