Ortho Tribune U.S. No. 1, 2014

AAO heads to Las Vegas for Winter Conference / How to improve our diagnostic acumen: Teach it to our residents — Part I / News / Industry / The content craze: How to do it the right way / Thinking outside the metal box: Why wait? / The top 5 ways to reinvent your practice in 2014 / Ortho Classic launches all-new online store / Ortho Classic announces joint H4 Forum with OrthoVOICE / Board standard results through Avex Suite

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ORTHO TRIBUNE
The World’s Orthodontic Newspaper · U.S. Edition

JANUARY 2014 — Vol. 9, No. 1

www.ortho-tribune.com

AAO heads to Las Vegas
for Winter Conference
Members
encouraged
to invite
restorative
colleagues
By Sierra Rendon, Managing Editor

The American Association of Orthodontists will host its 2014 Winter Conference at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas. Photo/www.sxc.hu

Attendees will hear perspectives about
the clinical and medico-legal risks inher-

Tribune America
116 West 23rd Street
Suite #500
New York, N.Y. 10011

he American Association
of Orthodontists will host
its 2014 Winter Conference
from Feb. 7–9 at Caesars
Palace in Las Vegas.
The focus of the event
will be “Adult Treatment: A Clinical Conference for Orthodontists and Restorative Dentists.”
AAO members are encouraged to invite restorative dentistry colleagues to
attend and join the exploration of how
the specialties can collaborate to produce outstanding clinical results.
The team aspect of the event is just the
beginning, according to organizers, as
there will be a comprehensive set of presentations from recognized clinical experts, covering topics ranging from new
treatments in adult esthetics to sleep apnea to breakthrough orthodontic and restorative materials as well as computerassisted diagnostics and treatment.

ent in adult treatment, and an update on
the most current considerations in the
management of TMD. Methodologies to
change the speed and quality of treatment through changes in patient physiology will be discussed with focus on
both accelerated osteogenic orthodontics and vibratory stimulation of tooth
movement, organizers said.
This AAO Winter Conference is dedicated to Dr. Vince Kokich. Kokich served
as the AAO’s Winter Conference co-chair
and worked to develop the scientific program prior to his passing.
This meeting is dedicated to Kokich
in memory of his many contributions
to dentistry and specifically to interdisciplinary treatment as featured in this
program.
Registration is open and hotel reservations may be made at www.aaoinfo.org.
Restorative dentists may also register at
www.aaoinfo.org. Use the “Meetings &
Events” section pull-down to access information about the conference and to
register.

This AAO Winter Conference is dedicated to
Dr. Vince Kokich. He served as the conference co-chair and developed the scientific
program prior to his passing.

PRSRT STD
U.S. Postage
PAID
Las Vegas, NV
Permit #1338

[2] =>

From the Editor

How to improve our
diagnostic acumen: Teach
it to our residents — Part I
By Dennis J. Tartakow,
DMD, MEd, EdD, PhD, Editor in Chief

re orthodontists responsible for examining the
occlusion, teeth and
gingiva? Yes, for sure,
but we also have a responsibility to use our
training and understanding not just to
straighten teeth, correct malocclusions
or improve skeletal discrepancies of the
jaws but to ensure that any and all pathology in the head and neck is identified, documented, treated or referred for
treatment.
After many years of clinical practice
and teaching, it occurred to me that
many of our residents are missing certain aspects of their orthodontic training. Nothing is a better teacher than
personal experience; however, what we
do and how we do it in practice often reflects upon the educators and mentors
in postgraduate residency programs.
The following are examples of issues
and guidelines that are seldom, if ever,
mentioned in our teaching; they are
subjects that go beyond the routine in
the diagnostic process and examination.
1. Documentation is the most glaring problem that is often overlooked in
resident training, mostly because it is
assumed that the residents know how
to write and what to write in all correspondences, diagnostic letters and patient charts, but do they? Most do not!
We must prepare them to speak before a
group of individuals, to address a judge
and jury in the courtroom and, most
important, we must educate them to
document correctly, writing with proper
English.
Speaking clearly and writing properly are the most important aspects of
documentation for communicating our
thoughts, treatment plans, problems,
objectives and projected outcomes.
Writing clearly in a patient’s chart can
make a big difference years later when
asked to review a patient’s record and
we cannot even remember the patient’s
name, let alone treating them.
Ask any medical malpractice attorney
about how well dentists or orthodontists
document properly in a patient’s treatment chart. You will be mortified. Most
clinicians do not take the time to write
adequate notes, explaining or identifying problems encountered such as compliance, oral hygiene, lack of proper appliance care, etc., and some writing so
poorly that whatever is written either
cannot be deciphered or makes little or
no sense.
Not only are many notations illegible,
they are often written with shortcuts
and abbreviations only known to that
clinician. Most chart entries are too

