Orthotown August 2017 - 34

Kari has a great attitude and worked very hard in college (got her
degree in dental hygiene) and dental school. OHSU has really
trained her in traditional orthodontics, and I've been able to
supplement it with the aid of texting and emailing. I can't wait
to see what kind of orthodontist she becomes.
What do you find is the best to market your practice?
Were you always successful, or was it trial-and-error?
Up until recently, it had always been easy for me. My general
practice grew to be very large, so starting my ortho practice out
of school went seamlessly. This new one that I started eight years
ago was slightly more of a challenge-it's hard to go from being
very busy to seeing only a few patients a day. A lot of internal
marketing. Now I have two locations and a very successful practice.
The practice is exactly how I want it, and I've also been positioning
it for future growth with my daughter.

OTHER PRODUCTS
Appliances
* Invisalign
* Harnick Sectional Distalizer (Class II and III)
Bonding agent
* Opal Bond MV (Ultradent)
Brackets
* American Master Series
(American Orthodontics)
Chairs
* A-dec
Cement
* Unitek Multi-Cure Glass Ionomer
Band Cement (3M)
Primer
* Opal Seal (Ultradent)
Practice management
* OrthoSynetics
Technology
* iTero Element intraoral scanner
* EyeSpecial C-II 9 (Shofu Dental Corp.)
Wires
* G&H Orthodontics

34

JULY/AUGUST 2017 // orthotown.com

What have Orthotown.com and Orthotown magazine
done for your professional life? For your social life?
What's your favorite feature?
I started posting on Dentaltown.com's orthodontic category
about 18 years ago. I'd bought one of the first Windows-based
practice-management systems and didn't know how to type! I
needed to practice, and Dentaltown needed an orthodontist to
answer questions. I was in on the start of Orthotown.com, but
drifted-then, after I'd started my new practice, one day I checked
in on the website and since then I've been hooked and can't
imagine practicing without it. My knowledge base has expanded
dramatically because of the great posts. I've met several docs who
recognized me at the AAO convention!
Give us a snapshot of your life outside of work.
I love tennis and play three or four times per week. I play in
several leagues at the 4.5 level. In addition, I work out every night
for at least a half-hour, even if I've played tennis. I'm hooked on
the University of New Mexico Lobos basketball team. I keep
my life simple. On weekends, my wife and I go on 3-mile hikes.
What advice do you have for ortho students still in residency?
In most likelihood, your residency is barely enough to get you
started. Learn, learn and then learn some more. It has been so
long for me and a different era; I'm not sure I can give any more
advice. To me, there's always room for one more good one. I got a
taste of starting from scratch again, and you really need a positive
attitude. Do not buck current trends. Be a leader. ■
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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown August 2017
