Meet Dr. Steve Degenhardt

I am thrilled to introduce myself as “Dr. Steve”— Your Local Orthodontist! Let me share a bit about my passion for orthodontics and my excitement to practice in our wonderful community.

To me, the practice of orthodontics goes beyond creating beautiful smiles. I appreciate the opportunity to build relationships with patients and their families, enhance self-confidence through improving smiles, and motivate kids to be the best version of themselves through our chairside conversations! Our team is thrilled to foster a welcoming environment where our exceptional team makes patients feel supported and comfortable.

Each patient provides a unique challenge and I love tailoring an individualized, holistic treatment plan for each one of our patients. Dr. Vaitas and I work side-by-side and are dedicated to state-of-the-art, effective orthodontic technologies and techniques. Our results will exceed your expectations!

Thank you for trusting our practice with your child’s or your orthodontic care – we are honored to serve you or your son or daughter and look forward to many years of creating beautiful, confident smiles in our community.

–Dr. Steve Degenhardt

Commitment to Education

• St. Hugo of the Hills
• University of Detroit Jesuit High School
• Michigan State University
• Doctor of Dental Surgery— Columbia University College of Dental Medicine
• Masters of Science and Certificate in Orthodontics— University of Illinois at Chicago\

Dr. Steve is a bit of an orthodontic nerd! He loves attending continuing education courses to stay up to date on the most recent orthodontic technologies and techniques. This ensures his patients are obtaining the best possible results. He is a member of several orthodontic communities and is often found reading orthodontic journals.

During Dr. Steve’s dental education, he received several accolades. At Columbia University, he was recognized as a Dean’s Scholar, signifying academic achievement in the top 10% of his class. During his orthodontic residency, Dr. Degenhardt received the Fein Scholarship which is awarded to the top orthodontic resident per class. His thesis was nationally published focusing on obstructive sleep apnea and its relationship on post-surgical outcomes for patients undergoing orthognathic surgery. Dr. Degenhardt was recognized as a 2024 “Top Doc’ in Hour Magazine.

Professional Memberships

• Certified orthodontic specialist, State of Michigan Board of Dentistry
• Diplomate, American Board of Orthodontists
• American Association of Orthodontists
• Michigan Association of Orthodontists
• American Dental Association
• Oakland County Dental Society

Beyond the Practice

Dr. Degenhardt lives in Birmingham with his highschool sweetheart and wife, Bry, and their daughter, Georgia. A second child arrives this summer! Steve’s family loves exploring Birmingham’s many playgrounds— Quarton School and Booth Park are favorites. You will find them walking through the neighborhood, downtown, or at the Sunday Farmer’s Market. When they are not local, they are likely doing watersports on Lake Charlevoix or skiing at Nubs Nob! Dr. Steve enjoys staying fit, weightlifting, doing yoga, swimming, and chasing his golden doodle, Finnegan, around the yard!

In the Community

Dr. Steve enjoys providing oral hygiene and educational presentations to local schools and clubs. Our practice is excited to begin sponsoring community activities in Birmingham and Milford.