Two decades ago, about 85 percent of dentists owned their own practices, but times have changed drastically. 

The New Tampa and Wesley Chapel areas have not escaped the national trend of more dental and orthodontic offices being owned by corporations, instead of the practitioners themselves. 

But, Sam Jureyda, DMD, says he’s not interested in selling his Radiance Orthodontics, although he frequently gets offers from corporations wanting to buy his practice. 

“Dr. J,” as his patients call him, opened Radiance Orthodontics more than eight years ago to provide orthodontic treatments for kids, teens and adults, primarily using braces and Invisalign aligners to move teeth and correct bites. The practice is located in the Tampa Palms Professional Center off of the Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. exit off I-75, near the New Tampa Recreation Center. 

When patients visit Radiance Orthodontics, they always see Dr. Jureyda personally. He enjoys getting to know the families who entrust their care to him, and considers his patients to be family. 

“In an era of big box stores,” Dr. Jureyda explains, “we’re still a mom-and-pop.” 

He says he wouldn’t even consider giving up the time he spends caring for each individual in his practice in order to meet the demands of corporate dentistry. 

“We value the relationship we build with our patients,” Dr. J says. 

Before moving into private practice in 2006, and subsequently opening Radiance Orthodontics in 2016, Dr. Jureyda taught graduate-level orthodontics at the University of Buffalo, NY. Prior to that, he earned a Doctorate of Dental Medicine (DMD) from the Boston University School of Dental Medicine, a Certificate of Specialty in Orthodontics from the Howard University College of Dentistry in Washington, DC, and completed a clinical fellowship in Orthodontics from the University of Buffalo School of Dental Medicine, Department of Orthodontics. 

His education includes years of studying facial biology and growth dynamics, and his practice has allowed him to treat all types of patients, even those with the most complicated orthodontic needs. 

He’s also pleased to have been recognized again in 2024 by Tampa Magazine as one of the Tampa Bay area’s top dentists, as voted on by dentists across the region. 

His peers have recognized that his education and experience make him one of the area’s best. 

His commitment to private practice allows him to maintain a lower volume of patients and spend more time with each person who comes in, which means that patients at Radiance Orthodontics get customized care from an orthodontist who is invested in them personally, whether they choose treatment via traditional braces or Invisalign aligners. 

“There are so many factors that go into a decision about an appliance that you may wear for 18 months or more,” says Dr. Jureyda. “I am always happy to go over all of that information so that you can make the right choice about the treatment plan that is best for you.” 

These days, general dentists are more frequently also offering aligners. But, Dr. J offers a deeper understanding of the dentofacial orthopedics involved in aligning teeth and jaws over a lifetime, whether it’s during the early years of childhood growth or even in older adults. 

Getting a second opinion from Dr. Jureyda is completely free and may provide additional avenues for treatment or a lower cost than other options. 

“We’re seeing so much inflation right now, which is stretching families,” says Dr. Jureyda. “Radiance Orthodontics is a small business and we are in touch with what’s happening in our community. We try to walk that fine line between meeting the demands of running a business and keeping our fees affordable and payments flexible for our patients.” 

He promises reasonable fees that avoid the need for coupons or complex payment structures. 

He suggests that anyone who wants to learn more about his practice search “Radiance Orthodontics” for his online Google reviews. All 160+ of the office’s reviews on Google are five stars and speak to the way Dr. J cares for his patients. 

Nicole Shuts moved to New Tampa about two years ago. Her sons already had braces, so she needed to find an orthodontist to continue their care. She says the first one she went to “didn’t feel quite right,” so she kept looking and ultimately found Radiance Orthodontics. 

“As soon as I walked in and met Dr. J, I was really impressed with his demeanor,” she says. “He’s very calm, very intelligent, he knew exactly what problems my sons were facing, and his recommendations were conservative, but on point with what we needed.” 

She says one son’s bite was really bad and his molars weren’t even touching. She wanted to bring him to Dr. Jureyda, but she also wanted to double-check her instincts, so she conferred with her son’s previous orthodontist. 

“I told her about the people we interviewed and their proposals,” Nicole explains, “and she steered me toward what I was feeling, which made me super happy because at that point I liked Dr. J already.” 

Nicole says the proof is in the results. 

“It’s a joy to me that he can chew his food better,” she says of her son. “It’s been two years and we’re very happy. We wouldn’t change anything.” 

Nicole also is happy with her other son’s treatment, and appreciates that Dr. J sees her youngest daughter every few months to see if it’s time to start treatment for her yet, as well. Those ongoing consultations are complimentary, as Dr. J keeps an eye on her growth. 

“I really appreciate that,” Nicole says. “I know he’s trustworthy and he’s not pushy.” 

Carmen Mitchell and her 15-year-old daughter, Kali, are both in treatment with Dr. Jureyda. Carmen explains she didn’t have braces as a child and her deep bite was causing breakage in her teeth. To prevent further breakage, her dentist recommended Invisalign. And although the dentist gave her a fair price for those aligners, she didn’t feel that the office was fully prepared for the details of the specialty treatment. 

But, it was totally different when she saw Dr. Jureyda for a free consultation. 

“He’s very knowledgeable and gets to know you as a patient,” she says, “and then he makes sure the service he’s providing is tailored to you.” 

When her daughter’s dentist suggested an orthodontic evaluation, she knew she would bring her to Dr. Jureyda, too. 

“I like the way he talks to her as the patient,” Carmen adds. “She’s involved in her own care, which is important.” 

Supporting The Community, Too 

As a former educator, Dr. Jureyda makes it a high priority to support students and educators in our community, and Carmen says she wants to support Radiance so he can continue to do so. 

Not only is Radiance Orthodontics a long-term business partner of all of New Tampa’s public schools (and some Wesley Chapel schools, as well), he also awards scholarships each spring to a graduating senior at both Wharton and Freedom high schools. These scholarships recognize students who have demonstrated a commitment to serving the community through volunteering. Last year, he also offered scholarships to seniors at King and Brooks DeBartolo Collegiate high schools. 

“I often recommend people go to Radiance,” Carmen says. “I tell them, ‘Go, get a quote. You’ll probably fall in love with Dr. J and the staff while you’re there.’” 

Radiance Orthodontics offers Invisalign and braces for kids, teens and adults of all ages. To schedule a free consultation, text or call (813) 972-1100. For more information about the practice, located at 17427 Bridge Hill Court, Suite A, in the Tampa Palms Professional Center or visit MyRadianceBraces.com.