Ortho Tribune

MRC Clinics put emphasis on patient education and interactive activities

Fri, 30 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Encouraging early myofunctional habit treatment among growing children has been a continuous goal for Myofunctional Research Co. (MRC) during the past 20 years, but now the company has taken it a step further with the introduction of the MRC Clinics. Since 1989 when Dr. Chris Farrell founded the company, MRC has made significant improvements to children’s faces and has educated people about the effects of soft-tissue dysfunction on the dentition.

Makeover: one system at a time

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0200

A practice transformation doesn’t occur overnight. Instead, it’s a series of small steps consistently implemented that yield huge gains in terms of efficiency, referrals and production, while reducing stress and increasing professional satisfaction. In a few short months, Dr. Michelle Gonzalez and her team have made huge strides in streamlining practice operations, but they realize they still have a ways to go to reach their full practice potential.

Getting residents Wired For Success

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 22:24:58 +0200

Just two months after the much-anticipated Y2K celebration, a new educational program for residents was launched. Entitled Wired For Success, the new program focused on preparing residents for the challenges of running a busy orthodontic practice. Originally envisioned by Bruce Livingston, the president of Boyd Industries, Wired For Success began in February 2000 with six corporate sponsors and 35 residents in attendance.

GORP brings residents, orthodontists and exhibitors together

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0200

The 22nd annual Graduate Orthodontic Residents Program (GORP) is heading back to the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. From Aug. 6–8, orthodontic residents from across the United States and Canada will gather together to attend the yearly event. More than 400 students are expected to attend this year’s meeting.

Edge: Experience the revolution

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Ortho2 is the largest privately held orthodontic practice management software provider in the world and works exclusively with orthodontists. Recently, Ortho2 launched an innovative and comprehensive practice management system, Edge.

The age of digital imaging (Part 1 of 3)

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 22:25:26 +0200

Orthodontics is moving into the 21st century with digital and 3-D imaging. However, advancing one’s mindset and practice into the 21st century can be a daunting process. Selecting a technology to incorporate into your practice and deciding when and how to implement it are not simple decisions.

Has the ‘golden-age’ of orthodontics left the building?

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:42:23 +0200

There once was a time when an orthodontist was required to learn how pinch-lapping bands, spot-welding brackets, bend loops, hooks and first-, second- and third-order bends in wires as well as various auxiliary appliances work. Diagnosis included drawing our own cephalometric X-rays and trimming our own diagnostic casts — putting the “plaster-on-the-table” as the saying goes.

The new patient experience

Mon, 12 Jul 2010 20:34:18 +0200

Case presentation begins with the new patient phone call. Many ortho practices don’t realize that. When evaluating practice systems for new clients, Levin Group consultants are shocked at the number of potential patients/parents who call but never schedule. Every new patient phone call is another opportunity to provide exceptional orthodontic care, increase production and grow the practice.

Miniscrews: a focal point in practice (Part 2 of 6)

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:58:19 +0200

The insertion of a miniscrew is a very simple and rapid therapeutic measure. Although there are several methods that will yield good results, successful insertion requires adherence to a few important principles. The following text details those insertion steps that offer a high degree of safety for both patient and clinician.

Relapse: the elephant in the room

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 16:12:51 +0200

In a sweeping review on the subject, incorporating 40 years’ worth of articles, Bondemark et al. (2007) found the tenor of the debate on orthodontic relapse rested with which retention regimen is most effective. That the hot question in orthodontics today is whether bonded or removable retainers are more effective does not bode well for the future of our science.

Explore cone beam’s past, present and future

Mon, 21 Jun 2010 15:46:13 +0200

Imaging Sciences International and Gendex Dental Systems are once again hosting the fourth International Congress on 3-D Dental Imaging, which will be held in La Jolla, Calif., on June 25 and 26. Experienced clinicians and professionals will share their vast knowledge of where 3-D was in the past, where it is today and where it’s going in the future.

Get ready for OrthoVOICE

Fri, 11 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0200

OrthoVOICE 2010 is just around the corner — Sept. 16–18, to be exact. There will be many nationally recognized speakers, including Dr. Sebastian Baumgaertel, Jeff Behan, Dr. Robert Scholz, Charlene White, Dr. Clarke Stevens, Andrea Cook, Dr. Ben Burris, Mary Kay Miller, Dr. Dan Grauer, Craig Scholz, Dr. Doug Singleton, Nancy Hyman, Dr. Scott Law, Chris Bentson and Dr. Jen Garza.

Let Carriere change your practice

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:12:16 +0200

If orthodontics had a version of a rock star, Dr. Luis Carriere of Barcelona would be one for sure. Tucked away at a table in the back of the Ortho Organizers booth during the AAO Annual Session, discussing his Carriere Self-Ligating Bracket System and Distalizer Appliance, Dr. Carriere was interrupted by a woman practically running over to him.

What makes an orthodontist educated?

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:03:54 +0200

An orthodontic education often requires rote learning. Dentists, for whom wholeness is so uniquely important, are almost distinctively un-whole, a remediable consequence of their training. Perhaps dentistry attracts individualists or encourages them to become individual in nature. Memory objectionably insists that even when the learning was without bias and restricted to a certain workload without prejudice, it was simply more esoteric in comparison to other brain functions.

Increase referrals with a PRC

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 18:38:50 +0200

The economy is slowly beginning to rebound. Is your practice positioned to take full advantage of the recovery? Now is the time to ramp up your referral marketing and start growing your ortho practice again. Even during challenging economic times, Levin Group’s orthodontic clients consistently achieve extraordinary results with The Science of Referral Marketing, a systematic approach for continually increasing referrals from patients and dentists. You can, too.

Orthodontic highlights on the Seine: FORESTADENT offers two events this September

Wed, 09 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0200

FORESTADENT would like to invite you to not just one but two advanced training events this September. The third FORESTADENT Symposium will be held Sept. 24–25 in Paris — right in the heart of the metropolis. In addition, the first International 2D Lingual User Meeting will take place on Sept. 23, giving you three days packed with orthodontic highlights in one of the most beautiful cities of the world.

Did you survive the 2009 Google Maps restructuring?

Tue, 08 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0200

In September 2009, the Google Local Business Center (Maps) began a major overhaul that kicked more than 50 percent of all local businesses off the maps, including orthodontists, eliminating a large source of free advertising in local areas. Today, six months later, a strategic reduction in local listings is still taking place. The dust hasn’t yet settled on local business listings on the maps.

Miniscrews: a focal point in practice (Part 1 of 6)

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0200

In view of the plethora of publications, courses and advertising material on this subject, it would seem that miniscrews are widely used. Once some candid questions have been asked and answered, however, it becomes apparent that the reality is quite different.

Embracing online communities

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0200

Can an orthodontist build a practice without word-of-mouth? It’s not likely. At Orthosynetics, a business service firm for orthodontic practices, we find that at least half — and often much more — of our clients’ new patients come from personal and professional referrals. As Americans increasingly gravitate to online communities for their social connections, the word-of-mouth referral stream is moving online, too.

SureSmile introduces version 5.8

Mon, 07 Jun 2010 00:00:00 +0200

SureSmile 5.8, first introduced to an international audience of orthodontists at the annual SureSmile conference, is now available for commercial use. In keeping with SureSmile’s comprehensive service approach, all current customers will automatically receive the upgrade at no additional cost.