In 2016 Dr. Lauren Vitkus opened her first practice, Vitkus Orthodontics, in the Finger Lakes Region of Geneva, NY. Born in Watertown and having grown up in the Syracuse area, Dr. Vitkus always knew she wanted to be able to expand her practice to provide care for patients across Central New York. In 2020 an opportunity arose for her to join with one of the Syracuse area’s leading Invisalign experts, Dr. Michael Meharg, at Franklin Square Orthodontics in downtown Syracuse. Practices similar in size and culture, the partnership proved to better serve patients by combining treatment strengths and a shared passion for first-class care. After a wonderful couple of years working together, Dr. Meharg happily retired in 2023.
With the end of one chapter comes the beginning of another. Dr. William Raineri had been practicing orthodontics in the Liverpool and Baldwinsville areas since 1982. Dr. Vitkus and Dr. Raineri connected in 2022 and after much thought and consideration the decision was made to join their offices. Seeking a name that illustrated what we aim for and what we stand for, Sirius Orthodontics was born!
Sirius is the brightest star in our sky, shining twice as bright as the next brightest. The name Sirius Orthodontics was born to emphasize what our team aims for each day: We work to create healthy, beaming smiles while striving to be the brightest part of our patients’ day!
After Dr. Meharg and Dr. Raineri deservingly retired, Dr. Vitkus brought on two other wonderful doctors to our Sirius Orthodontics Team. Dr. Lindsay Diaz joined us from Baltimore, Maryland and Dr. Christine Chmil joined us from the Utica area of New York. Both Dr. Diaz and Dr. Chmil had known Doctor Vitkus for many years prior and have proven to be fantastic additions to our team.
Meanwhile, on the other side of Syracuse, Dr. Carolyn Dragon had joined Dr. Richard Konys in his long standing orthodontic office in Manlius. After his retirement, seeking further collaboration, Dr. Dragon connected with our team of doctors at Sirius and they decided to team up! Dragon Orthodontics in Manlius is now part of the Sirius Orthodontics family.
Sirius Orthodontics encompass our five offices located in Liverpool, Manlius, Baldwinsville, Geneva, and the Franklin Square area of downtown Syracuse. We are proud to be a family owned multi doctor practice. Our multiple locations allow us to serve patients across Central New York, Northern New York and the Finger Lakes regions. More importantly, our multiple doctors together ensure that you or your child are receiving the best care possible. The team approach to care is part of the foundation of our practice and having a team of doctors who can collaborate together makes this possible.
We’re excited for our future and welcome you to join us!
