This is the place to post general questions and comments about all areas of orthodontic treatment. Before you post a question, use the forum's SEARCH tool to see if your question has already been answered!
New Members: YOU MUST MAKE A POST WITHIN 24 HOURS OF REGISTERING OR YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE DELETED. In other words, don't sign up unless you plan to actively participate in the message board immediately. This is necessary to keep out spammers and lurkers with bad intentions. Of course, you can read most forums on the board without registering.
DO NOT POST FULL-FACE PHOTOS or personal contact information on this website. We have had problems with people re-posting members' photos on fetish websites. Please only post photos of your teeth, not your whole face. Keep your email and your personal information private. Thank you.
My orthodontist gives out gift cards to Blockbuster, Starbucks, etc. for taking good care of your braces, like not breaking brackets, flossing, and really clean teeth. I did not know this until I "won" and was ridiculously proud of myself.
I've also heard of some orthos who have a Bracket Club or something similar, and they post the names and pictures of the latest members as an incentive for people (esp. kids) to not break off brackets with Doritos, etc.
My ortho gives tokens - 3 each visit. 1 for wearing the shirt they give you when you get braces - I think it says, "Heavy Metal Rock" on the front and "Get your smile rocking at azbraces.com" its pretty cheesey, then 1 token for good hygiene, and 1 for not having any broken appliances. You can use them towards dippin' dot gift cards, movie gift cards, and the one I'm saving my tokens for is a $50 gift certificate to the mall.
Laynie
Braced - April 24, 2008
Last adjustment - December 16, 2008
Trangle elastics - August 26 - Current (only at night from 11/11/2008 - Current)
Treatment end date - January 28, 2009
Mine does wooden nickels. I would really just prefer he save the money on all the free t-shirts that are part of this program and all the prizes and just make the cost less.
You only get 10 nickels for referring a new patient. My hairdresser gives a free hair cut (worth $60!) for referring a new client!
my ortho has a patient of the month and parent of the month, their pics are on display at the reception desk
i dont know if they get other reward
i will never be patient of the month as my brackets pop off by themself and i probably ask way too many questions about why she doesnt do certain things that i read about here
my story -- http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=25125
February 29 2008 - initial consultation, records and spacers
March 17 2008 - molar bands
March 20 2008 - 2 upper 1st premolar extractions
April 17 2008 - upper jaw braced
April 24 2008 - lower jaw braced
May 1 2009 - primary left central incisor extraction
My ortho's office gives ortho bucks- they look like monopoly money, and they say $10 Ortho Bucks on them. Cute huh? They have all kinds of prizes- bouncy balls and plastic jewelry, movies, SPAMS, gift cards, etc. I get extra for wearing my t-shirt to my appointments. Yeay! I'm excited- for every $200 ortho bucks I get, I get a $25 gift card (I think) to Target, Walmart, Kohls (department store) etc.
leftyme wrote:The assistant who put my braces on already said I know way more about them than she and that she "just puts them on."
I think that it is completely unprofessional beyond belief that an assistant would tell a patient that she "just puts them on". If I said that to a patient, and offered no other explanation or anything, I think I would (and should) be fired.
While I really like my ortho and his staff - they do not give anything for good care of your braces.
The only thing they give you at the end of your visit is a bill. They have a new system and now require a payment after your visit. They used to send monthly statements but I guess they had too many non-payers and they had to mess it up for those who always pay on time (like me ). Now if you do not pay on the date of your visit they charge you a late fee - sometimes I pay 3 days later on my payday.
I know I went off tangent but I just had to rant a little since I found out that other orthos give prizes.
I think I would feel silly getting a prize for taking care of my braces. I am an adult and the one paying for the treatment. I want it to be successful and not waste my money. I guess I will see if they do anything when I go in for my first adjustment.
¤sabrina¤ wrote:i probably ask way too many questions about why she doesnt do certain things that i read about here
This is going to be me. The assistant who put my braces on already said I know way more about them than she and that she "just puts them on."
It's in my nature to want to be very informed. You should hear me talk about car seats and baby gear...
since i've read about sure smile, i asked her, she said no she doesnt do that and asked me what additional benefits it has, i told her what i read on the website, and i told her it looked interesting and she should check it out
my ortho is supposed to be one of the best in my country but i seriously have my doubts as i have brackets that keep coming off
oh an i accidentally bit her and the assistant during the placement of the lower braces
i also ask about why i have bare spaces of archwire where i had the extractions as i saw a girl here with pics of rubber tubing so she doesnt get wire ridges, my ortho just looks at me and says no she doesnt do that
she knows i do my research, but i hate that they havent really explained much in terms of what movement she is trying to achieve initially
my story -- http://www.archwired.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=25125
February 29 2008 - initial consultation, records and spacers
March 17 2008 - molar bands
March 20 2008 - 2 upper 1st premolar extractions
April 17 2008 - upper jaw braced
April 24 2008 - lower jaw braced
May 1 2009 - primary left central incisor extraction
"Just puts them on"? Your ortho should be doing that, not a dental nurse. Brackets are meant to be placed differently depending on the state of your teeth, and a dental nurse isn't qualified to do that!
Jamesyeats wrote:"Just puts them on"? Your ortho should be doing that, not a dental nurse. Brackets are meant to be placed differently depending on the state of your teeth, and a dental nurse isn't qualified to do that!
Actually it's quite common in Canada and the US for ortho assistants to place brackets. They're qualified, it's something they learn in school. The ortho comes by later and takes a look to see they're placed right. My brackets were indirectly bonded with clear essix- like trays by one of the many assistants. The brackets were in the tray according to how they were going to be placed on my teeth in the correct spots.
(Sorry I had to clear that up....)
My ortho doesn't. I don't need anything extra anyways. I always get compliments on my awesome brushing from my ortho and his many staff. I get a smiley face stamp on my chart too for my awesome brushing. That's all I really want.
Cheers for that, all they seem to do here is the "PASS ME THE PAINFUL TOOL" thing, and I think it's only a one year course (most of which is done on-site, so to speak) to be a dental nurse. Maybe I have my wires crossed. Wires - did you get that joke? I'm here all week, people, try the veal. And look after your waitresses.
Mine doesn't have any incentive program, either...not just for ortho treatment. BUT they do have a deal where if you refer someone, you can put your card into a little bowl and you can win a vacation to Mexico, or something. I think it's maybe a timeshare and plane tickets. I'm not sure.
I *do* however, like ILOVEMACS, get all sorts of "oooh"'s, "ahhh"'s and compliments on how clean my brackets and hardware are. Which is a pretty big deal to me, since my oral hygiene as a child was less than stellar...not to mention I have upper and lower expanders with big hunks of acrylic in the upper...they are VERY hard to clean!
). Now if you do not pay on the date of your visit they charge you a late fee - sometimes I pay 3 days later on my payday.
