PracticeManagement

Complete

President’sPerspective

Inside This Issue

The Newsletter for Members and Friends of Ortho2October 2011 - Volume 29 Issue 3

We are pleased to be presenting another season of

our Cutting Edge Webinars, and have expanded the

invitation list to include you! The initial seminar series

took place last fall, winter, and spring, and was intended

primarily for residents and recent grads. For this reason,

you may not have been aware of it. Fortunately, a few of

our clients did hear about this and said, essentially, “HEY!

Some of these topics are pretty great... why aren’t you

offering them to us?” Good question!

So you are invited to the new Cutting Edge season, which just began September 12

and will run into April 2012. If we have a current e-mail address for you, you should

have already received advanced notice of the series. The Cutting Edge speakers are

an elite group of experienced orthodontic professionals, all with informative topics

to share. The entire series is moderated by our very own “Dr. Bob” (Scholz). And if

you haven’t seen the complete topic and speaker lineup, I encourage you to check

it out at www.ortho2.com/cuttingedge. This service is provided free of charge to

residents, recent grads, and Ortho2 clients exclusively.

Alerts to You!Recently, the servers that host ViewPoint

WebAccess, ViewPoint Glance, and On-

Line Forms were scheduled for a necessary

upgrade. We provided an advanced notice

of this brief service outage via an e-mail

alert. Did you get it?

You may have noticed that this is my

second reference to using e-mail to

contact our clients. We value this method of

communication as it is both quick and effective!

If you would you like to receive alerts, invitations, and other significant messages

from us, but don’t think you are currently getting them, go to www.ortho2.com

and click “Register for Updates” at the top of the screen. This will allow you to add

Comprehensive Orthodontic

Practice Management, Imaging,

and Communications Solutions

President’s Perspective 1

2012 Ortho2 Users Group Meeting 2

Spotlighted Feature: Premier Imaging 4

Running Your Clinic on Time 5by Andrea Cook

Communicating to Better Relationships 6by Joan Garbo

A New Approach to Ortho Case 8Presentationby Dr. Roger P. Levin

Inside Ortho2 10 –13

Cutting Edge Seminars, Version 2.0

President’s Perspective continued on page 14

2012 Users Group MeetingJoin us in San Diego, February 16–18, 2012

Contributor Contact Information:Andrea Cook – Andrea Cook is an

orthodontic clinical consultant who offers

a variety of serivces to train your staff and

improve your practice. Learn more at

www.andreacookconsulting.com or contact

Andrea by phone at (253) 332-3376 or

e-mail at andrea@andreacookconsulting.

com

Joan Garbo – For more information on

office consults, executive coaching, or

speaker presentations call (631) 608-2979

or write to: Joan Garbo, Joan Garbo

Consultants, 19 Glen Lane, Copiague, NY

11726. Visit us at www.joangarbo.com or

e-mail at joangarbo@aol.com.

Dr. Roger P. Levin – Dr. Roger P. Levin

and the Levin Group provide expert

orthodontic practice managment

and marketing solutions. For more

information, contact the Levin Group at

(888) 973-0000, or visit them at www.

levingrouportho.com.

2 3

Watch for the meeting brochure to reach your mailbox in Mid-October. We hope you are making plans

to attend the 2012 Ortho2 Users Group Meeting, February 16–18 at the Hard Rock Hotel, located in

sunny San Diego. Explore several classes while meeting other doctors and staff from across the country!

Classes• Our 2012 keynote session Set Your Ortho Practice on Fire will be offered by Dr. Roger P. Levin.

• Choose from more than 40 classes presented by other leading industry consultants and our

knowledgeable Ortho2 staff.

• Learn new and proven techniques for maximizing your benefit with Edge and ViewPoint.

Fun• Join us at our Thursday Night Fever Party on Thursday evening. Awards will be given for best far

out costume and most dy-no-mite leisure suit.

• The Hard Rock Hotel is located at the entrance of the Gaslamp Quarter and is mere miles from the

San Diego Zoo, Sea World, La Jolla, and Balboa Park.

RegistrationIf you have not registered yet, we hope to hear from you soon! Some classes fill up quickly and now is

the time to reserve your spot.

To view the brochure online or to register for the meeting, visit us at wwww.ortho2.com and click UGM

at the bottom of the page or contact Kim Barker at (800) 678-4644 or ugm@ortho2.com. Then be sure

to mail or fax your registration form with your course selections!

2012 Users Group Meeting

2 3

Come visit us at these meetings.

Southwestern Society of Orthodontists October 14–15, 2011

The Most Powerful Seminar for Ortho Growth October 14–15, 2011 — Levin Group, Inc.

