AGpO MEMBERSHIP NEWS Accept the Challenge; Keep Learning Reflecting on my early school days, I am amazed at how hugely overwhelming new challenges seemed to be. Now, of course, they seem much less daunting than when they were first faced. As each set of obsta-cles was overcome, the next one seemed a little easier; going from high school to college, from college to dental school, from dental school to private practice. The difficulties of my first years in practice seem minor today. When we accepted the challenge to learn orthodon-tics through the 12-session program, it seemed another huge challenge. It was going to be a big time invest-ment not to mention financial investment. There would be the stress of having to study new material again and then having to turn around and teach that material to our teams. Each of us took on those burdens not knowing where it would lead. After completing the course, many of us had mastered Differ-ential Straight Wire to a level where we were comfort-able treating cases involving skeletal Class I cases, non-extraction cases, and non–impaction cases. From that point, we can now make the choice to limit ourselves or to continue to grow. The Academy of GP Orthodontics is much more than the 12-session program. Each instructor has their own unique skill set for treating the many varieties of cases that present in their own offices. While not many GPs treat orthognathic surgical cases, Dr. Ron Austin does. If you had an interest in learning more about these challenging cases, his Advanced Tip Edge Class might be for you. Dr. Jeffery Gerhart has experimented in fixed functional Kyle McCrea, DDS appliances. The Herbst appliance, AGpO President Jasper Jumper, and the Nitinol Expander are just a few he has had clinical experience and great success with. At Dr. Allen’s current 12-session class, I‘ve seen that he is comfortable in dealing with the difficult ‘mutilated’ cases where there seem to be too many teeth missing. If you have younger patients where you can see the train wreck coming, Dr. Keith Wilkerson’s Early Intervention course can show you how to intercept those problems. If you cannot attend all the courses you would like, but would still like to challenge yourself, look for advice at the AGpO Forum online. Many of the instructors partici-pate and you never know who has already seen and treated a case like yours. The Academy strives to be of service to its member-ship to help them to be the best orthodontic practition-ers that they can be. The journey never ends. Challenge yourself to be part of the Academy and to continue the journey in 2014 with the many courses and meetings the AGpO has to offer. Kyle McCrea New Early Treatment Course; Starts This Spring instructor and host again. The first session of the two-day course begins April 25–26, 2014. Course topics will include early orthodontic diagnosis; record taking on young children; treat-ment planning for early crowding; space analysis in the mixed denti-tion: case selection; which patients benefit from early treatment; appli-ance design and selection; facial profile analysis; review of dental development and facial growth; airway assessment in relation to facial growth; treatment strategies; retention after Phase 1; early treat-ment of Class I, Class II and Class III patients; treatment timing when to start; and strategies for success when working with kids. With 70% of all facial growth completed in children from the age of 4 to 9 years, it becomes impor-tant to step in and provide early treatment to guide the develop-ment of the face and redirect the eruption of permanent teeth. This hands-on course will provide you with the knowledge and tools needed to bring this treatment to the patients in your practice whose parents have been asking for correction of their young child’s problems as well as to the parents who have not realized how impor-tant this treatment can be to their child’s facial development. Call the Academy at (800) 634-2027 to learn more or to sign up today. Spots will go quickly in this popular exciting new course. Dr. Keith Wilkerson Dr. Burt Vasut The Academy’s 12-session Early Treatment Course will take place in Austin, TX this spring. Dr. Keith Wilkerson (past AGpO President and pediatric dentist from Midland, TX) will again be returning to instruct this two–day, yearlong course. Dr. Burt Vasut (AGpO clinical instructor and pediatric dentist from Cedar Park, TX) will be the clinical co-www.orthodontics.com November/December 2013 43
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society November-December 2013: Page 43