short, incomplete, unacceptable and inadequate. These situations occur much
too often and are a poor reflection on
the educators because this is our responsibility.
2. Cephalometric radiographs can provide much more diagnostic information than measuring lines and angles
by looking beyond the teeth. As a broad
scan, it can be used to find pathology
other than dental disease. Not too long
ago, a recently graduated orthodontic
resident came to me beaming, stating
that because of his diagnostic lectures,
he spotted a carotid artery calcification
on a routine cephalometric radiograph
of a new 24-year-old patient. Presenting with no familial or personal medical history of high cholesterol or heart
disease, this calcification was never diagnosed and unbeknown to the patient.
According to the vascular surgeon who
removed the calcification, this pick up
saved the patient’s life.
A cephalometric radiograph can help
in diagnosing cervical vertebrae problems, disc disease and other spinal
abnormalities. Tonsil and adenoid enlargements that contribute to airway
impingement, open-mouth breathing,
high palatal vaults, open-bites, etc. can
also be identified on a cephalometric radiograph. The list goes on, but such pickups can be found only if the doctor takes
the time to examine the X-ray in greater
detail.
3. Submental vertex radiographs (SMV)
and posterior-anterior X-rays (PA) can
and do show expansile lesions of the
mandible whereas the panorex and
cephalometric X-rays often do not.
Such was the case of an 18-year old female patient who had an asymptomatic
mandibular swelling and was eventually
diagnosed as fibrous dysplasia.
The diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia in a
patient raises important questions for
the orthodontist such as: (a) can a patient with fibrous dysplasia be treated
with orthodontics, or (b) what are the
contraindications to moving teeth in
the presence of fibrous dysplasia? A rare
finding indeed, but both of these views
are extremely valuable tools that can
facilitate early diagnosis of other pathology, especially vertebral problems
caused by benign and malignant disease
processes.
The SMV and PA are omnipotent in
diagnosing skeletal midline discrepan-

cies. Midline deviations are often misdiagnosed and labeled as a dental problem, when in fact there is an underlying
skeletal asymmetry in the maxilla, mandible or both. Midline issues and diagnoses can easily be confirmed by using
these two radiographs that beautifully
demonstrate when the left and right
mandibular corpi are unequal in length.
How often do we blame a cephalometric
radiograph with non-superimposed porion images on technique, when in fact
(a) the PA view identifies the length of
the mandibular rami to be unequal in
length, or (b) the SMV view identifies the
length of the mandibular corpi to be unequal in length?
Consequences of missing this astute
diagnosis can have daunting and dire
treatment results. Besides, attempting to
move a maxillary or mandibular dental
midline may be like shoveling sand back
to the ocean when the tide is coming in
… a sure miscalculation that will result
in relapse. These additional views can
prevent misdiagnosis, poor treatment
results and explain or even lead to understanding the etiology of a patient’s
malocclusion: Is it skeletal, dental or
both?
NOTE: Part II of this article will publish
in the next edition of Ortho Tribune.

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | january 2014

ORTHO TRIBUNE
Publisher & Chairman
Torsten Oemus t.oemus@dental-tribune.com
President/Chief Executive Officer
Eric Seid e.seid@dental-tribune.com
Editor in Chief ORTHO Tribune
Prof. Dennis Tartakow
d.tartakow@dental-tribune.com
International Editor Ortho Tribune
Dr. Reiner Oemus r.oemus@dental-tribune.com
group editor
Kristine Colker k.colker@dental-tribune.com
Managing Editor ORTHO Tribune
Sierra Rendon s.rendon@dental-tribune.com
Managing Editor
Fred Michmershuizen
f.michmershuizen@dental-tribune.com
Managing Editor
Robert Selleck, r.selleck@dental-tribune.com
product/Account Manager
Humberto Estrada h.estrada@dental-tribune.com
product/Account Manager
Will Kenyon w.kenyon@dental-tribune.com
product/Account Manager
Jan Agostaro j.agostaro@dental-tribune.com
Marketing director
Anna Wlodarczyk-Kataoka
a.wlodarczyk@dental-tribune.com
Education DIRECTOR
Christiane Ferret c.ferret@dtstudyclub.com
Tribune America, LLC
116 West 23rd Street, Suite 500
New York, NY 10011
Phone (212) 244-7181
Fax (212) 244-7185
Published by Tribune America
© 2014 Tribune America, LLC
All rights reserved.
Tribune America strives to maintain the utmost accuracy in its news and clinical reports. If you find a
factual error or content that requires clarification,
please contact Managing Editor Sierra Rendon at
s.rendon@dental-tribune.com.
Tribune America cannot assume responsibility for
the validity of product claims or for typographical
errors. The publisher also does not assume responsibility for product names or statements made by
advertisers. Opinions expressed by authors are their
own and may not reflect those of Tribune America.

Editorial Board

Image courtesy of Dr. Earl Broker.

Obituary: Dr.
Howard Sacks
Dr. Howard Sacks, a member of
the Ortho Tribune’s Editorial Review
Board, passed away on Oct. 20, 2013.
Dr. Sacks was a graduate of Queens
College, University of Pennsylvania,
School of Dental Medicine and Albert Einstein Medical Center Orthodontic Residency program and
practiced orthodontics in Miami,
Fla., since 1977.
He is survived by his wife, Dr. Arlene Sacks, daughter Mara Sacks Dewrell, son Merritt Sacks and three
grandchildren.