OrthoVOICE October 20–22, 2011

Northeastern Society of Orthodontists November 11–12, 2011

Look for articles by some of this years presenters at the Users Group Meeting.

“Getting them seated on time is only half of the goal. We must be able to finish each procedure on time in order to be able to seat our next patient on time.” Andrea Cook, page 5

“Communication is THE primary tool for social control, and it is one that almost no one has learned to use effectively. Most of the barriers to open communication are habitual and therefore unconscious.” Joan Garbo, page 6

“...a new post-recession case presentation system for ortho treatment coordinators. This step-by-step process has been extremely effective for OTCs who use it to close more than 90% of new parents and patients during treatment consultations.” Dr. Roger P. Levin, page 8

Watch for these UGM presenters’ articles in the January issue.

Nancy Hyman Rosemary BrayDebbie Best

Carol Eaton Char Eash

If you are planning a presentation or lecture at

a society meeting, university, or local meeting,

we can provide you with any screenshots you

need and can discuss how to best use Edge

and/or ViewPoint in any situations you may be

illustrating. We appreciate the good word you

spread and would like to assist in any way we

can!

Top images provided by the San Diego CVB and Hard Rock Hotel San Diego

P remier Imaging is a powerful

addition to Edge Imaging that adds

comprehensive image morphing capabilities,

revolutionary cephalometric analysis, and

quick reference Bolton Standards overlays.

Premier Imaging introduces a new and valuable

feature no other program offers—an option

between just looking at the ceph and fully digitizing it.

The program’s structure-based digitizing approach greatly

reduces your digitizing time, and automatically selects and

positions each structure to be traced. Working with the

program’s tools makes image comparison simple.

Morphing to a New ImagePremier Imaging morphing is a comprehensive set of

image manipulation tools that allows you to quickly and

easily provide a visual representation of

your treatment objectives. Three tools

are available — the rectangle, ellipse,

and lasso — to select what part of the

image you want to morph. The free form

lasso tool allows you to trace around a

specific part of the photo; a tooth for

instance. From there the selected area can be adjusted,

moved, and/or rotated.

Continue to manipulate the photo by using the stretch,

smudge, and brush tools. The eraser tool erases part

of the selected area that has been moved, exposing

the image underneath. The Show Original button

superimposes the original image with the morphed one,

for a powerful presentation for patients and parents.

The morph function has unlimited undo and an undo all

feature to help you quickly get the best possible result

from your manipulations.

Cephalometric AnalysisThe Analysis tab allows you

to choose which analysis you

want to use. Click Options in

the Trace tab to ensure your

calibration option is set to your

preference. You can either use

measurements or dots per inch (DPI). To start a trace, click

Trace in the Trace tab. Set your measurement on the ceph

and begin tracing the first point of the structure list.

Once you have completed the tracings, and you have

chosen to trace soft tissue, the lateral facial photo will

appear. Click on the tip of the nose and

the tip of the upper lip to establish the

corresponding points from the ceph. You

can now superimpose the photo with the

analysis over top.

Bolton StandardsThe Bolton Standards can be superimposed on cephs

and photos, using age, gender, and ethnicity to create

a tracing for a specific patient. By overlaying the proper

Bolton Standards on your ceph, you are able to position

it any way you wish and quickly determine or confirm

your case conclusions. Click Bolton in the Display tab to

create the tracing. Click Position in the Bolton tab to drag

or rotate the tracing. Now, using the Trace button, you

can compare where the patient’s various structures are to

where they should be.

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Premier ImagingPart of an ongoing series spotlighting significant features

O ne of the ways a patient is judging your office is if

they are seen on time for their appointment. Many

offices see this as “if I get them in on time I am good”.

Not completely true! Getting them seated on time is only

half of the goal. We must be able to finish each procedure

on time in order to be able to seat our next patient on

time. Parents may not be happy if the front office has

told them they have a 20 minute appointment and they

are in the clinic much longer than that. With today’s busy

schedules (theirs and ours) we must be respectful of our

patients’ time. If we are respectful of their time they will

learn to be respectful of your time by being on time for

their appointments.

There are several components that contribute to your

ability to run your clinic on time. First, we must have

a schedule that is reflective of the doctors’ delivery of

patient care. How much time do they realistically need

in each appointment and where is that time in each

appointment. I am often asked, “How many patients

should I be seeing per day?” There is no magic number. I

have offices that see from 50 – 120 patients per day. Any

of these can be successful if it is an accurate picture of

what you and your team can do.

