From Merger to Market Leader - A Journey to the Nth Degree

A Transformative Marketing Partnership - enox + Nth Degree Orthodontics

In October 2019, Dr. Eric Nease and Dr. Alex Thomas reached out with a bold vision: to merge two legacy practices and create something entirely new.

What started as a conversation around branding quickly evolved into a multi-phase partnership involving a complex merger, a full rebrand, the launch of a brand-new website, and a years-long collaboration to evolve Nth Degree Orthodontics into a dynamic, multi-location brand recognized across Upstate South Carolina.

We’ve been honored to partner with Dr. Nease, Dr. Thomas, and now, Dr. Patrick, as well as the Nth Degree team every step of the way, from naming the brand to scaling their outreach with automations and ads.

Here’s how it all unfolded:

2019:

Planning the Merge & Rebrand

At the time, Dr. Nease and Dr. Thomas were leading Nease & Higginbotham Orthodontics when they approached us to help guide a major merger with another local practice, Dr. Gary Horvath’s Live Laugh Smile Orthodontics.

Merging two long-standing, respected practices with overlapping communities and shared values would provide patients with more locations, more appointment flexibility, and a superior care experience.

But merging two legacy brands is not a small task. We started with strategic planning, mapping out how to communicate the upcoming changes and preserve the trust and reputation each practice had spent decades building

From our very first call, we knew this project would require intention, precision, and a strong narrative to guide the transition.

2020:

Merger Campaigns, Digital Ads & Navigating a Pandemic

With a plan in place, we launched a multi-channel campaign to share the merger with patients, and created an interim website blending the two merging practices.

Knowing the delicate nature of a merger and rebranding, it was our top priority to get ahead of any miscommunications about the merger:

We crafted multiple rounds of thoughtful messaging across email, social media, flyers, press releases and mailers to communicate expectations of the changes to their internal teams, current patients and the community.
We had to ensure that both current patients and future patients were informed of the merger in a way that highlighted the positive outcomes they’d soon experience: more locations, more providers, more convenience.

On the search side of things...

It was imperative that we didn’t lose either site’s search ranking and website traffic. We put in place 301 website redirects, developed a thorough local SEO strategy, and began organizing and consolidating over 25 years of online listings and citations to pave the way for the new brand.

It was also the first time the practice ventured into digital advertising. We helped them launch paid campaigns to increase awareness of the upcoming changes.

Then, COVID hit.

Like most practices, they were forced to pause in-office operations. To help them get ahead of the curve, we vetted virtual consult software and implemented a solution that was so successful, it became a permanent part of their workflow.

We launched campaigns to promote virtual care, crafted announcements around closures and safety, and helped maintain patient trust during a time of uncertainty.

2021:

Launching the Nth Degree Brand

Finally, the world began to reopen and in-person care resumed. It was time to pick up where we left off, and bring the new Nth Degree brand to life.

We collaborated with their team to create the name Nth Degree Orthodontics, which was a clever nod to their legacy (Nease, Thomas, Higginbotham, Horvath) and a promise to go above and beyond (to the Nth Degree) in patient care, comfort, and convenience.

We built the brand from the ground up:

Messaging, positioning, and storytelling that celebrated the brand’s evolution
Flyers, emails, social posts, and press releases to announce the rebrand
An engaging internal campaign asking patients and team members to share how they were going to the Nth Degree that year

We also designed, developed and launched a stunning new custom website and revamped every piece of their visual identity such as referral pads, letterhead, business cards, office signage, billboards, and more.

BEFORE

AFTER

The results speak for themselves:

31% increase in website online appointment requests
43% increase in keyword ranking across all platforms*
42% increase for all keywords across all platforms*
25% decrease in bounce rate

*Google, Google Mobile, Google Maps, Bing and Bing local

And yes, SEO remained unscathed.

2022–2023:

Growth Mode - Filters, Forms & Follow-Ups

As the brand settled in, we continued to consult on outreach and patient engagement strategies.

We helped Nth Degree:

Create branded Snapchat filters to turn patients into brand ambassadors
Launch seasonal campaigns for events like Winterfest at Tryon Resort and track form conversions and newsletter traffic
Evaluate opportunities like advertising in The Scout Guide

One major initiative: implementing automated follow-up campaigns for pending and missed patients using LeadSigma.

real results:

30% conversion rate from the previous year’s pending patients
40% conversion rate from the same year’s pending patients

Typical conversion rates fall between 10-25%!

We also worked with their team to train and support best practices for follow-up, ensuring accountability and results.

2024:

New Doctor, New Tools, New Energy

In 2024, Nth Degree welcomed a new doctor and we were there to help announce the news.

We created:

Social media teasers and announcement posts
A new provider page on the website
Updated business cards, flyers, posters, and bio materials

We also supported their in-house social media coordinator by:

Creating branded Canva templates
Producing a social training video and brand guidelines
Hosting one-on-one strategy and best practices sessions with our Director of Accounts

Additional initiatives included:

Advising on the implementation of OrthoCatapult to digitize their case presentation process
Collaborating on marketing planning and budgeting goals
Auditing workflows and offering vendor recommendations for automation and process optimization

2025 & Beyond:

Expanding to Woodruff

Next up: Nth Degree enters the Woodruff community.

We’ve already kicked off pre-launch marketing for their upcoming location, including:

A new “Coming Soon” website banner
Dedicated Woodruff location page with early SEO implementation
Area Served content, citation creation, and future digital ads
Social media content to build buzz and awareness

As the Nth Degree brand continues to grow and their needs evolve, we’re excited to continue growing with it.

Let’s Take Your Practice to the Nth Degree

We’re so honored to have been part of Nth Degree Orthodontics from the very start, helping shape their transformation from two legacy practices into one bold, modern brand. Merging and rebranding a practice takes careful planning, a thoughtful strategy, and a partner who understands how to navigate change with intention.

Whether you’re looking to scale, merge, rebrand, or revitalize your practice, we’d love to be part of your story too.