INPUT NEEDED: New Message Board Ideas???

[bbsadmin]

Hey guys,

The new ArchWired site will launch before the end of this month. After it is done, I am considering also upgrading this message board.

I'm aware that a lot of people seem to go to Facebook these days for forum-type advice. I'm not really keen on using Facebook as a medium for this sort of thing for a number of reasons:

1. It is incredibly difficult to control spammers and trolls on Facebook.
2. I don't want to turn it into one of those groups where every post must be approved before it appears (I don't like the delay, and don't want to have to police every single thing that people write).
3. Old topics disappear from the radar very quickly on Facebook, making it difficult to find information (even with a search feature).
4. The search feature on Facebook is weak and virtually useless.
5. A lot of people are dumping Facebook these days and many younger adults don't use it at all.
6. I don't want people to have to be registered and logged in to be able to search and read information.
7. The current Metal Mouth Message board is ad-free! (And even if we did put ads on it in the future, they would be for dental products only).

With that said, if you have any ideas for improving the Metal Mouth Message Board, please post them below, or email me privately at: webmaster@archwired.com. Currently, we run on phpBB, but I would be open to changing to a different forum software.

Also, if you WOULD like to see a Facebook group IN ADDITION to this message board, let me know.

I appreciate any and all ideas or comments.

Thanks,
Lynn (the site owner)

[bbsadmin]

Anybody???

[claudiofranck]

Hello:
You might want to try this https://xenforo.com/ if it is within your budget.

One of the best features it offers (that I haven't seen in others) is that if you are logged in and return to a topic clicking on its title it takes you directly to the newest post even if it is multiple pages down.

Regards

[Lovespain5]

Anybody???

Hello and happy New Year.
It will be interesting to make boards especially focused on before-after, because we use to be afraid of some risks during the treatment but seeing before-after gives you good advices for treatment choices.
For example a lot of people is afraid of bicuspid extractions but when I post my result some users had changed their opinion about this.
In the same logic, it will be interesting to create a board about facial changes or effects, as a lot of users are especially worrying about facial effects. Or creating a board "Extraction orthodontics" as it exists a board "Surgery".
What do you think?

[djspeece]

Consider a more prominent page that addresses the beginning phases of braces, to include a sticky for things like;
- Questions to ask your ortho before signing a contract; treatment options
- What are the common aspects of the treatment contract, and what should I pay most attention to
- How do I evaluate an ortho prior to starting therapy (includes board certification
- What is the bracing process, what will happen?
- Things I wished I had known at the beginning of therapy
- Treatment options: invisline vs traditional braces; metal vs. ceramic pros and cons
- What to be wary of
- FAQs, to include why does it take so long to complete treatment
- How to ask questions without annoying the ortho (i.e., how to effectively communicate with your ortho

Perhaps start having contests of some sort to stimulate traffic on the board; most helpful post of the week, funniest post,
Consider a ranking based on how long a poster has been active on the board or how many postings or length of time on the board (active), and display that in the margin along with the poster. Creative names such as "Orthodontic god/goddess, New to the Fun, Halfway Home, and so forth.