By Amy Logan Parrish, Chief of Development, Jameson Management Dentistry in the United States is in a period of trans-formation. The population is aging and becoming more diverse. The health care delivery system is changing rapidly with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Consumer habits are shifting with Americans increas-ingly relying on technology and seeking greater value from their spending.” (American Dental Asso-ciation, Diringer & Associates) As this transformation occurs, there are multiple resources avail-able to practitioners today involv-ing how to create more value and productivity for their practice. Inte-grating orthodontics into your “ general or pediatric practice, is one of the most valuable and vital options available to you. As you implement this into your service mix, a key element in making this successful for you, your team and ultimately your patients is maximizing a qualified orthodontic assistant. As Cathy Jameson, PhD, founder of Jameson Management, a management, marketing and hygiene coaching firm says “the assistant can have a powerful impact on the patient's willingness to cooperate during treatment and through careful and caring educa-tion can plant a seed of value in the mind of the patient that will give him/her the desire to follow through -even on their own.” Whether you have been offering orthodontics in your practice for several years or just getting started, you may wonder how having an orthodontic assistant would make a difference in your practicing life and how to even begin. Let’s explore the five keys to making an orthodontic assistant in your Gp/pedo practice a success. QUANTIFY THE QUALITIES Developing the role of a dedi-cated orthodontic assistant begins by identifying who on your team has the qualities and the desire to add this level of skill to their professional skills. According to Susan Coffey, RDA and Founder of Susan Coffey Consulting, the following qualities are key for success in this position: í Someone who is not afraid to make a decision í Someone the doctor can back up and support í Someone who is comfortable working alone í Someone with a good level of confidence in clinical and verbal skills í Someone with a strong sense of self-awareness í Someone able to complete procedures in the allotted time frame 28 Fall 2017 JAOS
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society Fall 2017: Page 28
