Top News Briefs:

A Letter from the President.............

   

Hello, and welcome to the California Association of Orthodontists website. We hope that you find the revamped site informative and current for both the staff and the orthodontists of the State of California. Our new Website Editor, Joel Brodsky, has done an amazing job of bringing the information that you receive from this site current and relevant. We hope that from now on you consider the CAO website the “place to be” for information pertaining to upcoming meetings, legislation and other relevant items for is the orthodontists of California.

I also would like to make you aware of the work that your CAO Board of Directors has been doing.

In 2008 we made a financial commitment to run a consumer awareness campaign in tandem with that of the AAO. The CAO Board of Directors committed $300,000 out of reserve funds (thereby not requiring a dues increase for members) for a campaign that would align with that of the AAO. Effectively, this doubles the exposure (cable tv, print ads, web banners, etc.) that every orthodontist in the State receives from the campaign. As a Board, we realize that now is an opportune time to educate the public about the additional education and training that a California orthodontist receives, thus emphasizing that orthodontists are the most qualified professionals to treat patients.  We genuinely hope that this effort will lead to more patients receiving the exceptional care that a California orthodontist can provide.

Duties Allowed for RDAs and Dental Assistants (With and Without Orthodontic Permit)

Read Dr. Payne's account of  the Orthodontic Assistant Permit initiative and how it may expand the scope of 
duties performed by orthodontic assistants.  <Click Here>

  

Legislatively, we have been working behind the scenes in Sacramento to help craft the requirements for the new orthodontic assistant permits, as mandated by the Dental Board of California. Michael Payne has been our “point man” on the subject and has been working tirelessly with the Dental Board to craft something that is amenable to our members and protects patients. Since the adoption of the requirements, Michael has been putting together a training curriculum to allow assistants to gain their Orthodontic Assisting Certificate with the help of CAO. We hope to be able to reveal the new program as a CAO-sponsored curriculum, thereby providing you with another very valuable resource in equipping your office and staff to provide the very best in orthodontic care.

            Along similar lines, the CAO Board has been looking at innovative ways to energize our Continuing Education Program. We believe that our responsibility has been in the training of the orthodontic staff of California, along with cutting edge Doctor’s programs at the PCSO Annual Session (when it occurs in California). Our first attempt at bringing more relevant education will be the Staff Program at the 2009 PCSO Fall Regional Meetings. CAO will be sponsoring a California Law and Infection Control Program (required by the Dental Board of California for licensure) focused on the orthodontic profession. Later programs will include more hands-on formatted opportunities-because that is what you have asked for!

            Lastly, in the very near future, you will see a redesigned version of the “You and Your Orthodontist” brochure that is so popular. Tony Cucalon (the CAO Secretary-Treasurer) is heading up an ad-hoc committee to redesign, update and translate the brochure into Spanish, thus making it more useful to you.

            So, I hope that you take the time to peruse the revamped website and consider all of the things that the California Association of Orthodontists and its Board of Directors is doing for you. We are in this together and would love for the orthodontists of

California to continue to enjoy the profession that is so dear to us. If you have any further questions or comments, please feel free to contact the CAO, our new Executive Director Kevin Dillard, any of the CAO Board of Directors, or myself.

Sincerely,
John H. Trotter, DDS, MS
 President, CAO

 

 

Dr. Joel Brodsky
CAO Website Editor
Contact Dr. Brodsky at drjbrodsky@aol.com with any website questions or concerns.