by 6monthsmiles, on 10/21/15 9:47 AM
Dr Gerilyn Alfe, a Six Month Smiles provider, recently spoke with us about how many general dentists feel about orthodontics. In this brief three minute interview she identifies some of the most common reasons why dentists shy away from any kind of ortho treatments. You can watch the interview here.
"Analysis Paralysis" is something she feels is prevelant among the dental community. “I do my due diligence before I invest in a piece of equipment or a course, but I also don’t paralyze myself from making a choice.”
Getting stuck in the cycle of collecting more and more information can get overwhelming and many times keeps a dentist from making any decision at all. "Sometimes you just need to pull the trigger..." says Alfe.
However, she explains that most of the hesitation to offer ortho treatments comes from a mystification of the subject of orthodontics in dental school. "For the majority of us in dental school, we didn't learn much about orthodontics. We left dental school thinking - "this is something I never want to get involved with." She explains it jokingly being perceived as "voodoo science", a sort of esoteric abstract modality that few could grasp.
Recalling her only ortho experience in dental school - she explains trying to make perfect 90 degree bends in an archwire to spell the word LUMO, only to fail miserably and joking that her wire looked like "some sort of origami-looking whooping crane...." At that point is where many dentists decide that orthodontics just isn't for them.
Fortunately for Dr. Alfe and all general dentists in this situation - Six Month Smiles doesn't require wire bending, adjusting hawley appliances, or any complex disciplines. This is straight wire orthodontics - the brackets are placed for you by bracket specialists - you simply cure the pre-placed brackets onto the teeth, engage the wire, and "then just let the system do the work."
"You can certainly do more complicated cases once you get the system under your belt - but it's that simple."
