New York orthodontist turns office into ‘Nightmare Before Christmas' experience

A dentist appointment in late October's peak candy season might seem like the nightmare before Halloween.

But not so much when the orthodontist is dressed as Jack Skellington and his office is the universe of “The Nightmare Before Christmas.”

This is Halloween -- this is Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! Halloween! – at Mateer Orthodontics in New York.

“Generally -- dentists and orthodontists -- kids primarily don’t want to go to those appointments,” Mateer said. “So, we’re going above and beyond to make this an enjoyable,  welcoming experience.”

The staff continued its holiday tradition by transforming each room of their dental office in Commack, Long Island, into a different setting from the classic holiday-crossover animated movie. So much so that it confused an Amazon driver who entered the waiting room with packages in hand, noticed a large functioning fountain in the shape of a dragon, and asked, “Is this the orthodontist office?”

Yes, it is, but the orthodontist was dressed in a black pinstriped suit, oversized bowtie and custom-made silicone skeleton mask with a mouth that moved when he talked.

“Patients were pretty amazed,” Mateer said. “I think the quality of the mask combined with the fact that it moves when I talk, people have been pretty floored by that. They’ve also been really shocked by how amazing the staff looks and just the overall presentation of the office.”

What’s this? What’s this? A worm hovering above a holiday-countdown clock in a waiting room also occupying a pumpkin head welcoming patients to “Halloween Town.” Oh, and that dragon fountain made by one of the staffer’s husbands from soldered and painted foam, PVC piping, a water bin and pump.

What’s this? What’s this? A front desk featuring a fireplace and blackboard covered in Christmas equations, with Sally answering phones, the Mayor typing away and Dr. Finkelstein being pushed around in a wheelchair.  

What’s this? What’s this? Rows of holiday themed trees leading to “Christmas Town,” Sally’s room and Oogie Boogie’s fluorescent hallway.

What’s this? What’s this? A hill shining in the moonlight alongside patients being treated in dental chairs by a witch, werewolf and skeleton who specialize in braces.

“It felt like it was crazy having a skeleton orthodontist,” said Alex Morganstern, 12. “Like, it doesn’t feel real. It feels like you’re in a book or something.”

It’s the next chapter in Mateer’s Halloween history. The office theme has become a highly anticipated experience – with previous transformations like “Beetlejuice,” “Stranger Things” and "Harry Potter.”

Mateer has gone from dressing as Voldemort to Vecna to Beetlejuice to Skellington – all of whom have one thing in common: bad teeth.

“There must be some sort of subliminal message there that I want to like fix their teeth,” Mateer joked.

“They can’t wait to come in and see what he’s going to be every year,” added Kristy Roocke, a treatment coordinator playing the blue-skinned and stitched rag doll Sally. “Everybody is excited and our schedule is always jam packed.”

And the staff is always decked out.

Bouncing between Halloween and Christmas towns on Monday were Boogie’s Boys – Lock, Shock and Barrel. Sitting behind the front desk was the Mayor, wearing a decorated lamp shade as a head. Rolling around the hallways on a desk chair that was transformed into a wheelchair by painting two wheels and zip-tying them to each side was the mad scientist Dr. Finkelstein – complete with the duckbill-mouth made of foam clay and a skullcap that opened to reveal a brain.

“I actually made the hat and the mouth,” said receptionist Tatiana Espino. “I did cheat and bought the brain on Amazon.”

It was one of the many expenses needed to bring the holiday classic to life – and this year’s theme has some staying power beyond Halloween.

“We figured it would be cool to be able to do something a little bit longer than two days and maybe kind of recreate this into Christmas, leave it up and make it Christmas Town afterward,” said insurance coordinator Dakota Duffy, dressed in all red with a devil’s tail as Lock. ‘So, it’s like a dual theme. Trying to be bigger and better this year.”

That’s the pressure the staff faces every Halloween, which is why they begin the process as early as August and spent last weekend transforming the office from sunrise to sunset.

 “We all are worried that it’s not gonna be enough,” Mateer said. “As we were setting this up this weekend, it’s kind of like, ‘Well, maybe we should do this too to make sure it’s over the top.’ It spirals into a lot.”

That’s why Mateer was unable to breathe through his nose all day because of the very like-life, but very expensive and very tight mask he kept on nearly all day.

“It’s made of silicone, so it doesn’t move a lot and it comes down to about here,” he said as he pointed to the middle of his chest.  “So, it has to go on first, clothes on second. I pretty much put it on and said to myself, ‘You’re living with that for the rest of the day.’”

Perhaps the rest of the holiday season, as well.

“Do we leave it up and then once early November hits just start going around giving it a Christmas flair?” he asked. “That’s definitely a possibility.”

And the skeleton mask stays on from Halloween through Christmas?

“One hundred percent,” Mateer said, “and I just switch to a Santa costume.”