Jay Bowman, DMD, MSD (Journalism &
Education)
Robert Boyd, DDS, MEd (Periodontics &
Education)
Earl Broker, DDS (T.M.D. & Orofacial Pain)
Tarek El-Bialy, BDS, MS, MS, PhD
(Research, Bioengineering & Education)
Donald Giddon, DMD, PhD (Psychology &
Education)
Donald Machen, DMD, MSD, MD, JD, MBA
(Medicine, Law & Business)
James Mah, DDS, MSc, MRCD, DMSc
(Craniofacial Imaging & Education)
Richard Masella, DMD (Education)
Malcolm Meister, DDS, MSM, JD (Law &
Education)
Harold Middleberg, DDS (Practice Management)
Elliott Moskowitz, DDS, MSd (Journalism &
Education)
James Mulick, DDS, MSD
(Craniofacial Research & Education)
Ravindra Nanda, BDS, MDS, PhD
(Biomechanics & Education)
Edward O’Neil, MD (Internal Medicine)
Donald Picard, DDS, MS (Accounting)
Glenn Sameshima, DDS, PhD (Research &
Education)
Daniel Sarya, DDS, MPH (Public Health)
Keith Sherwood, DDS (Oral Surgery)
James Souers, DDS (Orthodontics)
Gregg Tartakow, DMD (Orthodontics) &
Ortho Tribune Associate Editor

[3] =>

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | WINTER 2013

from the editor

TOPS

3

[4] =>

News

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | january 2014

GLAO and MSO
combine for 2014
Annual Session
in Chicago
By MSO staff

GLAO and MSO will host a joint 2014 Annual Session in Chicago this year.
Photo/www.sxc.hu

The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists and Midwestern Society

of Orthodontists are combining efforts
for a joint 2014 Annual Session to be held
Sept. 11–13 at the Hilton in downtown
Chicago.
The program features a premier scientific program and staff program. Doctor
lectures will be presented by Drs. Roberto
Justus, Katherine Vig, Thomas Cangialosi,
Eustáquio Araujo and Patrick Turley and
a special presentation by Paul Zuelke. The
staff program includes a high-energy
presentation by Bruce Manchion, CEO
of Universal Training Concepts Inc., on
Friday and a combined presentation on
Saturday with Paul Zuelke, president and
founder of Zuelke & Associates Inc., and
LeeAnn Peniche, president and founder
of Peniche & Associates.
The newly redesigned Hilton Chicago
is located on Michigan Avenue across
the street from Grant Park, overlooking
the lake with easy access to the cultural
museum area of downtown Chicago. The
Hilton Chicago has a storied past hosting
every U.S. president since Harry Truman.
Go to www.msortho.org for a schedule
of events and exhibitor prospectus. Registration and hotel reservation information will be mailed to GLAO and MSO
members, as well as being available on
the website, by early summer.
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists and Midwestern Society of Orthodontists are separate constituent organizations of the American Association
of Orthodontists (AAO). Together they
represent more than 2,700 orthodontists
in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania (west of the Alleghenies), Missouri,
Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota and
the Canadian provinces of Manitoba and
Ontario.
The last GLAO-MSO combined annual
session held together in Chicago in 2004
attracted 591 doctors and 768 staff.
For additional information, go to
www.msortho.org or contact the MSO
office by phone at (636) 922-5551, e-mail
msortho@charter.net or send mail to
3260 Upper Bottom Road, St. Charles,
Mo. 63303.

[5] =>

ClearCorrect

[6] =>

industry

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | january 2014

ClearCorrect appoints new CTO
in preparation for product releases
ClearCorrect, LLC, announced recently
that orthodontist Dr. James Mah, DDS,
MSc, DMSc, has been appointed as its
new chief technology officer to help develop improved treatment protocols,
training resources and brand-new products to be unveiled this year.
“We’re out to make innovative products that dentists and orthodontists love,
products that are both effective and affordable. There’s no one more qualified
to lead that effort than Dr. Mah,” said Jarrett Pumphrey, ClearCorrect CEO. “With

his extensive clinical experience and his
deep knowledge of advanced dental technologies, he’s a tremendous addition to
our team, and we’re excited to have him.”
Mah is a practicing orthodontist as well
as a clinical professor and the program
director in orthodontics at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He has pioneered
research and developments in 3-D imaging and modeling in orthodontics for the
purposes of diagnosis, treatment planning and therapeutics as well as anthropology and forensics. He is also involved

in the research and development of 3-D
facial imaging devices, intra-oral scanners, CAD/CAM applications in dentistry
and cone-beam CT scanners.
Mah commented on his new position as chief technology officer: “Clear
Correct delivers innovative solutions to
the dental community, and I’m proud to
join the team. Together, we’re improving ClearCorrect’s already-great products while also working on new releases
for 2014 that we’re pretty excited about
sharing with our providers.”

