Free Cases Cost Money?

I read the newsletter of an antiquated but still popular orthodontic consultant the other day and was struck by something crazy. This consultant was putting fourth the assertion that donating free tre...

Our Doctor Is THE BEST!

If I call your office right now and ask for a new patient appointment, will the person answering your phone tell me how great you are? Will I hear something like this? “I am so glad you called! Dr. ...

Bending Wire vs. Repositioning Brackets

I’ve tried it both ways over the past decade and ultimately found that I can finish cases 4-6 months faster bending wire to correct minor rotations and discrepancies than I can by repositioning and ...

Coach

By: Dr. Mike Zetz I am writing this with the assumption that the reader – YOU – holds this tenant to be true.  That is, you believe that within your area, when it comes to orthodontic care, you ...

But It’s Not Perfect!

Recently a member of Ortho101 asked about how to handle an imperfect finish. It is a great question and one we all deal with almost daily whether or not we want to admit it out loud. Here are some of...

Five Minutes Makes All The Difference!

Ever notice how first thing in the morning and right after lunch are super busy times? Almost as busy as 3:30 pm when the school bus drops off and all hell breaks loose (if that happens in your office...

Treat Patients Like You Would Treat Your Family

Orthodontics is easy. Figure out what is wrong. Decide on a plan to get the best possible outcome. Put the brackets in the middle of the teeth in alignment with the long axis, level and align, close s...

The Paternal Model Is DEAD

The days of telling patients what to do and expecting them to follow blindly are over and I, for one, am glad! What does this mean for orthodontists? It means that the way “we have always done it”...

Don’t Piss Momma Off!

When confronted with a kid who doesn’t brush or wear elastics, our first instinct as orthodontists is to say something like, “Susie, why haven’t you been brushing your teeth?!?!” but as soon a...

If I Could do Residency Again

By: Dr. Noam Green It’s an exhilarating time. Ortho residency is done and I’m doing my best to piece together plans for the years to come. It’s as though I dove out of an airplane for the first...