Learning orthodontics and treating orthodontic cases might sound simple, but it's not always a seamless process for everyone. Getting those first few cases, worrying about the investment and lacking confidence can be disheartening when starting an ortho practice. In this blog we go over one of the obstacles students encounter when starting cases and some helpful tips to overcome them.

Topics: SmileStream, Tips for Success, Current POS Students, New POS Students, Orthodontics, Progressive Orthodontic Seminars, Materials, Progressive Dental Supply

Wondering if your case is appropriate to start at your current skill level? Ask an instructor.

 

Use POS' most valuable resource the free Case Quick Check. Sending your quick check records to instructors is easy. Watch this video tutorial or follow these steps to send records to an instructor.

Topics: My First Ortho Patient, SmileStream, Tips for Success, Current POS Students, New POS Students, Video, Consulting, Orthodontic Education

Starting cases early has proven to lead to long term orthodontic success. We encourage our students to start cases early on in their orthodontic education to help reach their full potential. We have created the free 5-Minute Quick Check resource to help students get started.

Identifying the appropriate case to start when new to orthodontics might feel daunting. Our instructors ease those fears by telling students which cases are good or not to start with. 

Topics: My First Ortho Patient, Tips for Success, Current POS Students, New POS Students, Consulting, Orthodontic Education

 

Have you ever been excited when you removed braces and saw a gorgeous finish? But then you noticed a few months to two years later, that your patient's teeth didn't have the same beautiful alignment, maybe with spaces reopening or teeth rotating back to their original positions? 

 

This "April Fools" type of case is called "relapse" and occurs because teeth often want to go back to their original positions. 

Topics: POS Instructor Tips, Tips for Success, Current POS Students, Case Finishing, Orthodontics for Beginners, Mechanics, Orthodontic Supplies

Your clinical team can be a great asset. Many dentists don’t realize how much their staff can help to make their orthodontic department efficient and hassle-free. Orthodontics is the leading area of dentistry where assistants can take a significant role working chairside with patients. Here is a checklist of the tasks that our orthodontic assistants can help us with.

Topics: Orthodontic Tips, Current POS Students, Assistants

We have talked with dentists all over the world, and find that dentists often wish they had no competition. For those that provide orthodontic care, they often want no other orthodontists or dentists in their area offering braces. They feel like if there is no competition, they could dominate the entire market for those needing orthodontic care.

But from our years of experience, we’ve found that having a strong orthodontic community is professionally rewarding and good for business. Here is why you want to have orthodontic friends and even orthodontic competitors in your neighborhood.

Topics: POS Family, Current POS Students, Business of Orthodontics

POS instructor Dr. Suzie Bergman shares the important things to know about SmileStream's Case Consulting service in this interview.

Topics: Orthodontic Tips, SmileStream, POS Instructor Tips, Current POS Students

An orthodontic mechanics guru shares how to significantly decrease your treatment time and finish more cases Class I

As orthodontic providers, we all attempt to finish cases Class I, but occasionally we struggle to accomplish this goal. Many of us spend so much time trying to get into Class I that the inefficiencies decrease the profitability. 

Topics: Orthodontic Tips, POS Instructor Tips, POS Family, Current POS Students, Mechanics

Dr. Jacques Cilliers helped bring the POS program to his hometown of Johannesburg, South Africa five years ago, and has been running the program ever since. In 2018 we were proud to welcome him to the POS Instructor family. Get Dr. Cilliers' unique perspective on GP orthodontics in this interview. 

Topics: POS Instructor Tips, Economics of Orthodontics, Current POS Students, New POS Students, IAT

Dr. Joe Viviano joined Progressive Orthodontic Seminars almost 30 years ago. At that time, students didn't have nearly the amount of resources to help them learn orthodontics as they do today. In this interview, Dr. Viviano recounts how they used to get by without computers, and shares some expert tips that he has learned throughout his long orthodontic career.

Topics: POS Instructor Tips, POS Family, Current POS Students, Business of Orthodontics