Orthotown January/February 2022 - 22

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Orthomatic
Member Since: 10/26/09
Post: 5 of 11
Boy, if this was happening in my town, I'd be ticked off. Wait a minute-it does happen
in my town! I would think the school should have to send materials from other orthodontic
offi ces that are interested. But maybe that's not true? Maybe schools can endorse any businesses
they choose to. Maybe this offi ce donates money to the schools. Maybe it's high time I fi nd the
answers to these questions! ■
11/10/2011
amalgamator22
Member Since: 09/15/07
Post: 7 of 11
During dental school, we had a program where some of us would go to schools and teach the
kids brushing and stuff. We had a 6-foot-tall toothbrush and other props (huge typodont, bags of
how much sugar was in a 20-ounce pop, puppets, huge tooth suits with Velcro foods that could
be brushed off with the huger toothbrush) and the kids loved it and I thought it was great. We
also gave out free toothbrushes with the school's name/phone/website.
I like the idea that an " expert " is teaching about teeth, rather than some elementary school
teacher. If this had been a private school, a church group or a Cub Scout den, I'd have no problem,
but there are ethical issues involved whenever you deal with children and a " captive " audience,
especially with a public governmental institution. Then again, my school had Coke-only pop
machines everywhere that were taken out a few years ago, I heard!
I think offering a coupon would be a big no-no and taking the alginates is pushing the limit.
Maybe an informational form for the parents that at the bottom discreetly said " provided courtesy
of Dr. Slick Willy Orthodontics " would be more appropriate.
I think that maybe you could schedule a visit with the school administrators and express your
concern about the mandatory marketing and diagnosis, especially the coupons. Tell them you
were unaware they needed help to teach the kids and offer your services also to teach the kids. If
you could get some other parents to do the same, that would be gold! If you cause a big stink, it
will go around the school through the teachers like wildfi re and probably eventually parents and
will gain you nothing but ill will. ■
11/11/2011
johnddsmsd80
Member Since: 06/04/09
Post: 10 of 11
I vote for B, because I would have been upset. Maybe send home a fl ier that you offer
digital impressions so no kid will have to endure the barbaric, ancient impressions used by your
competitors. Good luck! ■
12/2/2021
whiskeyriver
Member Since: 02/05/13
Post: 11 of 11
I would be ticked, too, especially in this day and age. HIPAA violations, not a patient of record
and taking impressions, risk of a choking hazard and so on. Way over the top. This could get out
of control with other orthos, pediatric dentists, pediatricians and so on with these info-commercial
events. I say shut it down. ■
12/2/2021
How do you market your practice?
While it might seem as if one orthodontist crossed the line
when marketing their services at an elementary school, it's
no secret that schools are a great place to fi nd new patients.
Is this one of the ways you market your practice? Or do you
stick to other tried-and-true methods? Have your voice heard
and join this conversation, or start your own, by heading to
orthotown.com/messageboard.
22 JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2022 // orthotown.com

https://www.orthotown.com/messageboard/thread.aspx?s=6&f=727&t=176976 http://www.orthotown.com

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