1. What is your job like?

– A typical day?
– What do you do? What are the duties/functions/responsibilities of your job?

My day at work consist of seeing about 85 patients on average. In the clinic, I check each
patient to be sure that their treatment is progressing on time and inform the assistants of any
changes that need to be made to wire or elastic wear. I may have to place bends in the wires, we
call this forming a wire, to make a tooth move into a certain position. In between patients, I am
planning treatments, reviewing treatment plans and consulting with new patients to assure we
can accommodate their desires while not compromising their needs.

–​ What kinds of problems do you deal with?

We often will see patients who only want to have “one tooth turned” and it’s my
obligation to help them understand that teeth move and function together as a puzzle and you
can’t move just one tooth without aligning all of the teeth properly to prevent issues down the
road. I’m always heartbroken when I have to tell a patient with unrealistic expectations that
what they are hoping to achieve is not possible without a biological miracle, but more and more
orthodontics is making great strides in the results that we can achieve through the innovations of
new technology.

– ​What kinds of decisions do you make?

My day is one of constant decisions. As both a doctor and a business owner I must make
decisions on what equipment to purchase, how many staff members to hire, the best treatment for
a given patient, what other specialists to work with, who to hire as consultants and trainers, who
in charge of various duties, as well as myriad of other things that come up on a daily basis.

– What percentage of your time is spent doing what?

I spend about 80% of my time planning treatments and instructing the assistants on what
changes need to be made during the patient visits.
I have a passion for educating my fellow orthodontists on break through treatment
options that are faster and easier for the patients. I spend about 5% of my time preparing and
giving lectures that speak on these treatment options. 15% of my time is spent managing the
everyday aspects of owning a business.

– How does the time use vary? Are there busy and slow times or is the work activity
fairly constant?

Orthodontic practices typically see a lot of adolescents so our schedules tend to be a

mirror image of school schedules. When school is out we tend to be busier than during school
hours. Our busiest times are from 3-5 in the afternoon and on teacher workdays. During the
summer we are busiest first thing in the morning before kids head off to camps and their other
activities. We take vacations when most other families are in their normal routines and tend not

 
 

to take vacation time when most families do which is often disappointing to the families of
orthodontists and their teams.

2. Why did this type of work interest you, and how did you get started?
I was the first one in my family to graduate from college. I was attracted to dentistry because
dentists didn’t see the number of emergencies that physicians did so working hours seemed
more predictable. I practiced general dentistry for a year and then went back to school for
three years to become a pediatric dentistry specialist. I practiced as a pediatric dentist for 6
years, two years in private practice and then ​serving as a pediatric dentistry consultant for the
USAF in Europe and Asia for four years. I realized that the small amount of orthodontics
that pediatric dentists are taught was frustrating and I ​made the decision to go back to school
again for 3 more years and become an orthodontist. Early on as an orthodontist I meant some
incredible orthodontists from around the world and realized it was possible not simply to
straighten the teeth, but to also align the teeth in such a way that it would be the most
esthetically pleasing for the patient. I realized with proper treatment planning orthodontists
were able to enhance a person’s entire facial appearance and profile. I feel it is the
responsibility and obligation of an orthodontist to ensure patients are left with the most
attractive smile and facial profile possible after treatment. I do this by taking into account
the growth and aging changes that will occur over a person’s lifetime.

3. Do you find your job exciting or boring? Why?

Orthodontics is so exciting and is moving more and more into the realm of technology.
Digital treatment planning has been around for at least 15 years now and the advances that
are being made in of the treatment modalities, doctor education and the tools being provided
to achieve success are growing by leaps and bounds each year.

4. ​Are you optimistic about the direction your company is headed in the future?

Yes. Orthodontists have typically only treated about 5% of patients who can benefit from
orthodontic treatment. With more efficient treatment options, we often complete treatment now
in less than a year compared to the two or more years that it used to take. Because there is less
impact on peoples lifestyles, more people are electing to pursue treatment and will continue to do
so in the coming years.

5.What sorts of changes are occurring in your occupation?

Twenty years ago, you either had braces or you didn’t. They were comprised of standard silver
bands, brackets and wires, patients had to wear elastics to help with their bite at the end of
treatment when they were already tired of their braces and sometimes at night they may have
(gasp) headgear. Today orthodontics offers ever changing methods of teeth-straightening
options. Traditional ​silver braces​ still remain a popular option for kids because they are effective
and affordable, but now they can be customized to showcase your favorite color, show support

 
 

for your team or school, or express your sense of style through colored rings that go around the
bracket. Of course, one of the biggest game changers came along in 1997 when clear aligners
were introduced to the market and suddenly this became a more attractive option for adults as
well. Fewer adjustments need to be made, which means less frequent trips to the orthodontist
and limited time missed at school and work.

7. What were the keys to your career advancement? How did you get where you are and
what are your long-range goals?

Study hard and do well in school. To get in to dental school typically need to be in the top 10%
of your class in college. Then to get in to orthodontic residency on typically needs to be in the
top 5% of your class in dental school. My long range goals are to continue to practice as long as
I enjoy it. I have a close friend who is an orthodontist that works with his father who is 84 and
still sees patients every day.

8. How has your job affected your lifestyle?

Being and orthodontist allows great flexibility in that generally at least in the current world you
are your own boss. Within reason I can take time off or work hours that less rigid than working
for a large corporation.

9. From your perspective, what are the problems you see working in this field?
The internet has changed the world, in good ways and bad. Information is now much more
accessible to clinicians and patients are also much more informed on what they want. In some
states people who are seeking an “easy way out” with orthodontics can now google it and be
directed to kiosks where they can go to in the mall get their teeth scanned and have aligners sent
in the mail to “straighten” their teeth. I’m all for technological advancements. I am leery of the
damage that can occur without an orthodontist providing a diagnosis and treatment plan and then
supervising the treatment if someone chooses to go the kiosk route. I’ve seen some people who
had these treatments and they weren’t happy with the results so they came to me to “fix-it”. I
was happy to do so but sad they had paid to have something done already that they weren’t
satisfied with. As orthodontics moves further into the digital and technological age, I hope there
is still room for innovative thinkers to sit face to face with a patient and be able to hear what a
difference their smile has made in their life. I enjoy my job so much, but I think I would only
enjoy half as much if I didn’t get to have the patient interaction and see them in person.

10. What are the major frustrations of this job?

I would say that the biggest frustrations tend to be when we know that we can achieve a great
end result for a patient with a small amount of compliance with brushing and some rubber band
wear and the patient does neither, ending up with decalcification (white marks on the teeth) and a
substandard result.

11. How important are grades/GPA for obtaining a job in this field?

 
 

Very important