Tips for choosing the best orthodontist for you!

Your daughter comes home from school today visibly upset because kids in class are making fun of her teeth. You, of course, get upset as well and are ready to take action, but how do you choose which orthodontist to go to for a consultation? Or say your trusted general dentist says that your son is now ready for braces, and he wants to refer him to his friend who just so happens to be an orthodontist. You wonder if your dentist is sending you there because he is a good fit for you, or because they are friends. Who are you going to call?

These are fairly common scenarios that arise regularly and sometimes you just trust your gut intuition, or better yet, you do a bit of research online and in your network of friends to resolve this dilemma. My aim for you is to make this process much easier by describing some features that will enable you to make the best choice when choosing the person who is going to be affecting the way your child looks for the rest of their life!

1. When you visit the orthodontist, go with your gut feeling on whether he or she is approachable and easy to get along with. After all, this is typically a one and a half to two year commitment, so be sure that not just you, but your child is comfortable here!

2. Is the orthodontist certified by the American Board of Orthodontists? This certification is not a requirement for orthodontists to be able to practice. While most orthodontists are not board certified; to become certified requires extreme scrutiny of the orthodontist and their treatment results by the American Board of Orthodontists. It is a very difficult and demanding process to achieve and it places the orthodontist in a highly esteemed category. Because orthodontics have become increasingly more popular in young teens and adults today, many general dentists have decided to jump on the bandwagon to make extra income by adding orthodontics to their list of services, but they might not be certified to practice.

3. Check out the online reviews by previous or existing patients. Reviews can be very helpful in the selection process and can offer insight when you’re looking for a doctor to choose.

4. Atmosphere. Is the office clean? How would you rate their customer service? Do they have a dedicated sterilization technician? Do they have a coffee bar and snacks for the parents?

5. What is the orthodontist's treatment philosophy? Do they offer options for treatment or are they rigid as to what type of treatment they always perform; Such as removal of teeth or not. Do they use a lot of appliances in the mouth or gadgets that your child may have difficulty wearing? Do they use headgear? Do you think your child will even wear headgear? Do they use the old bands around the posterior teeth thus requiring separators and making it difficult for your child to clean their teeth; Or can they use all brackets, which are much more friendlier to the gums? Do they require a separate exam, records, and consultation in order to begin treatment as opposed to a single exam-records-bonding appointment? Do they still perform the old two-phase orthodontics which is not supported by the current research as better than a single treatment phase? These are some great questions to ask before you schedule a consultation with an orthodontist.

6. What is the orthodontist's average treatment length? It should be no more than the national average of eighteen to twenty four months!

7. Scheduling: Is the office a zoo when you arrive? Do they run on time? If not, what is their usual waiting time to see the orthodontist at each appointment? Do they provide complimentary text, phone, or e-mail reminders for appointment dates?

8. Experience. How many years of experience practicing do they have? Who have they treated? Do they have testimonials? What dentists, or families of dentists, have they treated? Remember, the dentist sees the work of all the orthodontists, so they know who provides the best treatment, and that is where their child will go!

9. Practice efficiency indicators. Don't be afraid to ask for these! What is their bond failure rate? It should be no more than four percent. What is their average number of emergencies per case? They should average no more than two per case. Ask about average treatment time or length, it should be eighteen to twenty four months and the average number of visits to the orthodontist should be no more than twelve to sixteen.

10. Extra value. What additional items does the treatment fee cover? Such as, total number and type of retainers, bleaching of teeth, a shuttle service that picks up your child from school for their appointments, mentoring, ACT prep courses, incentive rewards offered to your child, scholarships. These are some of the added value items orthodontists around the country are providing for their patients just like your orthodontist should be providing for you!

I hope that these factors will help you with your decision and be sure to comment on our Facebook page or send an e-mail if you wish to share your thoughts on our blogs!

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