1. HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR JOB?
THE IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF DENTAL MALOCLUSION AND RELATED PROBLEMS OF THE MOUTH, FACE, HEAD AND NECK. DAY TO DAY IS MENTALLY DEMANDING, OVER THE YEARS IT CAN ALSO BE PHYSICALLY DEMANDING. MANY DENTISTS SUFFER CHRONIC INJURY OF THE CERVICAL (NECK) SPINE. SOME ARE FORCED TO GIVE UP THE PROFESSION.

2. WHAT COLLEGE DEGREE(S) DO YOU HAVE?
I WAS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO BE ACCEPTED INTO THE DENTAL SCHOOL OF MY CHOICE BEFORE I FINISHED COLLEGE. MY ONLY GRADUATE OR POST-GRADUATE DEGREE IS THE DOCTOR OF DENTAL MEDICINE FROM THE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF GEORGIA WHERE I GRADUATED FIRST IN MY CLASS. I ALSO COMPLETED A TWO-YEAR RESIDENCY IN ORTHODONTICS AND HOLD A CERTIFICATE IN THAT SPECIALTY.

3. WERE THERE SPECIFIC COURSES THAT YOU HAD THAT ARE MOST HELPFUL TO YOU IN THIS JOB?
WELL, THAT'S WHAT THE CURRICULUM OF DENTAL SCHOOL AND A RESIDENCY IS DESIGNED TO DO. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT COURSES WERE THE BASIC ONES LIKE ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY, EMBRYOLOGY, HISTOLOGY AND THE LIKE. BECAUSE, BEFORE YOU CAN IDENTIFY A PROBLEM, YOU MUST HAVE A FIRM CONCEPT OF WHAT "NORMAL" IS.

4. IF YOU COULD SUGGEST COURSES TO TAKE WHILE IN COLLEGE, WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST?
AGAIN, THE ONES I TOOK THAT WERE HELPFUL WERE COMPARATIVE ANATOMY, HISTOLGY, ETC... TODAY, I THINK SOME BUSINESS COURSES WOULD BE A GOOD IDEA. DENTISTS (AT LEAST OF MY GENERATION) WERE POORLY PREPARED FOR THE BUSINESS SIDE OF RUNNING THEIR PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES.

5. WHAT PART-TIME JOBS DURING COLLEGE WOULD BE HELPFUL IN PREPARATION FOR THIS POSITION?
I WORKED MY WAY THROUGH COLLEGE (ASIDE FROM SCHOLARSHIPS) AND MY WIFE HELPED PUT ME THROUGH DENTAL SCHOOL. I DON'T THINK IT'S HEALTHY TO FOCUS TOO STRICTLY ON THE PRIMARY GOAL. I WORKED IN A GROCERY STORE AND WENT ON TO FINISH AT THE TOP OF MY CLASS. MY EXPERIENCES IN NON-PROFESSIONAL WORK PREPARED ME FOR LIFE. THAT, I THINK, IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN YOUR CHOSEN PROFESSION.

6. WHAT EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES DO YOU THINK MIGHT BE HELPFUL DURING COLLEGE TO PREPARE FOR THIS JOB?
WHATEVER FIRES YOUR IMAGINATION. WHATEVER YOU ENJOY OR THINK IS INTERESTING.

7. IS THIS A COMPETITIVE AREA IN WHICH TO FIND EMPLOYMENT?
IT USED TO BE THAT PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS WAS DETERMINED BY QUALITY. TODAY, WITH HMO's AND INSURANCE COMPANIES RUNNING MEDICINE AND DENTISTRY IT IS MORE OF A COMMODITY MARKET. THE PERCEPTION IS RAPIDLY DEVELOPING THAT ONE DOCTOR IS JUST LIKE ANY OTHER. THAT MAKES THINGS HARDER FOR SOME, EASIER FOR OTHERS.