OrthoAccel Technologies expands
its senior management team
OrthoAccel® Technologies Inc. announces two new additions to its senior
management team: Jeff Layton as the
company’s new chief operations officer and Doug Bukaty as vice president
of sales. Both executives have distinguished careers that include management positions at Fortune 500 companies.
As chief operations officer, Layton
oversees OrthoAccel’s product engineering, design, development and manufacturing as well as supply chain, quality
assurance and customer service.
Most recently, he was the vice president of operations for Xtreme Power, a
manufacturer of renewable energy storage systems. Layton’s 25-year career also
includes management positions at Dell,
where he was the director of power and
reliability engineering, and at 3M, where
he was the plant engineering operations
manager for the company’s dental products division. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Layton was a nuclear submarine engineering operations officer
in the United States Navy.
As the leader of OrthoAccel’s sales division, Bukaty oversees all aspects of business development and revenue growth.
He comes to the company from Sarnova, a private, equity-backed specialty
medical distribution business where
he served as vice president of sales for
Bound Tree Medical.
Bukaty has more than a decade of corporate experience in the orthodontic industry with past sales positions at Align
Technology and Johnson & Johnson’s
“A” Company Orthodontics. A graduate
of the University of Kansas, Bukaty also
completed professional development
programs at Northwestern University’s
Kellogg School of Management.
“Jeff Layton and Doug Bukaty are great
additions to OrthoAccel’s senior management team, and we know that their
strong records of success in operations
and sales will help fuel our next level of
growth as the leader in accelerated or-

OrthoAccel Technologies Inc. has announced the addition of two key positions on its senior
management team: Jeff Layton as the company’s new chief operations officer and Doug
Bukaty as vice president of sales. Photo/Provided by OrthoAccel Technologies Inc.

thodontics,” said Mike Lowe, president
and CEO of OrthoAccel Technologies, Inc.
The
company
manufactures
AcceleDent®, the only FDA-cleared, Class
II medical device that has been proven
to accelerate orthodontic treatment up
to 50 percent.
Lowe added, “These executives join
OrthoAccel at a time of tremendous
momentum as our AcceleDent product
is now offered in more than 1,000 orthodontic offices in North America with
plenty of opportunity for continued
growth.”
Orthodontists and staff members
who are interested in learning more
about AcceleDent, or how to offer the
technology at their practice, can locate
an OrthoAccel sales representative at
www.AcceleDent.com/orthodontists or

by calling (866) 866-4919.

About OrthoAccel Technologies Inc.
Based in Houston, Texas, OrthoAccel
Technologies, Inc. is a privately owned
medical device company engaged in the
development, manufacturing and marketing of products to enhance dental
care and orthodontic treatment.
OrthoAccel developed and sells AcceleDent Aura, the first FDA-cleared clinical
approach to safely accelerate orthodontic tooth movement by applying gentle
micropulses via SoftPulse Technology®
as a complement to existing orthodontic
treatment.
More information can be found
at www.acceledent.com and www.
acceledent.co.uk or requested via info@
orthoaccel.com.

About ClearCorrect, LLC
ClearCorrect works with more than
15,000 doctors, making it a leading manufacturer of clear aligners. The company
offers an affordable and doctor-friendly
approach, including a phase-based system to enhance flexibility and control
for doctors. It recently celebrated its
seventh-year anniversary and has international plans on the horizon.
For more information, please visit
www.clearcorrect.com or call (888) 3313323.

AlignerMeter
app adds an
orthodontist
database
Great Smiles, LLC, has released a
new update to the AlignerMeter app,
which is currently available for Android smartphone and iPhone users
who are seeking to determine if they
can benefit from invisible braces.
“This pioneering app is rapidly
growing in popularity,” said Michael
Noorani, AlignerMeter CEO. “Since we
first released the AlignerMeter app in
January 2013, we have seen an incredible response! This app has generated
the largest fan base of its kind: individuals who would like to determine if
they’re a good candidate for invisible
braces and users who are seeking an
orthodontist who specializes in invisible braces,”
The AlignerMeter app provides
iPhone and Android smartphone users with a fun and simple way to get
a referral to one of the hundreds of
orthodontists who are registered with
the AlignerMeter orthodontist database. The application works by capturing three photographs of the individual’s teeth. The app takes a straight-on
view from the front, along with a photo capturing the right and left sides of
the subject’s smile.
Once the three photographs are captured, the AlignerMeter app sends the
images to a board-certified orthodontist who examines and evaluates the
photos to determine whether the subject is a suitable candidate for invisible
braces. In cases where the app user is
an eligible candidate for invisible braces therapy, the AlignerMeter app will
generate a referral to a local orthodontist in their area, Noorani said.
Orthodontists who offer invisible
braces are invited to register with the
AlignerMeter orthodontist database. Membership is free, and it only
takes a few minutes to sign up via the
AlignerMeter app website at www.
AlignerMeter.com.