The next component is having a team that fully

understands the schedule and how to make that perfect

schedule work in a not so perfect world. Seating your

patient on time is the goal but before we can seat our

next patient on time we must be able to finish our last

patient on time. The best way to make sure the clinicians

are able to achieve this is to be aware of the finish

time of each appointment. The clinician can then work

backwards from that point to prioritize the work in the

procedure. If a patient is late for their appointment or

has breakage the clinician can make the call chairside

as to what can be accomplished while still meeting their

out time. I encourage doctors with a strong clinical team

to empower them to make clinical decisions as to what

can be accomplished today and what may need to be

rescheduled.

If an office is running a doctor time schedule the clinicians

and treatment coordinators must also be aware of where

that time is in their appointment and how many minutes

they have. TCs can have a big impact on the clinic if

they are not following the doctor time in the schedule.

Clinicians and TCs should do what they can and still

be calling for their doctor at the correct time, not the

time they are ready for the doctor. If a patient is late for

their appointment the doctor time and out time for the

procedure does not change. The clinician will make the call

on what can be accomplished and make decisions to meet

these marks. This may mean working at a faster pace or

making adjustments in today’s procedure.

Another factor in a clinician’s ability to keep on schedule

is the importance of good clinical organization. If the clinic

and side units are well organized and the clinicians have

everything they need they can easily adjust the procedure

for late patients or patients with breakage. Spending

valuable minutes searching for items will not allow them to

accomplish as much as possible during an appointment.

Empower your team and let them run your schedule. Give

them all the tools they need to be successful: organization,

training, instruments, and your support. Their ownership

of the schedule and the day will build a stronger team and

enable them run your clinic on time.

About the AuthorAndrea Cook’s in-office, hands-

on training is based on practical

knowledge gained through 20 years

of chair side experience. She is a

clinical consultant and trainer for

premier orthodontic offices across

the country.

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Running your Clinic on Time

6 7

Communicating to Better Relationships

T he foundation for cooperative

actions among people is a

strong sense of relationship. The right

“personality fit” usually makes this easy.

But not everyone on a team, particularly

large teams, always “fits” with each other.

Our personality and communication styles often

interfere with our feeling accepted and feeling

held in high regard. As an example, some people have

a communication style in which they are very direct in

addressing issues and may not be focused on the listeners’

feelings. This style can be considered offensive by those

who have a very indirect or subtle style of communicating,

and are highly concerned with people’s feelings. When

one examines the situation closely, it becomes clear that

the “direct” person does not intend to offend. Conversely,

when the “subtle” communicator speaks, he or she can be

thought of as wimpy or indecisive or confusing, when in

fact that person is focused on something that the listener

is not. Neither way is good or bad, right or wrong. It is

simply what is so. The important question to ask is, “How

can we make this work for everyone?”

The other important aspect in relationships is to

understand that everyone has their own emotional reality

that may or may not be in agreement with others around

them. Any two people in a situation will have different

emotional realities and both are right! In order to be

fulfilled and happy, people must be able to cope with

the gap that often exists between their own and others’

emotional realities. They must be able, in spite of the

gap, to give and receive from their fellow workers and

loved ones a sufficient level of regard, acceptance, caring,

approval, esteem, and respect. The way to bridge that gap

is communication.

Feelings are neither good nor bad, they just are. They exist

and are in constant operation to allow human beings to

evaluate situations. Feelings are the internal data system

based on our value hierarchy, and let us know how a

situation is affecting us. When negative feelings come up,

most people store them rather than express them openly.

There are many reasons NOT to communicate, such as

not wanting to hurt the other person’s feelings, judging

the incident to be too petty, or trying to be “bigger than

that”. The problem lies in the fact that stored feelings do

not go away; and each time an incident occurs, it is added

to the file. This storage system is arranged and cross

indexed so that new data coming in triggers the emotional

experience of all the similar data in the file. This is why

people often “explode” over an incident that is only of

minor importance. To make things worse, the emotionally

charged behavior seems confusing and inappropriate to

the other person, and is often not understood. The listener

often judges the speaker as being “out of control” or

assesses that it’s “just the way the speaker is”.

The other way accumulated negative feelings can be dealt

with is for the person to withdraw from the situation. They

often feel that they are misunderstood, uncared for, and/or

incompetent to deal with others. This behavior limits the

person’s ability to have and maintain close relationships,

preventing them from experiencing the warmth,

acceptance, and love that comes from being known by

others.

Another consequence of storing feelings rather than

expressing them is that they prevent the experience and

awareness of positive feelings. An example of this is when

you feel angry with someone, (or hurt, or used) your mind

takes that feeling and works at justifying it, collecting other

incidents and data to prove you are right. Your attention

becomes focused on seeing other negative behaviors in

the other person to prove your case. When your mind is

thus involved, it censors perceptions of a positive nature

in regard to the other person. In a similar way, the mind

focuses upon perceived negative behavior of your own,

and constructs elaborate fears, guilt, and preoccupations

in relation to the other person.

