Premier Orthodontics held screening events in the Phoenix metro area last month to find patients who'd be eligible for treatment though Smiles Change Lives. Special guests included Arizona Cardinals tight end Ifeanyi Momah, left. What's your patient philosophy? Tyler: We want to treat them like they're a part of our family. We look at them as if they were our family! All of our treatment decisions are based on that philosophy. We also try to have a steady balance of fun and hard work, and we find that this makes for a dedicated, loyal and hard-working team. Our success lies on the health and happiness of our entire team. Without them, we wouldn't have happy patients. What's the greatest advancement of change you've seen during your tenure? Dustin: The biggest changes I've seen in my short 10 years are the advancements in technology. I like to say that technology usually makes things better, easier, quicker and more fun. I liken it to my golf game, or snowboarding on the slopes. New technology makes for the ability to hope for a better golf game and a truly enjoyable day on the slopes! The digital age has been revolutionary in how we treat patients and in the patient experience. We no longer take impressions in our practice, and the patients truly love that! I think that's the most important thing in looking at technology: How does it benefit my patients? What are your hopes for the profession? Tyler: I think that the referral-based model of orthodontics is on its way out. The profession has changed and will continue to do so. How a practice generates patients is going to continue to change to a more consumer-based/ marketing-based approach. Patient experience is also a super important factor that should not be overlooked. What can you not live (practice) without? Dustin: Our team! I've had many different employees through the years, and not all of them have caught the vision. The Premier Ortho team now in place has seen the vision of what we want to create; they understand that what we do is bigger than ourselves. Our partnership with SCL has helped our team to understand the importance of giving and serving others. It's amazing to work with such talented people. orthotown.com \\ MAY 2017 31http://www.orthotown.com