[7] =>

Ortho Classic

[8] =>

industry

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | january 2014

The content craze: How
to do it the right way
By Angela Weber, OrthoSynetics

Content marketing has become a big
thing in recent years, and this promotional technique is only poised to get
bigger. When done right, content marketing is quite effective, and it doesn’t need
to cost much — just an investment of a
couple hours each week or so. Because
of its growing importance and low barriers for entry, any orthodontic practice
looking to rev up its marketing should
consider adopting content marketing to
bring in new patients and strengthen relationships with existing ones.
But what is content marketing anyway? It basically is about the creation
of articles or entertainment that a business’ customers care about, and this
content will directly or indirectly lead
to sales. As a marketing tactic, it’s nothing new. The Michelin Guide, which
is well known for its prestigious rankings of restaurants, first began in 1900
to provide suggested destinations for
motorists who presumably would use
Michelin tires to travel. “The Guinness
Book of World Records” was created to
settle bar bets and spur conversations
in pubs where, you guessed it, Guinness
was served. It’s been a long-standing
practice for airlines to publish in-flight
magazines that subtly promote destinations they fly to.
Like so much else, content marketing has moved online, and the current
nature of the Internet has allowed it to
flourish. (Content marketing can take
different forms, but to keep things simple for now, just think of it as an ongoing
blog posts on your practice’s website.)
Here are five reasons to participate in
content marketing:
• Boost search traffic to your site —
Search engines give higher rankings to
sites that (a) are updated and fresh and
(b) provide users with the information
they are looking for. Content marketing
satisfies on both counts and has replaced
dubious search-engine optimization
tricks like keyword stuffing.
• Increase social media activity — Content marketing is not social media marketing, but social media enhances your
content’s visibility. When you post links
to your blog on your practice’s Facebook
page or Twitter feed, you’ll give your followers something to respond to while
strengthening those networks.
• Establish expertise — People online
are searching for answers to their questions, including orthodontic ones. Why
shouldn’t you be the one who has the
answers? Show what you know. Your content can be useful and in demand.
• Show your practice’s personality —
Unique content created by you and your
staff will allow patients to get to know
you better, in turn deepening relation-

Strong content marketing can boost search traffic to your site, show your practice’s personality and increase social media activity.
Photo/www.sxc.hu

ships and boosting referrals.
• Create differentiation — If a prospective patient were choosing between orthodontists and saw your site overflowing with personality and activity and
another site that was bland and static,
the scales would definitely tilt to your
practice’s favor.

Get with the plan
The difference between social media
marketing and online content marketing is that in the former the focus is on
creating activity in the social networks
themselves, while in the latter your practice’s website is the hub (with social media helping to direct people there). There
is some overlap, of course. Some content,
like videos or photos, can work well both
on a social network and on your own site.
In the end, strong content marketing can
serve as fantastic fuel for social-network
engagement.
Because of the interplay between
these online marketing strategies, it
might seem a little unclear as to how to
put it all together. That’s why before embarking upon a content marketing push,
it’s best to start with a plan:
• Figure out your goals — Take a look at
the five reasons above to participate in
content marketing. Which ones do you
find the most important? Is there another goal that’s not listed? Decide what you
want to achieve first. Then find a way to

quantify success. Depending on your
goals, that might mean doubled web
traffic, a 50 percent increase in referrals,
or something else.
• Research and gather general ideas
for content — One good place to start
brainstorming is to ask your employees
to make a list of the questions they hear
frequently asked. What do people want
to know? Think about the conversations
you yourself have with patients every
day, and use that to generate ideas. And
certainly don’t forget to ask some of your
patients directly. What sort of content do
they say they would they be interested
in?
• Decide what content to create — The
content you create will depend on your
goals and your research. If you’re going
for expertise and authority, you might
want to create articles to answer the
questions people have, write patient
case studies and offer orthodontic tips.
If you’re going for a more personal approach, your content would likely more
center around first-person blog posts
and informal videos of what day-to-day
life is like in your practice.
• Plan a content schedule — The hardest thing about content marketing is
generating quality content on a consistent basis. While a robust content marketing campaign is ideal, posting items
on your blog just a few times a month is
sufficient to see the benefits. Determine

what your office can realistically handle,
and make sure to calibrate your goals accordingly.
• Delegate content creation — Will you
create the content yourself, will one staff
member do it, or will it be a team effort?
Figure out who in your office will create
the content and add the task to their list
of duties. You may find some staff members will find this endeavor particularly
interesting to do.
• Decide on distribution — Uploading
content to your website and leaving it at
that is OK, but to reap greater benefits,
you should take advantage of social
networks. The problem is there are so
many of them. So poll your target audience (during the research stage) and find
out which social networks they use the
most. Studies also show there are more
effective times than others to post for
optimal engagement.
Don’t expect thousands of Internet
users to come flooding to the first article
you post on your blog. Content marketing is not a quick fix for anything. But
even if you have posted just two items
a month, by the end of the year, you’ll
have 24 new pieces of material on your
website. That content will be enough
to draw attention from search engines,
strengthen patient relationships and
differentiate you from competitors. Content marketing requires sustained effort
but rewards it, too.

[9] =>

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | january 2014

industry

OrthoSynetics

9

[10] =>

industry

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | january 2014

Thinking outside the
metal box: Why wait?
By Coretta E. Morning, 3M Unitek
U.S. Marketing Manager, and
Alice M. Hill, 3M Unitek U.S. Marketing
Communications Supervisor

