Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Summer 2019 - 24

Portrait of a Professional

will be able to give you good reasons why they
do it that way. If you still disagree, I suggest you
do what the faculty wants. Remember patients
are assigned to the faculty member. They have
legal responsibility for the patient's care. You are
treating the patient under their supervision.

you stop growing, you'll stop striving for perfection, you'll stagnate, fall behind, get bored with
orthodontics, and retire early. Look for learning
opportunities. Learn all you can from each and
every faculty, from each and every opportunity to
try something new.

As you learn and gain proficiency, your confidence will build. But I caution you not to develop
a cocky, overconfident attitude. Don't look for
shortcuts. Just like on a cross-country road trip,
if you stay on the freeway, the shortest, fastest
route, you can miss the most scenic views, and
you might bypass the best teaching/learning
moments. Do push yourself to try new things. If
you only do things you've mastered before and
are comfortable with, you'll remain in a rut and
will not progress in your abilities.

Dr. Burcu Bayirli, UW Orthodontic faculty member, has this to say about Dr. Van Ness:

You never stop learning. I ask you to critically
evaluate your patients in the clinic each and every
time you see them. We learn from critical evaluation of our own completed cases. Carefully evaluate your finished cases, here and throughout your
years of practice. You'll learn something from
every one. None of us will reach 100% perfection
in this lifetime, but we should be striving towards
it. I caution you to avoid complacency here
and in your practice. Never regress to a "that's
good enough" attitude. Have you ever heard an
orthodontist ask, "How would you treat this case
if she were your daughter?" Every patient should
be treated as if he or she were your child, the best
you can. Never stop learning, improving, and perfecting your orthodontic knowledge and skills.
Ask any practicing orthodontist if he or she is
using the same techniques as in the first year of
practice. I bet none will answer in the affirmative. If you think you have all the answers when
you finish this program, if you stop learning, if

"I looked forward to every Wednesday
afternoon I taught with Allan Van
Ness at UW. He was always energetic,
enthusiastic, and on time. He is a role
model for the residents and faculty
with his love and respect for orthodontics and teaching. He is a gifted
orthodontist, a great educator, and a
wonderful person."
Dr. Greg Huang, UW Orthodontic Chair, remarks,
"Al taught in the Department of
Orthodontics from 1971 until 2017,
which is an amazing span of 46 years. I
had the pleasure of teaching with him
for several years in the Wednesday
afternoon graduate clinic, and his
dedication was admirable. Al always
maximized the learning opportunities
from each patient encounter, and as
a result, students benefitted greatly
from his efficient, practical, and
patient-centered approach to orthodontic care."
(Some of the material in this article was derived
from the 2008 University of Washington Orthodontic Alumni Association newsletter, edited by
Joni Marts.)

PCSO Bulletin Summer 2019

Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Summer 2019

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Summer 2019