Orthotown August 2016 - (Page 12)
embrace progress // column
So Just Whose Patient Is It?
by Daniel Grob, DDS, MS, editorial director, Orthotown magazine
M
More than 25 years ago, my business
partner went to an AAO luncheon attended
by many of the trustees and other notables.
Concerned at the time about the
intrusion of non-orthodontists into our
specialty, he had the nerve to stand and
suggest that it may be time for us as a
specialty to go it alone.
During that tumultuous period,
pedodontists were offering orthodontics
by performing Phase I treatment, collecting
most of the insurance and then referring
patients to orthodontists for the braces to
"finish the job."
You can imagine how the patients
welcomed those referrals!
Some general dentists were enrolled
in light-wire courses and of course our
extraction protocols were the "cause" of
TMD because, after all, orthodontists
"didn't care" what happened to their
patients' TMJ.
In other words, just like there are
optometrists and ophthalmologists, as well as
chiropractors and medical doctors, perhaps
orthodontists should declare themselves a
separate medical specialty, independent of
dentistry.
The thought process went like this: All
patients need a general dentist. If patients
are seen by an orthodontist, a referral most
likely would have to be made to a dentist.
Everybody wins!
But my business partner's suggestion never
left the room. Arguments for maintaining the
status quo included questions and statements
such as:
* Where would we get referrals?
* What about cleft-palate patients and
others needing medically necessary
treatment?
* If you just do good work, you'll do
well!
* It would take years to re-educate and
reposition ourselves.
* What would we do without the
American Dental Association?
What have we learned?
Now, 25 years later-and after decades
of anxiety, loss of patients, and spending
countless millions of dollars educating the
public for its own good (after all, we went
to school longer!)-can we say that our
leaders were correct to maintain the course?
Continued on p. 14
12
JULY / AUGUST 2016 // orthotown.com
http://www.orthotown.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown August 2016
Orthotown.com Highlights
Embrace Progress: So Just Whose Patient Is It?
Industry News
A Challenging Case, Need Any Advice Please
Help With a Case, Please
What’s On Your Tray? Tray for Bonding Brackets
Poll
Fantastic Voyage: Take a trip though the research and development process of orthodontic appliances
A New Dimension in Printing: A comprehensive look at 3-D printers
The Road to Greatness: Follow these fi ve steps to build an outstanding team
Townie Choice Awards Preview
New Products
CE: In for the Save: Applications of Manual Osteoperforation
Ad Index
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