Orthotown November 2023 - 35

The team that worked on the building
reminded me of the early team at
Align Technology. There was a passion
for each piece and so many talented
people. Their hearts and souls went
into making such a great place to
work and to help the community find
their smiles.
Tell us about your favorite
office features.
Function first: We have a break room
with enough room for a yoga class
and community seminars. We started
an airway study group that uses our
lobby and Zoom to reach more people
about airway health and connect with
multispecialty partners for the benefit
of our commuity.
Healthy spaces: The facilities
were designed before COVID-19 and
still have healthy designs. We have
7-foot separation between chairs;
large, tall ceilings; filtered air; and
antibacterial surfaces thanks to a
product called Krion used in hospital
facilities. We have a semiprivate room
for immune-challenged families or
patients who just prefer it. And team
members have the option of sit-down
or stand-up work preference, headsets
and dual monitors for healthy work
spaces. The open facilities and design
help us make each day count!
On the clinical side, you're a
staunch supporter of treating
airway issues-especially in
children. Why?
More than a decade ago, I learned
about sleep apnea from my advanced
dental study group that invited the
best speakers from across the country.
Years later, an orthodontic supply
company offered an intensive sleep
apnea course and persuaded me
I could help even more people.
I bought into the watch and the binder
and the systems, but each time I
talked about what I'd found, patients
weren't ready to hear that from the
person closing their diastema.
Big speed bumps were inevitable.
Some treatments, when it turned to
exploring a deeper possible medical
issue, came to a halt. Some patients
were agitated when they heard more
than they wanted. I slowly retreated
from the discussions and the watch
started gathering dust. I now ask
permission to show them when I see
something and ask direct questions
that may indicate sleep apnea.
I didn't anticipate how close to
home the issues of sleep apnea would
hit. My journey into pediatric sleep
apnea began with my daughter: When
she was 4, she began having issues
the medical profession didn't have
answers to, including dark circles
under her eyes, digit sucking and
polyuria. If you were to look at photos,
you'd see signs of tooth grinding
and a tongue thrust. The tongue was
impeding the airway space because of
an insufficient maxilla. As Dr. Soroush
Zaghi says in his airway health lectures,
" The box is too small! "
I ordered my own CBCT-we didn't
have one at the practice then-and a
sleep study. Turns out, my daughter
had a moderately blocked airway and
sleep apnea.
When you face a medical issue, you
quickly become an avid learner so you
can make the best decisions for your
child. I went on a journey with the ENT
about whether to pursue surgery, but I
did what I knew at the time and opted
for an expander. Later, my daughter
NOVEMBER 2023 | 35 | ORTHOTOWN.COM
had a microimplant-supported
expander with a facemask to open her
airway. She had a dramatic change in
her sleep and behavior. Now she can
sleep with her mouth closed!
Tell us about two of your favorite
pieces of clinical technology.
The No. 1 piece of technology in my
office is the CBCT. The ability to see in
3D and map the airway is invaluable.
The MSE is planned with the coordination
of the STL model file, STL MSE
file and the CBCT to enhance success.
For my team, it is the 3D scanner.
The near-elimination of taking alginate
impressions and the ability to
send and manage digital imaging with
our lab partners means a huge boost
in quality of work life and accuracy.
What has worked for you
on the practice management
side of the business?
I took over an existing office with just
two employees, a handful of patients
and lots of room for growth. In the
early days of development, if one
employee missed work, then half your
workforce was out and it was hard on
the remaining team. When we grew
enough to afford four people-two
in the front and two in the back-the
workplace could remain functional,
especially if the front office had the
missing coverage. That task could be
allotted for a different day.
Now with a moderate-sized team of
11, we don't skip a beat when someone
wants to take some time off, whether
it's planned or not. When you have a
large enough business to take care of
your team, it brings stability, better
pay and benefits that attract stronger
team members.
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Orthotown November 2023

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