Finally, all of the above creates fertile ground for the seeds

of gossip to be sprung. Gossip becomes another way to

justify your position and to accumulate agreement from

others regarding your emotional reality and thus further

“prove your case”.

The ultimate truth is you are left with the problem (it

doesn’t clear up by itself) and with the negative impacts

from not communicating.

The alternative is to express the negative feelings in

a responsible and understandable way. The goal is to

communicate your emotional reality in a way that is

constructive and without malicious intent. It is a way of

deepening one’s relationships when it is done with the

utmost respect for the emotional reality of the other

person. What a person feels is an integral part of his or her

identity and sharing those feelings requires an atmosphere

of trust and integrity.

Having behaviors and attitudes that others will find

disagreeable is part of being alive and being human. No

one has cornered the market on perfection; nor would we

be likely to agree on a definition of perfection! We value

relationships in terms of how they serve to nurture and

sustain us in our personal goals and value systems. Being

self-righteous in our actions and opinions not only thwarts

our relationship with others, but also ends up being self-

destructive.

If we are open and responsible in our expression of our

emotional reality, we will nurture the same in others, as well

as attract people who can nurture and support us. We will

be able to experience being known and understood, and at

the same time, we will provide caring constructive criticism

necessary for personal growth and development.

Clearing the Path for Open CommunicationIt is critical that you embrace the belief that people are

doing the best they can with what they have to work;

therefore, don’t try to change people—give them better

tools to work with! Communication is THE primary tool

for social control, and it is one that almost no one has

learned to use effectively. Most of the barriers to open

communication are habitual and therefore unconscious.

Using a specific format will assist in making distinctions in

our speaking that will support the message being listened

to in an empowering way, while avoiding the confusion

and mixed messages so often present in interpersonal

interactions. The following guidelines are the basis for the

format to be suggested:

1. Be specific! Using phrases such as always or never

triggers denial in the listener. For example, “You’re always

late” brings to the mind of the listener times when they

were punctual, and thus negates the communication. Being

specific “On Tuesday morning when you were late...” is an

accurate statement and can be dealt with rationally.

2. Be responsible. The habitual statements we make put

blame on others and imply they are bad, nasty, or evil

intentioned. Examples include “You made me angry” or

“You ruined my day”. The truth is no one “makes” you

anything! They do what they do and you feel the way you

feel!

“When you were 45 minutes late returning from lunch

yesterday, I felt worried and upset,” informs the person

what you were feeling without implying that they were out

to get you.

3. Do not “zing” the other. A zinger is a covert attack. For

example, “When you came back from lunch 45 minutes

late, like you usually do...” The zinger defeats the intent to

communicate and is an attempt to shame the other.

6 7

Communicating to Better Relationships

Communication continued on page 14

About the AuthorJoan Garbo is a coach, speaker, and

consultant specializing in effective

communication skills, team building,

and leadership skills. The results of

her work are evidenced in increased

patient referrals, reduced stress, and

higher profits.

8 9

A New Approach to Ortho Case Presentation

L ike many businesses, orthodontic

practices have been adversely

affected by the recession. There are still a

large number of practices that have been

challenged to reach their production numbers

for three years. This lack of growth is due to

the absence in many ortho practices of what Levin

Group calls post-recession systems and marketing

programs.

One of the major steps Levin Group has taken to ensure

that client practices continue to grow is the creation of

the 5 Stages of Closing™—a new post-recession case

presentation system for ortho treatment coordinators

(OTCs). This step-by-step process has been extremely

effective for OTCs who use it to close more than 90% of

new parents and patients during treatment consultations.

Understanding The Change in Consumer PsychologyThe 5 Stages of Closing™ was developed in response

to a change in consumer psychology. According to a

recent study in the Wall Street Journal1, consumers with

household incomes of $200,000-$250,000 per year have

dramatically changed their decision-making process when

making a purchase. These individuals now focus on three

key questions before making a purchase:

•DoIreallywantit?

•DoIwantitnow?

•DoIwanttobuyithere?

In this economy, consumers of all income levels who once

made impulsive buying decisions are now concentrating

on these three questions and often postponing purchasing

decisions, waiting for better deals or deciding to buy

somewhere else. This mentality has made new patient

ortho consults much more challenging.

The 5 Stages Of Closing™After extensive testing, The 5 Stages Of Closing™

has proven to be one of the best new approaches to

increasing ortho starts. This revolutionary new case

presentation method comprises the following steps:

1. Awareness

2. Interest

3. Seriousness

4. Conditions

5. Closing

These five stages create a new approach to understanding

orthodontic case presentation. Each stage has three

components. Parents and adult patients who receive

a case presentation can now be scored against the

five stages. Each stage represents a critical aspect of

achieving case acceptance and increasing practice

production. For the first time, ortho practices have the

opportunity to operate at a more sophisticated level by

understanding exactly what steps are needed to move a

patient (and parent) to Stage 5. It is also important to note

that skipping a step significantly raises the risk of case

rejection.