8. WHAT IS A TYPICAL DAY ON THE JOB FOR YOU?
8-5, SEEING ABOUT 25 TO 35 PATIENTS OF ALL AGES. MANY DIFFERENT PROCEDURES. RARELY ARE TOW CASES THE SAME.

9. WHAT DO YOU LIKE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?
MENTAL CHALLENGE. SOLVING COMPLEX PROBLEMS. COMBING TECHNICAL EXPERTISE WITH THE EXPECTED BIOLOGICAL RESPONSES TO ARRIVE AT A SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT RESULT.

10. WHAT DO YOU LIKE LEAST ABOUT YOUR JOB?
UNCOOPERATIVE PATIENTS. SOME PATIENTS WILL JUST NOT FOLLOW DOCTOR'S ORDERS. THEIR TREATMENTS OFTEN FAIL OR FALL SHORT OF THE POTENTIAL BENEFIT. THIS IS VERY FRUSTRATING.

11. WHAT IS THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB?

DEALING WITH PEOPLE WHO HAVE HAD VERY LITTLE PREVIOUS DENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION.

12. WHAT IS THE LEAST DIFFICULT PART OF YOUR JOB?
SEEING THE HAPPY SMILES WHEN TREATMENT IS SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED.

13. WHAT IS THE TYPICAL STARTING SALARY? AFTER 5 YEARS? AFTER 10 YEARS?
TYPICAL STARTING SALARY IS $0. THIS IS TRUE UNLESS YOU ASSOCIATE WITH AN EXISTING PRACTICE. THE REST IS UP FOR GRABS. MOST ESTABLISHED ORTHODONTISTS PROBABLY GROSS $50,000 TO $150,000 ANNUALLY. PATIENTS COME AND GO IN ABOUT TWO YEARS, SO INCOME DEPENDS ON CONTINUING REFERRALS AND WORD OF MOUTH. SOME CHOOSE TO ALIGN THEMSELVES WITH INSURANCE PROVIDERS FOR LESS INCOME, BUT MORE SECURITY.

14. ARE THERE FRINGE BENEFITS OR PERQS?
ONLY ONE. UNLESS YOU SIGN UP WITH AN HMO OR OTHER CONTRACT WORK, YOU ARE YOUR OWN BOSS. YOU DECIDE YOUR HOURS, ETC... THE DOWNSIDE IS THAT THERE IS NO PAID VACATION (OR ANYTHING ELSE). IF YOU ARE NOT SEEING PATIENTS, YOU ARE NOT MAKING ANY  MONEY. HOWEVER, THE OVERHEAD (BILLS) GO ON JUST THE SAME.

15. HOW MANY TYPICAL HOURS IN A TYPICAL WORK WEEK?
MY TYPICAL WEEKS IS ABOUT 36 HOURS.

16. HOW MUCH EXTRA WORK DO YOU NEED TO DO AT HOME AFTER HOURS?
CONSIDERABLE. THIS INVOLVES BOOKKEEPING, LAB WORK, CASE DIAGNOSIS, DICTATION OF NOTES ON PATIENTS, AND CONTINUING PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION.

17. WHAT IS THE LENGTH OF YOUR VACATION TIME?
WHATEVER YOU CAN AFFORD AND STILL PAY THE BILLS.

18. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE THE SAME POSITION IN 5 YEARS? 10 YEARS?
5 YEARS, YES. 10 YEARS, NO.

19. IF NOT, WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE DOING IN 5 OR 10 YEARS?
I WOULD LIKE TO BE RECRUITING A YOUNGER ORTHODONTIST TO TAKE MY PLACE IN 10 YEARS OR SO. I'LL RETIRE, ENJOY FAMILY LIFE, AND PURSUE OTHER INTEREST SUCH AS WOODWORKING, COMPUTERS AND THE INTERNET, GRAPHIC DESIGN, AUTO REPAIR, TRAVEL, ETC....
 
 

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