Here’s how general dentistry orthodontics certification can boost your production.

At least one in five Americans suffer from dental crowding or malocclusion. While experts debate exactly what is driving this trend, they uniformly agree that the number of patients experiencing these problems is on the rise. Since Americans place such value on straight, white teeth, the demand for orthodontic services (and therefore orthodontics certification) is rising steadily in line with the increase in dental malocclusion.

For general dentists looking to expand their patient base, this trend can provide a unique opportunity. General dentistry orthodontics courses can not only bring in new orthodontic patients, they can help you reach new general dentistry patients, as well.

Here are 5 ways that taking an orthodontics course can help you increase your patient base, case acceptance, and production right now.

1. Orthodontics certifications expand your prospective patient pool.

Traditionally, people have associated the practice of orthodontics with pediatric patients. This was understandable, as parents are often more motivated to provide their families with care than to secure it for themselves. Dental insurance is also more available for pediatric patients, making their care easier to afford.

In recent years, however, the market has begun to shift. Increasingly, adults are recognizing the impact of a good smile on their quality of life.

Straight, bright smiles improve the following for adults:

• Confidence
• Success in relationships
• Social interactions in general
• Potential for success in the workplace

As a result, more and more adults are investing in orthodontic work. Adults now account for nearly 30% of orthodontic patients, even though insurance often won’t pay for the treatment.

These adults have specific cosmetic dentistry goals. They are more motivated to invest their money in the results they want to see than in the standard services of a general dentist such as routine cleanings. As a general dentist, you simply aren’t on their radar.

Taking a general dentistry orthodontics course, however, can change that. It will enable you to offer the services that are important to them and open your practice up to a new pool of prospective patients.

2. Orthodontics certification allows you to offer comprehensive care.

Americans are busy. Overworked families feel as if they are juggling too many tasks, responsibilities, and providers. They’re overwhelmed by the notorious hassle of dealing with insurance companies.

Patients don’t have time, energy, or interest in working with multiple dental providers. They don’t want a general dentist who will send them to a specialist whenever they need orthodontic work. They refuse to deal with the following time-consuming stresses:

• Coordinating care
• Making sure information and files get transferred
• Handling insurance paperwork related to multiple dental offices

As a result, many patients are now specifically looking for dental providers who can offer comprehensive care. The question “can a dentist do orthodontics work?” is becoming a deciding factor when they search out their primary dental care provider.

Taking a wire orthodontics course positions you to meet your patients’ general and orthodontic dental needs. That immediately moves you to the top of their list of preferred providers and brings new patients in your door instead of someone else’s.

3. Orthodontics courses create new patients from your existing patient pool.

On average, it costs five times as much money to bring in new clients as it does to keep existing ones. As such, the business community has long known that it is far more cost-effective to grow your business by selling new services to existing satisfied clients than to sell existing services to new clients.

As a general dentist, there are only so many services you can offer your patients. This starkly limits the amount of growth you can achieve by increasing case acceptance among existing patients. To increase production, then, you have no choice but to take the costlier route of seeking new patients.

Taking a general dentistry orthodontics course changes the equation. It opens up a new suite of services that you can offer to existing patients. This makes it possible to increase case acceptance and production at little to no cost to your practice.

4. Orthodontics certification improves patient perceptions.

Dentists are among the most feared of all medical practitioners. It is not uncommon for patients to struggle with the idea of going to the dentist at all. Widespread lack of dental insurance coverage often leaves patients paying out-of-pocket, as well.

Together, these factors lead patients to be choosy about their dental providers. More choosy, in fact, than they might be about other medical practitioners.

Patients searching for a dental provider want a comfortable, reassuring office environment. They also want to feel very confident in their dentist and their abilities.

Assessing dentists can be challenging, though. Patients have little way of determining how capable a dentist is ahead of time. Reviews and recommendations from other patients are good, but can only go so far.

This leaves patients to rely on the objective measures available to them. Namely, advanced or supplemental certifications. These extra certifications prove that a dentist has the following:

• More extensive training than average
• Dedication to continuing their education
• Investment in self-improvement and becoming the best they can be

Patients perceive providers with extra education or certifications as “better” than those without. Completing a wire orthodontics course will raise prospective patients’ opinions and perceptions of your abilities and give you the edge over your competition.

5. Orthodontics certification improves your confidence.

Completing an orthodontics course doesn’t only improve your patients’ perceptions of you. It also improves your perceptions of yourself and your abilities.

Improving your confidence will change how you present cases. It will also change how your patients respond to you.

It will directly lead to higher case acceptance rates. This in turn will lead to increased production.

Other Benefits of Taking a Wire Orthodontics Course

Taking a wire orthodontics course offers other benefits, as well. These benefits will, directly and indirectly, improve your ability to attract new clients.

After taking such a course, you will be able to offer your patients the widest range of options available. This will do the following:

• Increase patient confidence, comfort, and respect
• Lead to more positive reviews and referrals
• Bring new patients to your practice

Being able to do orthodontic work in-house will also streamline your patients’ care. This will result in highly satisfied clients. It will also improve the productivity and efficiency of your practice.

When you don’t have to outsource orthodontic work to other providers, your staff loses less time trying to coordinate care with other offices and insurance companies. This then does the following:

• Reduces wait times between procedures and production
• Allows your staff to focus more on creating positive patient experiences
• Creates stronger provider-patient bonds
• Increases patient acceptance rates
• Increases patient compliance with treatment plans
• Makes your practice stand out

Practicing both general dentistry and orthodontics also provides personal benefits for you, as the provider. There is immense satisfaction in helping patients not only care for their teeth but achieve the straight, beautiful smiles that so strongly impact their quality of life.

The Best Orthodontic Course for General Dentists

Learning straight wire orthodontics revolutionized my practice. I felt empowered by the changes I experienced. They motivated me to help other dentists achieve the same success.

To break up the orthodontist vs dentist dichotomy, I created my Straight Wire Orthodontics course.

This course opens general dentists’ practices to new patients and production streams. In the course, I cover everything you need to know, including the following:

• How to bring orthodontics into your practice in financially practical ways
• Orthodontic standards of care
• Appropriate diagnostic records
• How to conduct cephalometric analysis
• How to diagnose orthodontic problems and create treatment plans
• Everything you need to know about straight wire orthodontic appliance systems

I address what orthodontics should and should not treat and how to tell the difference.

The course is divided into five sessions. This makes it easy to attend without creating large gaps in your practice’s schedule.

The course includes lecture, demonstration, and exercise components. This combination of teaching methods ensures that you do the following:

• Complete the course with hands-on practice
• Gain the confidence and adeptness you need
• Are able to immediately put your new skills into practice in your office

You’ll also earn up to 100 hours of continuing education credits.

Staff Training

As a dental professional myself, I understand that good staff and assistants are essential to the success of every dental practice. That’s why I offer a corresponding straight wire orthodontics course for dental assistants.

The course is taught by an AOS Associate Instructor who is a Registered Dental Assistant specializing in orthodontics. This instructor also works closely with me during the Straight Wire Orthodontics course for dentists, ensuring strict consistency between the dentist and dental assistant versions of the course.

This means that not only can you return to your practice ready to implement your new skills, but you can also have a well-trained staff of assistants ready to offer you and your patients the best possible support.

Take an Orthodontic Course for You and Your Patients

If you are ready to take advantage of everything an orthodontics certification can offer you and your patients, there is no better time to enroll in my Straight Wire Orthodontics course. Register today or contact us for more information.