Stage 1 — AwarenessAwareness is always the first step. Only when patients

are aware of the practice’s orthodontic services can they

accept treatment. Creating awareness requires the efforts

of everyone on the team.

Marketing Awareness is generated through the ortho practice’s

internal and referral marketing programs. Patients are

referred by other patients or their general practitioners.

Strong marketing programs and sound referral

relationships with your general practitioners ensure a

steady stream of new patient consults.

The New Patient Experience

The New Patient Experience starts with a patient, parent,

or referring office calling your practice. The team uses

Value Creation Scripting™ to build confidence for the

practice. This approach includes customized language that

focuses on attributes of the practice, transfer of trust to

the doctor, and a review of services. The target is to have

98% of all callers schedule appointments.

1Wall Street Journal, May 12, 2011: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703730804576317202215630540.html

8 9

The New Patient ConsultWhen patients and parents present to the office, it will be

the first direct opportunity to impress them. They will often

judge the ortho practice more by the level of customer

service they receive and the initial impression the practice

makes rather than an explanation of a highly clinical

treatment plan.

Stage 2 — InterestSome orthodontists and OTCs assume that parents and

patients will automatically move from Stage 2 – Interest

right to Stage 5 – Closing. In the new economy, this

does not work. Remember, the way people make their

purchasing decisions has changed.

DiagnosisDiagnosis is no longer simply about finding out what the

patient needs clinically. It now must be an interactive

experience where the patient is involved along with the

doctor. When the clinical diagnosis begins, parents and

patients must feel like they are part of the process—not

just a set of teeth. This builds their interest and begins to

establish stronger affinity for the practice.

Education

The OTC should be positive and informative so that the

patient and parent develop a full understanding of the

diagnostic findings before a benefit-focused treatment

recommendation is given. Patients and parents are

delighted when they are included in the conversation,

fully understand the situation and feel positively about the

orthodontist and staff.

ServicesToday, there are often a variety of options for orthodontic

treatment. Educating patients and parents about different

options empowers them to make the best decision for

treatment. This kind of open and transparent approach will

keep them fully involved and informed during the entire

course of ortho treatment.

Stage 3 — SeriousnessOne of the major errors that orthodontists and treatment

coordinators are making today is mistaking Stage 2 —

Interest for Stage 3 — Seriousness. In the past, patients

could move from Stage 2 directly to Stage 5 due to the

more impulsive decision-making environment at the time.

Ortho practices today that attempt to move patients

directly from Stage 2 to Stage 5 will find many treatment

plans rejected or indefinitely put off because patients and

parents are not yet serious about making a decision to

have treatment.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Whenever information is provided to patients and parents,

there will be questions. They want to understand why

treatment is being recommended. Unlike in the past,

parents and patients have become more hesitant about

whether they will accept treatment. As questions are

answered, patients can move forward onto the next stage

of closing.

Objections

Many orthodontists and OTCs react negatively and

defensively to objections, feeling that their expertise is

being questioned. In truth, objections are normal. I have

repeatedly stated in seminars that objections are part of

closing the case. Parents and patients are basically saying,

“If you answer my objections properly, I am very serious

about having treatment.”

A New Approach to Ortho Case Presentation

About the AuthorDr. Roger P. Levin is Chairman

and CEO of Levin Group, Inc.

Levin Group provides premier,

comprehensive consulting solutions

that deliver Total Ortho SuccessTM to

orthodontists in the U.S. and around

the world.

Case Presentation continued on page 15

Inside Ortho2Information about the people of Ortho2 and the resources available to you as a member

Free WebinarsWe offer you free, online, real-time webinars. Each month throughout the year we present a different topic. It’s a great

solution for training new users, refreshing experienced users, or learning about new features. Webinars are offered twice

each month so you can choose the time that fits best with your schedule. Preregistration, a computer with a high-speed

Internet connection, and a phone are required. Register online at www.ortho2.com > Services Features > Meetings and

Seminars > Ortho2 Webinars, or contact Judy Brown at (800) 346-4504 or jkb@ortho2.com.

Upcoming 2011/2012 Webinar Dates

October: Friday, October 14th, 10:00–11:00 A.M. or Wednesday, October 26th, 1:00–2:00 P.M. Central Time

Edge Reminders for ViewPoint: Edge Reminders for ViewPoint is an easy-to-use, efficient system for automating patient

reminders. Reminders can be sent via multiple message options including phone, text message, and/or e-mail for any

range of upcoming appointment dates. The webinar will cover setup and daily use.