uring the course of the
last decade, the patient
pendulum has shifted
from “Do I have to wear
braces?” to wanting to
show off those braces
via a “selfie” (also known as a self portrait
with a camera at arm’s distance) that is
posted to the Internet via a social media
site. With this pendulum shift, there is a
much stronger desire to show off a smile,
face, body or unique personality, and
more importantly, to describe the experience. It is a newfound freedom that all
generations are taking advantage of.
What’s interesting about this new
method of sharing is that data shows that
67 percent of consumers read online business reviews and 70 percent will trust a
business review that has 6 to 10 reviews.
Further, when an online review is read, 58
percent of readers say that the positive
customer reviews will affect their decision making (http://socialmediatoday.
com/douglaskarr/561225/infographicwhy-do-people-write-online-reviews).
Dentists today offer their adult patients
tooth-colored fillings, tooth whitening,
veneers and caps. Dermatologists offer
skin resurfacing and peels, plus Botox™
to combat wrinkles. Plastic surgeons offer no end of surgical and non-surgical
body and face enhancements.
The common thread among these practitioners is the proactive and aggressive
approach to discussing esthetics with the
patient. In July 2011, a Los Angeles Times
article offered that orthodontic technology had advanced right alongside that of
cosmetic procedures and that there are
now options that provide that “esthetic
look” while in treatment, especially for
adult patients who are now “opening
wide” for braces (Mascarelli, Amanda
Leigh. Focus on Dental Health; Braces
Grow Up: Los Angeles Times, July 4, 2011,
Home Edition, E-1).
These are the cosmetic specialties, including orthodontics, that are being impacted by this wave of patrons who want
to be seen and heard. A visit to www.
healthgrades.com, or a review of your
competitors’ websites, will illustrate how
positive testimonials and/or referrals are
a part of the equation to being successful,
helping esthetic services gain ground in
consumer health services. The other part
of that equation is setting your practice
apart by offering a differentiated product.
Historically, the metal bracket has been

Try on your braces now with PaintYourSmile.
com.

Clarity ADVANCED Ceramic Braces offer an esthetic treatment. Photos/Provided by 3M Unitek

No one will know you are wearing braces
with Incognito™ Hidden Braces.

the bracket of choice, primarily because
of functionality, durability and overall
legacy of dependability. However, ceramic and lingual brackets now interest
patients of all ages and especially the
ones who also want fashion and discretion. And because it is this generation of
consumer that will provide a testimony

of their orthodontic experience, who will
take that selfie of their smile and tweet
or send a message via Facebook, an orthodontic office with esthetic choices can
capitalize on an opportunity to differentiate themselves via the latest social media vehicle.
Today, it is 3M Unitek that offers the
orthodontic esthetic solutions to meet
the growing demand of consumers who
want treatment options that help them
be beautiful while becoming more beautiful.
• Clarity™ ADVANCED Ceramic Brackets are a revolutionary leap forward in
orthodontic ceramic brackets. These
brackets offer the ultimate combination
of brilliant esthetics and performance
with trusted strength, small bracket design, predictable and consistent debonding and enhanced patient comfort. APC™
Flash-Free Adhesive Coated Appliance
System lets you move directly from
bracket placement to bracket cure without removing adhesive flash. There is no
flash cleanup, saving valuable time for
dentists, staff and patients. APC FlashFree Adhesive is available on Clarity ADVANCED Ceramic Brackets.
• Clarity SL Self-Ligating Brackets, incorporating SmartClip™ Self-Ligating
System technology, are the only ceramic

brackets that are passive self-ligating and
feature an open slot, true twin edgewise
design. You can feel confident that Clarity SL Self-Ligating Brackets will deliver
difference-making advantages throughout every phase of treatment.
• Incognito™ Appliance System redefines lingual treatment and provides
orthodontists with an efficient and effective treatment option. With the Incognito System, patients have a completely
esthetic, 100 percent customized lingual
system built for comfort and performance. The Incognito Lite Appliance System is an ideal treatment option for adult
relapse cases or for patients who need
only minor, anterior tooth movement.
• “The Source” at 3MMarketingSource.
com is your one-stop site for professional,
customizable marketing tools that will
help differentiate and grow your practice.
Use these Clarity and Incognito branded
resources to elevate your practice, attract
new patients and build your referral network.
• “PaintYourSmile.com” is the newest
tool from 3M Unitek for the orthodontic office. This interactive website application allows users to upload their
own picture and add Clarity ADVANCED
Ceramic Braces or Victory Series™ LowProfile Braces to their smile. Then they
can personalize the braces with colorful
Alastik™ Ligatures and send the image via
e-mail, Twitter and Facebook to friends
and family. The website app has also been
optimized for mobile and tablet use.
The 17th Annual 3M Unitek Summit
will address the shift to esthetic orthodontics and discuss how you can win in
orthodontics. Now offered in two great
locations, you can enjoy the desert or
the city while unlocking the secrets to
winning the patient game and “thinking outside the metal box.” For more information, contact your 3M Unitek sales
representative at (800) 423-4588.
Note: AlastiK, APC, Clarity, Incognito,
SmartClip and Victory Series are trademarks of 3M. All other trademarks are
property of their respective holders

[11] =>

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | fall 2013

Industry clinical

Reliance

11

[12] =>

industry

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | january 2014

The top 5 ways to reinvent
your practice in 2014
By Mark S. Sanchez, DDS, founder and
CEO of tops Software
TM

If you’re prone to making New Year’s
resolutions, you may have vowed to
lose weight or exercise more often. But
here are some other resolutions I think
we should all make: Resolve to run your
practice more efficiently and profitably.
Have a more rewarding year. Reinvent
the way you work.
But how? Here are five things you can
try this year.

Hire an ‘A’ team
As a practicing orthodontist, I know that
having the right people can make or
break any business, including an orthodontic practice. But how do you find
those people? How do you keep them and
motivate them? I recommend the book
“Who” by Geoff Smart and Randy Street.
The book has simple, easy-to-follow steps
that will help you hire the best people for
your practice. In fact, I have used the concepts in this book to attract and retain
“A” players at tops Software.
If you’re wondering how well this
method works, perhaps I should mention
that our customers regularly make comments such as the following: “The whole
tops team has the best attitude of any
company we deal with; nothing is ever a
problem!” I rest my case.

