Dental office Designer Smiles hosted a ribbon cutting ceremony Friday to commemorate its reopening after months of remodeling. Held in partnership with the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, the event was hosted in front of their office suite with refreshments and breakfast inside for attendees.
The Evanston Chamber of Commerce provides members with ribbon cutting services, usually for the opening of a new business or the celebration of a notable anniversary.
Garrett Karp, executive director of the Evanston Chamber of Commerce, said in a speech before the event that it was “one of the biggest ribbon cuttings we’ve probably done in the last several years.”
Before cutting the ribbon, Designer Smiles owner Dr. Aminat Osuji expressed her gratitude for the help she has received after recently moving to Evanston with her family.
“I’m very thankful for everyone who’s been supporting me throughout the process,” Osuji said. “We’re excited about being part of the community and our plan is to give back to the community. I’m just grateful to be here.”
Designer Smiles, previously known as Fischl Dental Associates, was established in 1954 by Dr. Richard Fischl before later being purchased by his son, Dr. Paul Fischl. Osuji bought the business from Dr. Paul Fischl in 2022 and became Designer Smiles’ new owner.
Osuji said she met Fischl through a broker and knew she wanted to work with him after a long conversation.
“Some people treat their office just like a business, strictly money, but (Fischl) really cares about his patients,” Osuji said. “He’s actually involved in the community and he gives back to the community, so that’s something that I’m doing and want to continue.”
This year, Designer Smiles will be involved with the Evanston community by sponsoring MashUp, a “civic connectivity extravaganza” scheduled for Nov. 8 at the Autobarn Service Center from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
For their regular services, Designer Smiles offers general dentistry, orthodontics, dental implants, cosmetic dentistry and more to patients of all ages. Osuji said that overall, they are focused on centering the patient experience.
“We try to make dentistry fun,” Osuji said. “When you come in, we treat you like family, we get to know you, we take our time with you and everything isn’t rushed.”
Alyssa Welch, Designer Smiles’ operations manager, said the welcoming environment played a significant role in her decision to work with the company.
“I’ve worked kind of all over Chicago, and I came out further to Evanston just because of the environment (Osuji) created,” Welch said. “It’s a very good family environment, and it’s very patient oriented. Everyone’s like a big community, so it’s really nice.”
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