November: Wednesday, Noveber 9th, 1:00–2:00 P.M. or Monday, November 21st, 10:00–11:00 A.M. Central Time

What’s New in ViewPoint 9.0: Review of the ViewPoint 9.0 enhancements. Topics discussed include general

enhancements, correspondence history, patient compliance animations, reports, On-Deck Operatory Display, Treatment

Chart, VP Fingerprint, Edge Imaging, Premier Imaging, and Edge Reminders.

December: Friday, December 2nd, 10:00–11:00 A.M. or Wednesday, December 14th, 1:00–2:00 P.M. Central Time

Edge Dashboard Widgets: Edge Dashboard personalizes Edge for you by keeping the information and tools you use the

most at your fingertips. Use Dashboard widgets to display the productivity issues and applications most relevant to your

tasks and professional goals. Take a look at the dashboard widgets available in addition to the information and settings

available for each one.

January: Friday, January 13th, 10:00–11:00 A.M. or Wednesday, January 25th, 1:00–2:00 P.M. Central Time

HR Manager for Edge: The HR Manager provides comprehensive employee management features. An overview of how

this optional module, available for a fee, tracks work and vacation hours, hire date, compensation and benefit details,

and other key personnel information. In addition, the office calendar provides you with a way to track non-patient

appointments that you schedule for your practice.

HolidaysOur corporate office is closed on the following holidays:

New Year’s Day

Memorial Day

Independence Day

Labor Day

Thanksgiving Day

Christmas Day

If a holiday falls on a Saturday, we observe the holiday on the prior Friday. If a holiday falls on a Sunday, we observe the

holiday on the following Monday.

The Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and New Year’s Eve are optional holidays. We offer limited support on those

days.

10 11

10 11

Free SeminarsAs our client, you and your staff may attend these free, small-group seminars as often as you wish. Learn about your

new system, train new employees, and/or implement new features. Seminars are held 9:00 A.M. – 4:00 P.M. each day for

three days at our office in Ames, Iowa. Class size is limited to assure individual attention and hands-on opportunities, and

preregistration is required. To register, or for more information about the seminars, contact Judy Brown at (800) 346-4504

or jkb@ortho2.com. If you prefer, register online at www.ortho2.com > Service Features > Meetings and Seminars > Free

Seminar Series.

Remaining 2011 ViewPoint Seminar Dates Early 2012 ViewPoint Seminar Dates

November 9, 10, 11 January 11, 12, 13 March 7, 8, 9

Remaining 2011 Edge Seminar Dates Early 2012 Edge Seminar Dates

November 16, 17, 18 January 18, 19, 20 March 14, 15, 16

Each three-day session is held Wednesday–Friday and covers the design and daily use of either Edge or ViewPoint.

SupportBy Phone: (800) 346-4504

Available 7:00 A.M. – 7:00 P.M. Central

Time, Monday – Friday

By E-mail: ortho2support@ortho2.com

Response time is usually the same day or

at most within 24 hours.

By Fax: (515) 233-1454

You can fax us support requests. While not required, forms that help identify

these requests are available at www.ortho2.com > Current Users > Support

> Online Help

And Don’t Forget Our Website: www.ortho2.com

Our website gives you 24/7 access to our knowledge base, FAQs, white

papers, visual help videos, and more.

RetrainingHave you hired new staff since your original software training? Have you had staff members take on new responsibilities?

Do you feel you might not be taking advantage of the enhancements that have been added over the years?

Ortho2 offers many options for refreshing your knowledge of “old” features and informing you of new features, but do

you want to be able to set your own agenda to meet the specific needs of your practice?

A “retraining”— either in your office or over the Internet — addresses all these issues. To learn more and to schedule one

for your practice, contact your Ortho2 Systems Consultant today at (800) 648-4644.

Ortho2 AnniversariesCongratulations to these Ortho2 staff members who celebrated anniversaries during the third quarter of 2011.

Career Milestones & DevelopmentWe are pleased to announce Steve Mahan joined the Software Support Team as a Software Support Representative

on August 22. Steve comes to us with more than five years of customer serivce in both retail and non-retail settings.

Welcome, Steve!

Austin Woodford joined the Equipment Team as a Computer Support Technician on August 22. Austin was previously

employed by Staples as a Computer Technician and is currently working on pursing his MIS degree from Iowa State

University. Please help us in welcoming Austin.

On a Personal NoteMichelle Thilges, Ortho2 Editor, married Craig Haupt on July 23. We wish the couple many years of happiness!

