Journal of the American Orthodontic Society • March

EDITOR’S WELCOME Greg Cannizzo, DDS, CDE, JAOS Editor 3617 Municipal Drive, McHenry, IL 60050 Phone: (815) 344-2282 • Fax: (815) 344-5815 Email: drgrc@joltmail.com Make A Difference Yes we can! Over a year ago, we watched and listened as thousands chanted this chorus from the streets of Chicago. The last year presented many of us with some economic hurdles. The race isn’t over yet, more hurdles and challenges await us. Dentistry, like every other business, has been affected by the economy. In turbulent times such as we faced over these last many months, we may feel alone and small, unable to make any lasting changes. We may find ourselves asking, “What can I do that will make a difference?” or “What can one small person like me do to make a change?” I have a classic story from Loren Eisely, scientist and poet, that shows the importance of the power within each one of us to make a differ- ence both in our lives and the lives of others all around us. “There was a man who was walking along a sandy beach where thousands of starfish had been washed up on the shore. He noticed a boy picking up the starfish one by one and throwing them back into the ocean. The man observed the boy for a few minutes and then asked what he was doing. The boy replied that he was returning the starfish to the sea, otherwise they would die. The man asked how saving a few when so many were doomed, would make any difference what so ever? The boy picked up a starfish and threw it back into the ocean and said “ It made a difference to that one…” The man left the boy and went home, deep in thought of what the boy Advertiser Index Academy of Laser Dentistry..........27 Academy of Gp Orthodontics ......36 American Orthodontic Society ....31 ClearCorrect ................................48 Dolphin Imaging..........................41 Invisalign......................................17 Johns Dental Labs ..................21, 39 6 March/April 2010 JAOS had said. He soon returned to the beach and spent the rest of the day helping the boy throw starfish into the sea…” We have all been gifted with the ability to make a difference and change what’s going on around us. If your prac- tice has been affected by the economy, take the time now to make your prac- tice stand out. Marketing does not need to cost large sums of money. Let patients know you appreciate their referrals. Follow up with patients by personally calling them after more complicated procedures and spend some extra time with them during their hygiene checks and remind them that you provide orthodontic treatment. Take the time this fall to head to the annual meeting. Use this opportunity to talk with other members and to resharpen your orthodontic skills. If we can, like the young man in the story, become aware of our gift to make a change, then we gain through the strength of our vision the power to shape the future. When we become throwers of starfish, we too have the power to change the world. So make a difference, talk to your friends and colleges about the great orthodontic courses you have taken through your societies and invite them to learn about orthodontics. Invite a fellow member who may have missed a few annual meetings back to Texas this October. Return them to the sea. You will help them and yourself. ASSOCIATION STAFF Adam Griswold AGpO Executive Director Academy of Gp Orthodontics 509 E. Boydston St., Suite A Rockwall, TX 75087-3956 (800) 634-2027 E-mail: agriswold@academygportho.com Thomas N. Chapman, CAE AOS Executive Director American Orthodontic Society 11884 Greenville Avenue, Suite 112 Dallas, TX 75243 (800) 448-1601 E-mail: tchapman@orthodontics.com EDITORIAL STAFF Greg Cannizzo, DDS...............AGpO Editor Jordan Balvich, DMD................AOS Co-Editor Jim Mcllwain, DDS, MSD ..........AOS Co-Editor Lisa A. Wright..................AOS/AGpO Managing Editor Email: lisa@wrightgrp.com Myofunctional Research ................3 Ordont Ortho Labs ........................9 Ortho Organizers ..........................2 Orthodontic Technologies, Inc. ......8 Rocky Mountain Orthodontics ....11 Vector Dental Corporation ............4 WildSmiles Brackets......................47 EDITORIAL REVIEW BOARD Azita Anissi, DDS..............................AOS Robert Allen, DDS..........................AGpO Ron Austin, DDS............................AGpO Chris Baker, RN, DMD......................AOS Eugene Boone, DDS.......................AGpO Felecia Burridge, DDS ....................AGpO Marc Dandois, DDS .......................AGpO Fred Der, DDS................................AGpO Drew Ellenwood, DDS...................AGpO Debra Ettle-Resnick, DDS .................AOS Joe Fallin, DDS...............................AGpO Edward Gonzalez, Jr., DMD..............AOS Sam Gutovitz, DDS........................AGpO Arturo Gutierrez, DDS ......................AOS Joe Haack, DDS.................................AOS Roy Holexa, DDS...........................AGpO David W. Jackson, DDS ....................AOS Thomas Jacobson, DDS .................AGpO Kyle McCrea, DDS .........................AGpO Michael Newman, DDS ....................AOS Mitchell S. Parker, DDS.....................AOS Leslie R. Penley, DDS.....................AGpO Kurt Raack, DDS ............................AGpO Joseph R. Schmidbauer, DDS............AOS Robert Shirley, DDS.......................AGpO Barry Sockel, DDS..........................AGpO Juan J. Solano, DDS ..........................AOS Kurt Stodola, DDS..........................AGpO David Thorfinnson, DDS..................AOS Walter Tippen, DDS.......................AGpO Helen B. Tran, DDS........................AGpO Michael Wilkerson, DDS ...............AGpO William Wyatt, Sr., DDS...................AOS