by Niki Chanel
The business of straightening teeth is pretty serious stuff – without a good bite, we can’t eat properly; if our teeth are crooked, we could starve for friends. Facial appearance may be more important now than in any previous time in history, and teeth are our front and center introduction to the world.
John Trotter has been in the business for seventeen years, and as you enter his office at 1706 South Elena Avenue in the Riviera Village, it is obvious that he loves what he is doing. The unconventional, open design lets in the light and allows for huge murals that transport one to an island in the South Seas, Hawaii or even down the block. Fish wearing braces hobnob with vintage aircraft flying through an untroubled sky, taking your mind off of the reason you are here. There are computers for the kids and even a movie room for those that have read their fill of magazines. He even has a display case for his extensive Hot Wheels collection!
John grew up in Downey then went to USC for his undergrad, dental school and orthodontics residency, finishing up with a Masters of Science in Cranio-Facial Biology. True to his alma mater, John has been teaching every third Tuesday in the Orthodontic Department for the last ten years, and yes, he is a Trojan fan. After college, he high-tailed it to Redondo Beach, and moved into an apartment at Beachbrook Village on Catalina Avenue and Ruby Street.
On vacation in Mammoth, friends introduced him to a Redondo Beach orthodontist, Ed Givins, DDS. John was invited into the business as a partner in 1994 and after eight years, Ed retired. Dr. Trotter has kept the business going for seventeen years at the same location. “He was a great partner!” says John, who now sees the grand-kids of Ed’s patients, as well as the kids of clients Dr. Trotter started with in 1994. “Ed passed on a great legacy.” Unfortunately, Dr. Givins passed away in February of 2009.
John met his wife, Irene, at USC in ‘91 where she was a student in the Dental Hygiene Program. They married in ‘93, and eventually moved to Via Colusa near the golf course in the Valmonte area of Palos Verdes. They have two sons, Ben and Zack. Ben, the younger, is eight and Zack is fifteen. They have an Italian exchange student living with them for the school year, Francesco, who is seventeen.
The office was redecorated in 2004. John asked the decorator to go for a Tommy Bahama look, and it is a success! Clean, airy, open, and fun while still maintaining a professional ambiance; all the latest technology is tastefully tucked away. Two thirds of his patients are kids, so the incentive programs keep kids interested in their own oral hygiene – if you brush, you collect “Trotter Tokens” to win gift cards for AMC movies, Baskin and Robbins ice cream, Starbucks or even Tillies clothing coupons, and many more.
All in all, John feels blessed; “God’s hand put me in this location… it was chosen for me.”
If you are looking for a local life-improver that speaks ‘surf’, then John Trotter, DDS is your orthodontist.
Check out the website at www.trotterorthodontics.com , call 310.373.0093, or stop by the office at 1706 South Elena Avenue, in the Riviera Village of Redondo Beach for a quick sea-side moment.
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