Michelle Kinnaman, Ortho2 New Customer Care Specialist, and her husband, Rick, welcomed Kale Lee on September 7.

Kale is joined at home by big brother Drew.

Twenty-Five Years

Craig Scholz

Twenty-Three Years

Sara Harbacheck

Seventeen Years

Judy Brown

Frank Meiners

Sixteen Years

Marla Miller

Twelve Years

Jim Condon

Ten Years

Angie DeWaard

Six Years

Michelle Kinnaman

Three Years

Mike Donner

Cal Rebhuhn

Two Years

Judy Denny

Paul Ezerski

Michael Scanlon

12 13

Kale Lee

Available from Ortho2Call your Ortho2 Systems Consultant at (800) 678-4644 for more details on any of these products and services.

The revolutionary, all-new Ortho2 practice management, imaging, and communication system.

Our core management system used by more than 1,600 orthodontists.

Equipment & Networking (For both Edge and ViewPoint Systems)

• Computers, Printers, and Other System Components• On-Site Installation & Configuration

Your Edge System Can Include:(Scheduler, Electronic Insurance, and Edge Imaging always included)

• Additional Edge User Licenses • Treatment Hub (electronic charting)• Premier Imaging• Patient Tracker (patient sign-in and operatory display)• Edge Reminders (automated appointment reminders)• Edge Animations (patient education and case

presentation)• Edge Portal Personal (access to Edge data for you

and your staff via the Internet or web-enabled mobile device)

• Edge Portal Premium (extends access to patients/parents/professionals via the Internet or web-enabled mobile device as well as office staff access)

• HR Manager • Third Party Product Integrations

Edge Services• On-Site Training • Web-Based Training• Credit Card Transaction Processing• Data Vault (off-site, secure data hosting)• Data Merge (combine Edge databases)• Data Conversion (put non-Edge data into Edge file

format)• Image Conversion (convert your images to Edge

Imaging)• Custom Online Forms• Custom Premier Imaging Analyses

ViewPoint Software Modules• Additional ViewPoint Client Licenses• Grid Scheduler• Treatment Chart• Edge Imaging* • Premier Imaging• On-Deck Appointment Control (patient sign-in and

operatory display)• Edge Reminders* (automated appointment

reminders)• Edge Animations* (patient education and case

presentation)• VP WebAccess (account access for patients/parents

on the Internet)• VP Glance (access to ViewPoint data from your web-

enabled mobile device)• HR Manager• Electronic Insurance

• Third Party Product Integrations• DataMove Utility (transfer ViewPoint data from

location to location)

ViewPoint Services• On-Site Refresher Training • Web-Based Refresher Training• VP Credit Card Transaction Processing• VP Backup Online Storage• Data Split (split ViewPoint database)• Data Merge (combine ViewPoint databases)• Data Conversion (put non-ViewPoint data into

ViewPoint file format)• Image Conversion (convert your images to

VP Imaging or Edge Imaging)• Custom Reports• Custom Online Forms• Custom Premier Imaging Analyses

12 13

* Indicates available for use with ViewPoint

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yourself to our e-mail list.

Follow the Ortho2 BlogThe Ortho2 blog is another resource to be on the cutting edge of industry news. We are collaborating with the industry’s

top consultants to provide you a place where you can read about practice building ideas to help you succeed. The blog

will make its debut in early October. Check it out at www.blog.ortho2.com, or click the blog link on the lower section of

our website.

Orthotown Emerging Tech!Orthotown magazine has just signed Dr. Craig Scholz, our Director of Emerging Technologies, to write a quarterly series of

articles during 2012 on emerging technologies of interest to the orthodontic community. Watch for them!

Dan Sargent, Ortho2 President

President’s Perspective continued from page 1

Communication continued from page 7

4. Do not “story tell”. Stick to the specifics of the incident

without going back into history, or giving extraneous

details that not only cloud the real issue, but also tend to

“martyr” the speaker and blame or shame the other.

5. Listen openly. It is essential when someone is

communicating to you what their upset or problem is that

you draw distinctions in your listening. When someone

says, “When you did X, I felt Y,” — they are not saying

you’re a rotten person, or you intended to hurt them. They

are saying that they have a reaction to something you did

that you may or may not be aware of. By bringing it to

your attention, they intend to clear the way for you and

the other to be back in full relationship. In other words,

they are communicating in order to be closer to you. The

most important thing the listener can do is simply GET IT!

DO NOT try to justify why you did what you did, or explain

it. Know that the speaker would not tell you anything if

they thought the relationship with you wasn’t worth it.

