The next Saturday, Lila nervously approached room 433. She'd been trying to brush and floss a bit more in the past week like Flossie told her, though she still wasn't quite sure what to expect. She took a deep breath and pushed open the door.

A woman in a white tunic was seated on a stool, putting some instruments in order. She turned around as Lila closed the door behind her.

"Hello, Lila? It's a pleasure to meet you, would you mind taking a seat?" The woman was short but stocky, with a somewhat athletic build. Her dark hair was buzzed very short, and a blue dust mask hung under her chin. She gave a very wide smile, showing pearly white teeth and pink and orange braces.

Lila climbed into the chair, her heart pounding. "Are you Dr. Whites?"

The woman nodded. "I am, but you can just call me Pearl! I'm sure you're wondering about what we're doing today, aren't you?" She asked as she placed a bib around Lila's neck.

Lila nodded, and Pearl picked up a set of model teeth. "Lila, have you ever worn braces before?"

Lila shook her head. "My dentist recommended I see an orthodontist, but my parents couldn't really afford it."

Pearl nodded and brought the model teeth closer to Lila, so she could see they were wearing pink, white, and blue braces.

"For a while now, I've been looking into orthodontic treatment as an alternative to facial feminization surgery. It only recently occurred to me that braces could be equipped with a slow release mechanism for certain medications. Combining hormone replacement therapy with a variety of orthodontic techniques, my wife Flossie and I have designed the Whites-Park Feminization Treatment, perfect for a young woman just beginning her transition journey!"

Lila shifted a bit in the chair. "Does it work?" She asked.

"I've used many of the techniques in Flossie's treatment, but you would be the very first patient to go through the full standard treatment plan!" Pearl beamed. "If you're not satisfied by the results after this semester, we'll pay for a more standard treatment, but only if you stay compliant with the experimental treatment, okay?"

Lila ran her tongue over her slightly crooked teeth. She never quite liked the dentist, and to be honest, she felt like she had dodged a bullet with regards to braces, but...

"I'll do it. I'll go along with whatever you think is best."

Pearl smiled. "Great! Now, if you would just sign this waiver..." She handed Lila a pen and a clipboard with a packet of dense legal text, lightly tapping the signature line.

Lila smiled as she signed on the line. "So, when do we start?"

Pearl beamed, moving a tray full of brackets and wires into view. "Today!"