Cary Braces & Clear Aligners
Better Health for Beautiful Smiles
Hospitality means you come first at McNutt Orthodontics.
You’re not a patient—you’re a guest. Orthodontist Dr. Matthew McNutt and our amazing team do everything we can to accommodate you at our Cary and Clayton orthodontic offices.
Made Me Feel So Comfortable
I was nervous and scared when I got to the McNutt Orthodontics office. But everyone who worked with me today was so patient and nice. They made me feel so comfortable.
- Keisha H.
Our McNutt Orthodontics team at Southern Smiles offers free consultations for adults of any age, teens, and young children. We truly love meeting new patients, and we frequently hear that our consultation experience was better than any elsewhere. Our goal is to be educational and to be a patient-first advocate.
We won't pressure you to commit to treatment at your consultation, and we strive to try to exceed your expectations. Dr. McNutt will create a uniquely tailored plan for you, designed to create a beautiful smile and to achieve a level of dental health that will help you keep your teeth and mouth healthy for a lifetime.
Why Choose Us
At McNutt Orthodontics, your family is our family. We invite you to learn why so many families join our Tooth Mover Team and how we redefine Southern hospitality.
Meet Dr. Matthew McNutt
After a word of advice from his mother, Dr. Matthew has dedicated his orthodontic practice to revolving around you, your family, and your needs above all else.
Reviews & Testimonials
Read what real McNutt Orthodontics patients have to say about about their wonderful experiences.
Serving Our Community
We love rejuvenating smiles. But we do a lot more than that. See what else we do around Cary and Clayton.
Our Story
Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry of Cary, NC, and the McNutt Orthodontic Team combine the synergy of both orthodontics and pediatric dentistry. We think they go together like peanut butter and jelly!
The Southern Smiles Pediatric Dentistry story began in 2020 through the affiliation of the orthodontic practice of Dr. Matthew McNutt and the pediatric dentistry practice of Dr. Daniel Howell.
A History of Smiles
Our story starts with pediatric dentist Dr. Dan Howell: “Dr. Dan,” as he is known at the office, was the very first pediatric dentist in Cary, NC, and is a legend in the community. Having founded his practice in 1979, he has cared for generations of children.
Cary was still a very small town with only ten dentists. Dr. Dan began a well-deserved break and phased into retirement in 2023. Dr. Dan will continue to work occasionally. He’s a big kid at heart, and we won’t be able to keep him away. Nor do we want to!
Our story continues with orthodontist Dr. Matthew McNutt: “Dr. Matthew,” as he is known at the office, began his orthodontic career in 1996 while still an undergraduate student at NC State, working as an orthodontic lab tech and assistant for a local orthodontist in both Raleigh and Cary.
After completing both dental school and orthodontic residency at UNC Chapel Hill, Dr. McNutt founded his private practice in Cary in 2007 and in 2009 opened a second location in Clayton.
When you visit us, you will find a fun-loving team that cares deeply about what we do, and if you are lucky, you may visit on a day when Ripley or Shiloh, our golden-doodle comfort dogs, are on paw patrol in the office.
In the orthodontic office, we treat patients of all ages, from young children to adults, well into their senior years. In our pediatric dental office, we treat children from infancy through the teen years. We have a heart for special needs children, many of whom stay in the practice well into adulthood.
New Beginnings
Dr. Dan Howell practiced in the same office in Cary from 1987 until 2022. In the summer of 2022, a new pediatric dental office space began construction in the building next to Dr. McNutt’s orthodontic office in Cary. This enchanting and charming office officially opened in January of 2023 and will bring comfort to children for many years to come.
Our story continues to grow with the addition in 2023 of Pediatric Dentist Dr. Narineh Panoosian, otherwise known in the office as “Dr. Nar.” The pediatric team excitedly welcomed her into the practice family to carry on Dr. Dan’s legacy.
She brings her kindness, compassion, and world-class training to our team. Dr. Nar shares Dr. Dan’s deep passion and commitment to providing the best possible care for children. Everyone who joins our family of patients becomes a part of our Southern Smiles story