Start using checklists (if you’re not
already)
I am a big fan of “The Checklist Manifesto” by Atul Gawande. A checklist is a
simple tool that can help manage complex processes. My favorite quote from
the book is this:
“[C]hecklists seem able to defend anyone, even the experienced, against failure in many more tasks than we realized.
They provide a kind of cognitive net.
They catch mental flaws inherent in all of
us — flaws of memory and attention and
thoroughness. And because they do, they
raise wide, unexpected possibilities.”
If you’ve had surgery lately, the nurses
and doctors in the O.R. have most likely
used a checklist. Airlines use checklists,
as do restaurants. Our team at tops uses
checklists for all kinds of processes,
whether it’s converting a new customer,
preparing for a meeting or creating a
print piece. You can use checklists in
your own practice in countless ways to
minimize errors and manage complex
processes.

Use the right tools in your practice
We orthodontists spend a lot of time in
residency learning which techniques to
use and which tools will help us reach
the kinds of treatment outcomes we desire. But we probably don’t spend enough
time looking at which tools can help us

manage our practices profitability and
efficiently.
As a result, we often don’t understand
what tools we need until we’ve already
been practicing for some time.
Take practice management software,
for example. Until now, all of the orthodontic practice management systems
— topsOrtho included — have done the
basic things. They’ve gotten better over
time, but they are still doing the basic
things. They’re not really management
tools; they’re really just reporting tools.
They’re not active; they’re passive. As
a result, consultants haven’t been able
to get the information they need, and
reporting has been a painful and inefficient process for the staff members in a
practice. No system has really come close
to what it’s supposed to do.
However, we believe that we’ve cracked
the code of patient tracking. Our secret blend of data, folded neatly into a
seven-dimensional matrix — D7
Matrix™ analytics — reveals each practice in a new light. With D7 Matrix, we’ve
found the perfect balance between complexity and simplicity. In just a few clicks,
doctors, their staff members and their
consultants can create a multidimensional analysis. If you want a snapshot
of where your patients are in their treatment, how many new starts you have —
whatever analysis you want to create —
you can do it in one or two clicks.
In the hands of a skilled treatment
coordinator, D7 Matrix is like having a
Navy SEAL on staff to carry out the most
important missions. If your software
doesn’t offer this, you can’t truly see
what is happening in your practice.

Beware of the hype
During the past few years, cloud computing has made lots of headlines — both in

orthodontic publications and elsewhere.
Cloud computing allows large companies
like Amazon to buy on-demand processing power during peak seasons so they
can process more orders. For them, it’s
like buying electricity. Instead of building their own generators, they just connect to the power company.
It saves these companies hundreds of
millions to be able to connect to the Internet and process more orders during peak
times (like holidays), rather than buying
their own equipment to handle that peak
traffic — equipment that would just sit
idle the rest of the year. This concept is
called elasticity.
However, small businesses (including
the vast majority of orthodontic practices) really don’t need that kind of elasticity. They don’t need public clouds (hosted
servers). In fact, using hosted servers
can actually prove more expensive than
purchasing a server, as many companies
have found.1
Beyond the cost factor, chief technology officers agree that database-type programs — which need really high performance, in terms of reading and writing
to memory — really belong on a private
cloud: a server that a private organization
can own and keep on its own premises
that can be operated across various office
locations by multiple users.
Our flagship product, topsOrtho™, has
been using private/hybrid cloud architecture for almost a decade — long before
the word cloud became a marketing term.
Our private cloud allows users to have remote access to their data and automatic
updates, without the cost and security
concerns of a public cloud.

Align yourself with others whose
values mesh with yours
We built our software to run on Apple

computers because the hardware is phenomenal, and we feel confident encouraging our customers to buy other Apple
products. We also work with several
other companies in orthodontics that we
feel comfortable recommending to our
customers.
Likewise, you should develop alliances with others whose work you admire.
Those can include referring dentists and
other health-care professionals with
whom you might collaborate for more
complex cases, not to mention financial
advisors, attorneys and IT consultants.
These are people who can affect your
professional reputation, and they should
be trusted colleagues. Like tops, those
colleagues should be driven to elevate
your practice.
So this year, resolve to run your practice more efficiently and profitably. Have
a more rewarding year. Reinvent the way
you work.

Reference
1)

Metz C. Why some startups say the cloud
is a waste of money. Available at: http://
www.wired.com/wiredenteprise/2013/08/
memsql-and-amazon/. Published Aug. 15,
2013.

About the author

Mark S. Sanchez, DDS, is the founder, CEO and
chief developer of tops Software. He practices in
one of Atlanta’s leading orthodontic offices and
says he is the only programmer of orthodontic
practice management software who actually uses
such a product on a daily basis. Sanchez developed
his programming skills while pursuing a doctorate
in physics at Georgia Tech. He earned his dental degree and certificate in orthodontics from Emory
University.

