Our clinic has had the honor of being awarded Rockford’s #1 Dermatology Clinic through Rockford Register Star’s “Community Choice Awards” for the last NINE years in a row. In 2023, we also took home the top honors for Best Medical Spa, Best Facials, Best Cosmetic Center, Best Boss, Best Place to Work and Best Employer for Small Businesses!
These outstanding achievements stem from a variety of factors, including our incredibly talented team of providers and staff, but we owe it all to our Founder, Owner, President, and Board-Certified Dermatologist, Dr. Maria Al-Basha. She has over 35 years of experience in the industry, both for medical dermatology and cosmetic procedures. Patients and staff members agree Dr. is best described as knowledgeable, humble, and compassionate.
Dr. Al-Basha is a unique caregiver in that she doesn’t just stop at treating your skin condition but also offers invaluable advice about nutrition for healthy skin, over the counter skin remedies, md-approved cosmeceutical skin care regimens, and any option that can be taken to prevent future problems with your skin, hair, and nails.
Her father was a general practitioner, sparking her love for helping people in the medical setting. Her oldest daughter, Amira, joined the clinic as a Physician Assistant in 2019, carrying the family tradition of a love for medicine. Dr. Maria Al-Basha has been a Rockford resident since 1989 and has been treating patients in the Edgebrook center since 1997. This mother-daughter duo is perhaps one of our many secrets that make our clinic as warm and welcoming as it is!
We sat down with some of our staff members to discuss what exactly makes our office so unique and why our patients continue to vote Dr. Al-Basha number one!
“Our accessibility,” Amira Al-Basha, PA-C, answers. “We’re typically able to get patients in very quickly. We have a very family-style feel, so if a patient needs to be seen at an off-time or we need to do something extra for a patient, we’re very lucky we can typically accommodate that here.”
“On the aesthetic side,” she continues, “we have a lot of trainings every single year, so our skillset, our techniques are really second to none.” Our providers take safety very seriously, but also aim to provide the best artistic skill when it comes to injectables. Continued training allows them to combine their years of experience with new, innovative techniques and practices over time, gaining a wide range of education and capabilities—which we feel is important.
Noelle, one of our Medical Assistants who has been with us for over 13 years, explains that the most consistent component throughout our clinic has always been Dr. Al-Basha’s compassion and care for both her staff and her patients. “She makes us feel 100% part of her family. She’s always felt like a second mother to me, ever since I’ve been employed here.”
Macy, one of our cosmetic employees, praises Dr. for her kindness and how she always comes in with a smile on her face. “You just feel this warmth when she enters a room. She really just wants to help patients and give them the best care.”
The atmosphere our office provides emanates throughout our staff. Mary Lynn, one of our many CMAs, states that although she could retire, she has no desire to because of the family she’s acquired here. “Everyday, I’m amazed at Dr.’s thoughtfulness, thoroughness, and strong desire to do the very best she can for her patients. That rubs off on all of us.” She does say that if she someday is not here, it will only be to finally retire, and that she wont be working anywhere else!
“She’s been here for so many years,” Toni, Certified Laser Technician, points out. “And now that she’s got her daughter and another PA working for her, it’s just great to have (that energy) trickle down to everyone else. You see Amira and Carla working so hard to give that same care that Doctor does.”
Makayla, our Marketing Specialist who also previously worked as a Cosmetic Consultant, boasts, “Unfortunately, it can feel rare to find not only a doctor who you trust and feel so comfortable with, but also a boss who treats their staff so inclusively. Dr. Al-Basha loves to share her expertise with her staff each and everyday with joy. She takes true pride in her work and her overall goals to improve patients’ health and confidence. She never makes you feel like you cannot come to her with questions. She’s always willing to assist and help you grow.”
“With her patients,” Makayla continues, “she’s always been very transparent about what suits them. She’s instilled in all of us the importance of assessing patients medically to determine safety and best practices to approach any of their cosmetic interests, which isn’t always the case for some cosmetic offices. Not only that, but she’s the doctor who will be honest and forward with a patient when something may not be ideal for them. We never want patients to feel pressured or ‘sold’ something that wont actually benefit them or help them achieve their goals. Patient satisfaction and genuine happiness with their results is so important to Dr. Al-Basha and our entire staff here. I think that transparency is a very rare and respectable quality to find in a doctor.”
“Dr. Al-Basha is beyond deserving of every single award she has ever received,” says her General Manager, Samantha Moyer, who has worked at Edgebrook Dermatology for almost 8 years. “She is a wealth of knowledge, making her an incredible physician. But the real reason she’s as loved and adored as she is is because of who she is as a person.”
“I had no idea people loved their doctors until I saw patient after patient thanking her and raving about her. From thank you cards and homemade cookies to their families’ chickens’ eggs to letters and flowers… the love from our patients to Dr. Al-Basha has been incredible to see. Dr. Al-Basha has been thanked by a long-time patient’s family in their obituary for helping save that patient’s life earlier on. There’s a reason we have patients whose kids not only come here, but their parents and grandparents as well. Dr. is an angel, and we are all so thankful to work with and for her!”
Check back soon to watch our full YouTube video where we interviewed more of our staff members, as well as Dr. Al-Basha herself!
We thank everyone who took the time and dedication to VOTE for us this year and every year, sharing your support and gratitude for our hard work. We are beyond grateful for your support, encouragement, and feedback as we continue to grow. Our team, day in and day out, aspires to provide the best of the best care for you and your loved ones, and we hope to continue this streak for years to come.
Thank you, Rockford!