Don’t Trust, Verify!
When you meet fellow orthodontists or dentists, it’s pretty safe to accept what they tell you about their credentials. If they tell you where they went to school and when they graduated then odds ar...
Orthodontic Assumptions
Let’s talk about our assumptions, many of them as old as the profession itself. We orthodontists are nothing if not certain that the world truly is what we see though the rose colored glasses &#...
MLPs Could Change The Dental Landscape
Mid Level Providers will become a realty in every state just as Physicians Assistants did. Dentists and Organized Dentistry will continue to rail against MLPs even though it is a waste of time and mo...
The Problem With Mentors
I’ve had more than a couple over my short career and I’ve learned a tremendous amount from those willing to share their wisdom and knowledge. I appreciate the people who took the time and ...
Take The Braces Off… Then Put Them Back On!
Taking braces off is not a big deal. Neither is putting them on. With some focus, practice and intention, you and your team can do either of these procedures well south of the 30-minute mark. Seriousl...
Keep Personal Email Personal
I’ve had this topic come up in conversation several times of late and I have to admit I hadn’t considered it at all before, but allowing employees to use personal email for business corres...
R.I.P
There is no denying it. The profession is dying. The world is changing and the rate of change is increasing all the time. I was in KC Friday talking to a great group of orthodontists and Dr. Clarence ...
Do You Write ALL These Blog Posts, Ben?
I get this question all the time and I find it fascinating for several reasons: 1) That such a high percentage of orthodontists ask me this question and are deadly serious. 2) From what I can tell, th...
Should I Specialize? Piece on DrBicuspid
I had an interesting conversation with a third year dental student via messenger a couple weeks ago, the contents of which ended up on DrBicuspid. I think you’ll find the conversation interesti...
Sharpies Have No Place In The Mouth
If you use and re-use a Sharpie marker or a wax pencil to mark wires for detail bends YOU ARE WRONG. There is no way around it and all the weak rationalizations of the “self sterilizing” a...