[13] =>

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | JANUARY 2014

industry

Ortho Classic
launches all-new
online store
Ortho Classic Inc. has announced the
launch of its new online store. The company’s entire product line has been added to the new online store.
Products such as brackets, buccal
tubes, elastomerics, wires, adhesives,
instruments and auxiliary supplies are
now just a click away. The store’s simpleto-use navigation includes such features
as part number look-up, related product
suggestions, mobile device compatibility
and table information sorting.
An Ortho Classic spokesperson said:
“We hope the new online store makes
ordering OC products more convenient
than ever. We’ve been working on this
store for a very long time and wanted
to make sure it was intuitive to use and
worked efficiently.”
Ortho Classic’s new online store offers

Ortho Classic
announces joint
H4 Forum with
OrthoVOICE
Ortho Classic Inc. has announced that it
has teamed with OrthoVOICE and will be
holding its annual H4 Forum during the
days prior to the opening party for OrthoVOICE.
“The idea of combining our event with
OrthoVOICE just made sense. Their event
is very doctor-friendly and informative,
plus it’s held in a great location,” said
Ortho Classic Marketing Director Eric Ackerman.
Both events will take place at the Planet
Hollywood Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
The H4 Forum will run Sept. 17–18 and lead
directly into OrthoVOICE and its opening
party on the evening of Sept. 18. OrthoVOICE will then continue through Sept.
20 with the opening of its exhibit hall and
group of seminars.
Both events will offer C.E. credits with
10 credits coming directly from the H4 Forum seminars. Speaking at this year’s H4
Forum will be industry-leading clinicians
Dr. Thomas Pitts and Dr. Duncan Brown,
along with several other presenters.
Presentations will cover everything from
new clinical techniques to treatment insights. Both events are affordable with big
savings when purchased together, according to organizers. In addition, Ortho Classic
will be giving a free H4 starter kit to doctors who purchase tickets to both events.
For
more
information,
contact
Ortho Classic at (866) 752-0065 or visit
ww.orthoclassic.com.

free domestic shipping on all orders of
$250 or more. Ortho Classic manufactures the majority of its products at its
60,000-square-foot, high-tech facility in
McMinnville, Ore.
For more information, contact Ortho
Classic at (866) 752-0065 or visit www.
orthoclassic.com.

Ortho Classic has launched its new online store, which offers the company’s entire product
line. Free domestic shipping is available on the website for orders of $250 or more.
Photo/Provided by Ortho Classic Inc.
AD

[14] =>

industry

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | january 2014

Board standard results
through Avex Suite
Created by Drs. McLaughlin and Bennett in partnership with Opal Orthodontics
By Opal Orthodontics staff

chieving finishes that
adhere to the standards
set by the American
Board of Orthodontics
has proved challenging
for many orthodontists

in the past.
One reason for this is most conventional bracket systems have oversized
and/or irregular slots. These brackets
also lack universal in/out dimensions,
they require extensive compensating
wire bends and, ultimately, they provide unpredictable results.
The Avex Suite solves these issues
by offering brackets and buccal tubes
manufactured to extremely precise
specifications. Created by Dr. Richard
P. McLaughlin and Dr. John C. Bennett
through Opal Orthodontics, the Avex
Suite helps orthodontists achieve more
effective and more stable treatment
outcomes than ever before seen.

CNC Precision Technology and
Avex Suite
Every stainless-steel bracket and buccal tube in the Avex Suite is machined
using precise computer numerical controlled (CNC) technology. This proprietary manufacturing process yields revolutionary appliances that offer fewer
unwanted debonds, the tightest tolerances in the industry, true torque in the
base and extremely precise slot sizes.
This is important, as “the accuracy
of the arch wire slot significantly reduces the need for arch wire bending,”
McLaughlin said.
The system also features universal in/
out dimensions, which make Avex MX
metal brackets and Avex CX esthetic
brackets interchangeable — an industry first.

The McLaughlin Bennett System
4.0
Because of Opal Orthodontics’ unique
CNC machining process, McLaughlin
and Bennett were able to refine prescriptions they had previously collaborated on to create the new McLaughlin
Bennett System 4.0.
In this new prescription, McLaughlin
and Bennett changed angulations and
made additional adjustments to enable
fully expressed torque, optimize in/
out dimensions, provide proper tip con-

trol and improve the finishing phase of
treatment by reducing necessary arch
wire bending.
For maximum predictability, the
McLaughlin Bennett System 4.0 also
integrates the precision of VIA Wires™
arch wires and proper wire sequencing.
The Avex Suite is the only system of
orthodontic appliances that adheres to
all of the prescription’s rigid and specific standards, designed to produce predictable, board-standard results quickly
and efficiently, Opal Orthodontics asserts.
Photos/Provided by Opal Orthodontics

Conclusion
The brackets and buccal tubes in the
Avex Suite represent the next generation in orthodontic treatment. With
preadjusted torque and universal in/
out dimensions, the Avex Suite is designed to achieve ideal occlusion and
offer efficient treatment options with
ceramic CX and CXi brackets, stainlesssteel MX bracket and BX buccal tubes.
In short, the Avex Suite aims to deliver precise, predictable, patient-centered
outcomes with board-standard results.

‘The accuracy
of the arch
wire slot
significantly
reduces the
need for arch
wire bending.’

[15] =>

Ortho Tribune U.S. Edition | Month 2012

xxxxx

Ultradent

xx

[16] =>

3M

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[cover] => Ortho Tribune U.S. No. 1, 2014

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