About Us

When they were barely old enough to drive, Lance and Ryan Dowdle were already learning their craft in orthodontic laboratories.

It was the beginning of a unique decades-long partnership that is at the heart of Excel Orthodontics, Inc., the Portland, Oregon company they founded in 1990.

Under the brothers’ guidance, Excel has earned a sterling reputation for providing state-of-the-art, expert laboratory services for today’s busy orthodontic practices.

Their commitment to service is shared by the entire team at Excel, where a number of skilled technicians and staff have served for more than 10 years.

Our customers have come to depend on the kind of continuity and quality Excel delivers, which is why many have been with us since the beginning. In fact, some of our practice partners are even on their second generation of doctors.

The roots of this success started when Lance was just 15 years old and landed his first practice-based laboratory job. Four years later, he introduced his younger brother, Ryan, to the profession.

Both seemed to share a natural aptitude and enthusiasm for the work. And aside from taking time to serve missions for their church, Lance and Ryan never detoured from their new career paths.

They went on to work in commercial laboratories where they broadened their knowledge base while learning to meet the needs of a wide range of practices.

As each developed complimentary skill sets, they were enticed by the idea of building something together. With the support from doctors, family and friends they eventually founded Excel Orthodontics.

Today, Lance and Ryan are grateful for the trust and relationships they share with their customers, coworkers and many others who have help them grow Excel into the success story it is today.