Has Your Experience Peaked Your Interest?

[LisainTX]

This is probably a new one on this message board but I was wondering if anyone's experience with braces has created an interest in the field of work for them. I am OLD now and its probably too late, but I was always a bit interested in dental assisting or dental hygienist work. Now however, I really wish I'd have gotten braces earlier in life because I have found orthodontics to be an amazing and fascinating science.

I would love to hear anyone's experience if there are people here that work in the industry. How did you get into it? Why? Any suggestions? Can an old lady become an ortho technician or assistant?

[jem]

Yes my experience has piqued my interest- to the extent that I am still looking at this board over 3 years after being debraced!

I had a really nice ortho ( now retired) who talked me through everything she was doing in my treatment and also a little about running an ortho practice. Inevitably these were mostly one way conversations, but they were very interesting.

I am far too old to be thinking about anything more than completing my life long career, but if I had my time again, perhaps I might have enjoyed a career as an orthodontist.

Jem

[bbsadmin]

The whole thing became a business for me, hence this message board and my retail website! 15 years later, still at it and going strong! (And teeth are still straight!)

[djspeece]

For me it was the opposite -- I came to appreciate their skills, but reaffirmed that nursing was the best career choice for me. I couldn't bear looking into people's mouths all day. Of course there are some less pleasant tasks associated with the far end of the alimentary canal but let's not go there . I think it takes a special sort of person to become a successful orthodontist based on the array of concerns, issues, etc. raised on this forum.

[Kpopfan19]

I'm 19 and considering becoming an orthodontist

[FlowerPower]

One the website of the first orthodontist I went to, it explained how he became an orthodontist after having braces at a young age. It definitely helps when you have someone that went through the same experience.

[shortcircuit]

The process is fascinating but health care has never been where I would want to work, I would imagine that it's tough having to constantly justify your treatment plans as an orthodontist when others in the same market are equally qualified but coming up with different stuff.

Google makes the whole process sound simple, and I suspect that dealing with patients who have read just enough stuff online to convince themselves that they know much more than they actually do is also an issue. One of my peeves is people who ask for advice then argue with what they're told, so I wouldn't last very long in this field

[NeilH]

Yes, I can certainly relate to this. I would love to work in orthodontics in some capacity as I find this topic so fascinating but on looking into this, realised I was probably too old to get started on 8 years of training and unlikely to be able to compete with the bright 18 year olds with impressive grades. I did, however, start writing about adult orthodontics and found a way to explore this interest through sharing my thoughts, experiences and research with others. This led to some people taking an interest in what I had to say and inviting me to a number of meetings and events to further my knowledge which in turn led to further opportunities, an invitation to a large orthodontic conference and contact from a number of orthodontic suppliers wishing to explore collaboration in the future. Just before Christmas I received a call with an offer to become involved in something that is really exciting so to answer your question, yes, it certainly has!