Orthotown March 2018 - 9
embrace progress
Since the government intervened in health care, the system is
two-tiered. Health care costs have nothing to do with face-to-face,
one-on-one business transactions anymore. (If you need more
explanation, review my column from last month.) I remember being
in the sixth grade and having my adenoids removed. My parents
prepaid the doctor ($175) and we went to the hospital. Hospital
insurance covered the big expenses.
In the '80s we watched as doctors got swallowed up by HMOs
and other entities and were thankful that we had not followed them
down that path. I used to talk to my MD buddies about their need
to differentiate and charge for magazines and paper filing reviewing
charts. A couple of decades later, the concierge practice evolved.
Now, we feel powerless because we've allowed ourselves to plead
for insurance benefits for our services, only to be held hostage by
the codes and restrictions placed on them. Is it time for a concierge
dental or orthodontic practice? Should there be services billed to the
patient for items we perform daily but have no code for?
Future predictions
Is it time to redefine the orthodontic practice? Our existence has
been defined by the Angle's classification, but we know it's much
more. Maybe that simple tooth-pushing should be what is "covered"
by insurance. All other services, reception room reading materials,
coffee and contests, should be lumped under concierge services with
no attempt to bill the insurance company. In other words, we all get
the same for braces or aligners, and are free to charge our concierge
fee. Let the strong survive.
And finally, perhaps the definition of "orthodontist" needs to
change so that the gray area lumping us in with general dentists
no longer exists. Services such as soft tissue enhancement and
modification, sleep diagnosis and treatment, and straightening
teeth would all be part of the new specialty. Airway evaluation and
management would be part of diagnosis and treatment. Absolutely
no other specialty spends as much time on evaluation of growth,
development and saving time as orthodontics does.
None of this is easy. The ADA, AAO and insurance companies
all have vested interests in seeing things stay the same. But with
Invisalign stores and short-term ortho becoming more common,
it's clear that things are going to change. Are you ready to roll with
the punches? n
Spread the news
about Orthotown!
Orthotown owes its success to
registered Townies who engage
on forums and message boards,
contribute articles for publication,
and share articles and columns
via social media. Log in today at
orthotown.com to get started.
orthotown.com \\ MARCH 2018
9
http://www.retainergel.com
http://www.orthotown.com
http://www.orthotown.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown March 2018
Orthotown March 2018 - Cover1
Orthotown March 2018 - Cover2
Orthotown March 2018 - 1
Orthotown March 2018 - 2
Orthotown March 2018 - 3
Orthotown March 2018 - 4
Orthotown March 2018 - 5
Orthotown March 2018 - 6
Orthotown March 2018 - 7
Orthotown March 2018 - 8
Orthotown March 2018 - 9
Orthotown March 2018 - 10
Orthotown March 2018 - 11
Orthotown March 2018 - 12
Orthotown March 2018 - 13
Orthotown March 2018 - 14
Orthotown March 2018 - 15
Orthotown March 2018 - 16
Orthotown March 2018 - 17
Orthotown March 2018 - 18
Orthotown March 2018 - 19
Orthotown March 2018 - 20
Orthotown March 2018 - 21
Orthotown March 2018 - 22
Orthotown March 2018 - 23
Orthotown March 2018 - 24
Orthotown March 2018 - 25
Orthotown March 2018 - 26
Orthotown March 2018 - 27
Orthotown March 2018 - 28
Orthotown March 2018 - 29
Orthotown March 2018 - 30
Orthotown March 2018 - 31
Orthotown March 2018 - 32
Orthotown March 2018 - 33
Orthotown March 2018 - 34
Orthotown March 2018 - 35
Orthotown March 2018 - 36
Orthotown March 2018 - 37
Orthotown March 2018 - 38
Orthotown March 2018 - 39
Orthotown March 2018 - 40
Orthotown March 2018 - 41
Orthotown March 2018 - 42
Orthotown March 2018 - 43
Orthotown March 2018 - 44
Orthotown March 2018 - 45
Orthotown March 2018 - 46
Orthotown March 2018 - 47
Orthotown March 2018 - 48
Orthotown March 2018 - Cover3
Orthotown March 2018 - Cover4
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-november-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-october-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-september-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-july-august-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-june-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-may-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-april-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-march-24
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-january-february-2024
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-december-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-november-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-october-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-september-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-july-august-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-june-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-may-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-april-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-march-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-january-february-2023
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-december-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-november-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-october-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-september-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-july-august-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-june-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-may-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-april-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-march-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-january-february-2022
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-december-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-november-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-october-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-september-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-july-august-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-june-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-april-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/orthotown-march-2021
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2021JanuaryFebruary
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/December2020
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020November
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020October
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020September
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020JulyAugust
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020June
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020May
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020April
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020March
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2020JanuaryFebruary
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019December
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019November
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019October
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019September
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019JulyAugust
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019June
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019May
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019April
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019March
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2019JanFeb
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018December
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018November
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018October
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018September
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018August
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018June
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018May
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018April
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018March
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2018February
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2017December
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2017November
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2017October
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2017September
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/August_2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2017June
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2017May
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2017April
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/March2017
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2017JanFeb
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016_December_Orthotown
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016November
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016October
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016september
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016august
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016june
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016may
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016april
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016march
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2016february
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015december
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015november
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015october
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015september
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015august
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015june
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015may
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015april
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015march
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2015february
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014december
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014november
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014october
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014september
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014august
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014june
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014may
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014april
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/march2014
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2014february
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013december
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013november
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013october
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013september
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013august
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013june
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013may
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013april
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013march
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2013janfeb
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2012december
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2012november
https://www.nxtbook.com/farran/orthotown/2012october
https://www.nxtbookmedia.com