When people communicate that which is not working

for them, they are pointing to a breakdown—something

that isn’t working within a specific system. You are not

THE system; you are part of a system. You must learn

to trust that responsible and effective communication is

the way to create corrections in the system. When you

learn to trust this, listening with compassion for the other

becomes easier, and empowers you to show you care or

are concerned about the speaker’s feelings. Rather than

deflecting what is said to you, thank the person for telling

you and when appropriate, apologize.

Suggested Format for Communicating Problems and Upsets(Name of person), when you (state specifically what

happened ), I felt (express the feeling you had).

When you have brought up a situation that isn’t working for

you, be sure to have a request that can be the solution to

the problem. It is important that you not just complain. The

format for a request needs to be specific as well.

I request that (name of person or persons) (state the

action to be taken) by (date to be done.)

When a request is made, the listener can accept the

request as it is stated, or can negotiate the conditions until

both parties are satisfied.

Giving Compliments and AcknowledgementsWhile it’s important to “clear the air”, it is equally, if not

more, important to acknowledge the people in your

life and let them know how much you appreciate them

and what they do. Some of the same guidelines apply.

In other words, be specific, and let them know how you

feel. The following is an example of an empowering

acknowledgement.

“Susan, when you stayed an extra hour on Tuesday to help

me get the insurance forms completed and in the mail, I

felt supported and grateful and proud to be on the same

team with you.”

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Case Presentation continued from page 9

Should-Have-Asked Questions (SAQs) These are questions that parents and patients did not ask,

but if they had, they would have been more likely to accept

treatment. Many orthodontists have told me how they have

been fooled into thinking that the case was closed only

to find out this wasn’t true. To keep such a situation from

happening, ortho practices can say, “One question you

might want to know the answer to is…” When making an

important decision, people greatly appreciate being given

information about “things that they don’t know but should

know and be asking about.” This builds trust instantly and

dramatically.

Stage 4 — ConditionsThis stage is probably the most important. Consumers and

patients today are very concerned about how much they

are spending, how they are spending it, and when they

spend it. If Stage 4 is not properly handled, patients will

reject the case presentation.

Financial ArrangementsIt is important to present several options and allow parents

and patients to decide which one is in their best interest.

Due to the increasing numbers of parents and patients who

can’t afford to pay out-of-pocket, the practice should offer

patient financing as an option.

SchedulingOnce parents and patients have selected a financial

option, use Value Creation Scripting™ to select a mutually

agreeable appointment to begin treatment. Effective

scripting emphasizes patient convenience, while allowing

the practice to maximize its schedule.

Logistics This step covers the length of treatment, any potential

discomfort, and how many appointments are required to

complete treatment. These details will obviously be of

great interest to parents and patients.

Stage 5 — ClosingIf the first four stages and all of the factors are properly

covered, then the patient is essentially closed. It would

be rare for parents and patients who have reached this

stage to change their mind. In fact, the show rate for the

first appointment following The 5 Stages Of Closing™ is

extremely high.

ScheduledNote that the first factor here is not “scheduling”, but

“scheduled”. The patient has made an appointment

to have treatment. Since The 5 Stages Of Closing™ is

not about hard selling, but a cooperative process of

determining the treatment plan and gaining acceptance,

patients are unlikely to change their minds at this stage.

Down PaymentMost ortho practices still require a 20–25% down payment

prior to treatment. In light of the recent recession, many

people are hard-pressed to come up with that amount of

money. Offering patient financing with a variety of down

payment options will help ortho practices motivate more

parents and patients to say “yes” to treatment.

Present for TreatmentHere’s the ultimate proof that the patient will follow

through with treatment recommendations. While

scheduling and deposits are reassuring, the patient actually

showing up for treatment is the true mark of success. If

there are concerns about a patient following through,

the ortho practice should confirm the appointment with

patients and parents via their cell phone. Use this call as an

opportunity to reinforce the value of treatment and create

new excitement for the patient.

The 5 Stages Of Closing™ is an extremely effective method

to help practices understand patient psychology, which

stage the patient is in, and how to achieve the Levin Group

target of starting 90% of all cases. Any OTC following this

protocol will dramatically improve their close rates. Start

using The 5 Stages Of Closing™ today and watch your

ortho practice be transformed!

1107BuckeyeAve.,Ames,Iowa50010 • www.ortho2.com

“Delivering practical solutions for success to the orthodontic profession…”

A strong sense of relationship comes from being able to

communicate effectively. Use these tips to help keep lines

of communication open.

page 6

Patients rate your service on how well you

keep to your appointment schedule. Keeing

your clinic on time is a full staff effort.

page 5

More case acceptance in a down economy is

made easier with these five steps.

page 8

ORTHO2Sales (800) 678-4644 Support (800) 346-4504

Local/Intl. (515) 233-1026 Fax (515) 233-1454