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 Smiles are his business
Dr. Jon Ingleman has no thought of retiring
By Kelly Metz
Mon. Jul. 07, 2008
Ingleman smiles for the camera with Kalyn Fennig, 13, of
Bryant. Dr. Ingleman likes to take "before" and "after" pictures with his patients. Kalyn had just had her braces taken off.
By Kelly Metz of The News-Sentinel |
Walking into an orthodontist's office, you don't expect to see bright
green carpets, chairs faintly resembling lips or an orthodontist who has been in business for 40 years with no plans to retire.
But that's what you get at Dr. Jon Ingleman's three offices, on West Jefferson Boulevard, Tillman Road and in Van Wert, Ohio. He sees
about 100 patients a day. The workload doesn't overwhelm him, though. He loves every minute.
"A lot of people think I'm retiring, but I love working with people and I
love the patients," he said. "A lot of people are miserable in their job, but I can't have a more rewarding profession."
Ingleman, 66, started as an engineering major at Purdue, but quickly realized he was interested in biological sciences and working with people – so dentistry seemed a clear choice.
After graduating, he came to Fort Wayne with two friends from dental school and opened his own practice. He called it the best decision he ever made.
"Plus, he wouldn't have met me," added Judy, his wife of 14 years.
She has worked for him for 33 years and said he has always been a perfectionist with his practice, which grew quickly. Deb
Lehman, a former patient, said his reputation encouraged her to bring in her son 12 years ago.
"I didn't even think about going anywhere else," she said. "We walked in and saw the office and met everyone and were sold."
Creating beautiful smiles and establishing a good relationship with patients are his passions, said Judy.
"A dentist will just go in and fill your teeth or something and that's it," she said. "But we build relationships. We know what's going on, and it's like we're family too."
In fact, the staff often jokes about their "daytime family."
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 Orthodontist Dr. Jon Ingleman, who has been fixing teeth
for 40 years, works on a patient.
By Kelly Metz of The News-Sentinel
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Jane Sauers, who has worked with Ingleman for 35 years, started
when she was 17, and said at the time she would work for free – she wanted the job that much.
"He's not really like a regular boss," she said. "He's become more of
a best friend. He helps anyone when they have a tough time, and he has such a big heart."
When not in the office or reading up on the latest in dentistry,
Ingleman can be found snapping pictures of brilliant scenery while bike-riding or backpacking. "I consider myself a serious amateur photographer," he said.
He and Judy are active members of the Fort Wayne Camera Club, and he recently had work displayed in Van Wert and at the Allen County Public Library.
In the office, Ingleman has some fun with patients, offering contests, drawings and parties. "I feel like it gives them something to work toward and creates a better bond," he said.
Patients can earn points for simple things, such as brushing their teeth properly. He has given away bicycles, iPods and cameras as prizes.
"Having a great smile gives kids a new kind of life," Lehman said. "It changes how you look and feel, and Dr. Ingleman and the staff here make everybody feel good about themselves."
So if you see someone walking down the street with a great smile, it just might be an "Ingleman smile."
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