Orthotown November 2015 - (Page 10)

embrace progress // column Congratulations, You're Just an Orthodontist By Daniel Grob, DDS, MS, Editorial Director, Orthotown Magazine For most of us, obtaining the title of "orthodontist" is the culmination of a dream and lifelong journey. I am often reminded of orthodontists who decided to pursue the profession after a pleasant experience in the orthodontist chair many years prior. There was a desire to give back after having a life-altering moment while still an impressionable adolescent. That this experience is powerful enough to lead to orthodontics as a career choice is quite a testament to the profession. Young adults these days agonize over making the right decision on a future career, hoping to end up in a field where they fi nd fulfi llment. After all, work is supposed to be enjoyable-isn't it? Some have the luxury of taking the time to figure it out. These students take many college credits, volunteer in dental clinics and offices, and generally spend lots of unreimbursed time, trying to make the right decision. Or to put it another way, trying to convince themselves that they have made the right decision. Many of us did not have that luxury. We got here by the process of elimination. I was the ultimate lost soul in undergraduate studies, hopping from major to major without clear direction. Destined to become the fi rst college-educated person in our family, I knew I had to get it done, whatever it took and whatever the outcome. So how did I become an orthodontist? 10 NOVEMBER 2015 // orthotown.com While still an undergraduate in a science class, I had a lab partner whose father was a dentist. He said that it was a good job. I interviewed him and he wrote a letter of recommendation. I applied to dental school, got in after three years of undergraduate studies and was able to skip declaring my major (which, by the way, was still up in the air). Dental school, prosthodontics residency, practice, more education, and bingo! I had arrived. school because it looks to them like a better lifestyle. Once in dental school, the survivors who decide to apply to orthodontic programs are even more driven to further their education. As you know, only the top students get into orthodontic residencies or programs. The desire to constantly achieve is inherent in their DNA, as is the goal of constantly performing and getting praise from parents, professors or colleagues. I was the ultimate lost soul in undergraduate studies, hopping from major to major without clear direction. Destined to become the first college-educated person in our family, I knew I had to get it done, whatever it took and whatever the outcome. It's different now! A rigorous application process for pre-dental school results in overachievers fighting for admission into dental school. From what I am told, these applicants include a good number of already graduated medical doctors who are disenchanted with their profession and are looking for a career change. Parents who are medical doctors encourage children to attend dental Most of the attendees were scholars or Eagle Scouts, played musical instruments, served as the football team captain or head of the debate team or student council. You get the picture. They can't wait to get out of school so that, despite the competition from hundreds of individuals like themselves, they can begin to tell the dental and local communities that they are the best and that all clinicians before them just don't get it. Continued on p. 12 http://www.orthotown.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown November 2015

Orthotown.com Highlights
Embrace Progress: Congratulations, You’re Just an Orthodontist
What Do You Do When You Just Need to Bail Out on a Case?
How Would You Treat Non-Surgically?
Progressive Smile Design: Changing the Shape of Cosmetic Dentistry
Equip the Operatory— Not the Junk Drawer
The Five Key Components to Team Synergy
What’s On Your Tray? Cementation
Product Profi le: Burleson Seminars
How Pro-Bono Work Can Increase Your Sales
Effective Treatment of Class II Deep Bite in Adult Cases
Poll
A Fast-Track Guide to Selecting the Best Wires
The Airway, Breathing and Orthodontics
Imaging Guide
Ad Index

Orthotown November 2015