Orthos office - Mostly kids? Adults?

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#31 Post by **BobKitten** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 8:57 am

candygrrrl wrote:my ortho said to me jokingly, "If you're a good girl, I'll let you go to the toy bin." I replied, "Honey, unless Johnny Depp's in there ready to clean my house and make me dinner, no thanks." I guess I said it pretty loudly, because I got a few looks from the parents. At least my ortho cracked up.

hehehe..... nice work!

when i saw my dentist a few months back, he asked how i was getting on with my ortho... as he's heard that a lot of children find her 'scary'!! i really like her straightforward, no-frills approach, and she talks to me about what she's doing - in much more orthodontic detail, since i started talking about things i've read on here and found out, but i imagine she doesn't see that many adult patients. usually, in the waiting room, there's a bunch of teenagers (not a problem for me, as teenagers are usually pretty shy about being there in the first place, so i don't expect many "what are you doing here?" looks), although at my last visit i saw an actual, real, grown-up twenty-something! and then had to stop myself looking surprised

#32 Post by **CactusZAF** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:38 am

My Orthos office is really classy looking, stone cladding, big screen TV, etc, which would make you think it's adult orientated. However all the staff seem to know me (or who I am) by name, even those who haven't had much to do with me, which leads me to think that I must be one of very few adult male patients receiving treatment at the practice. I have never been left long enough in the reception/waiting area to check out the mags (if they're kiddie or more mature reading material) as they almost always send me into the treatment room even before I can sit down. I've only met one other adult patient who herself was much younger than me, and was also nearly finished with her treatment, this makes me think that mostly teenagers and kids are treated in the practice.

#33 Post by **Lisa65** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 10:52 am

My ortho currently shares premises with the community dentist, so it's all a bit utilitarian. There's a waiting room/reception area but it's just hard chairs and a few scruffy old magazines. His actual treatment room also looks a bit utilitarian. He keeps his patient records on a laptop which sits on a stool next to the stool he sits on while treating the patients. It doesn't look very comfy or good for his back!

He's soon to be moving to a new custom built office and I look forward to seeing what that's like. Apparently it's going to be pretty plush. I saw the blueprints on the local planning permission website.

I did ask him once what proportion of his patients were adults and he said about 20%. I've only ever seen teenagers in the waiting room, although I usually get called in pretty quickly so I'm not sitting in there for long. In the UK the orthodontist does all the hands-on work, so there is only one chair. All the assistants (they are called dental nurses here) do is pass him things and sometimes take photographs and X-rays. They don't do any clinical work in the patients' mouths.

#34 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 11:31 am

My ortho's office does not have games in the waiting room but just rows of computers to play games and go onilne. That area is separated from the main lobby with chairs and magazines. The treatment area does not have any pictures but is decorated in bright but tasteful colors and just looks very clean and modern. I think there are 8 chairs, 4 facing one wall and 4 facing the opposite wall. They tend to put the adults in the corner chairs away from the walk way and brushing stations. I usually see one or two adults at each of my appointments. Adults are usually one of the few to actually floss at the brushing stations where the kids and teens just barely brush for a couple minutes.

#35 Post by **BobKitten** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:12 pm

Miss Smiley wrote: Adults are usually one of the few to actually floss at the brushing stations where the kids and teens just barely brush for a couple minutes.

brushing stations? really?! cool... my ortho (it's quite a small practice) has a very nice bathroom, which i've used to make sure i'm squeaky clean for her, but i'm very intrigued by the sound of brushing stations! in front of everyone else? is it very common to the US? are there any UK-ers who have that in their ortho practice?

#36 Post by **Miss Smiley** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 1:38 pm

I'm not sure about that one, my ortho's office takes off the ligs and wires, tells us to brush and come back. I usually brush before I go in and then I brush quickly and floss sans wire when I'm there. I've yet to take my Sonicare with me, I always forget while I'm running out of the house to be early.

#37 Post by **jackie100** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 2:45 pm

I see lots of adults and older people at my ortho. Last time I went the guy next to me was probably around 20 or so and 2 other guys looked also in thei r 20's... Once in awhile I see kids too but I do see a lot of old people and everyone gets treated in the same room.

#38 Post by **Deb59** » Mon Nov 26, 2007 6:56 pm

I know exactly what you mean. I am a prosthodontist and I send a number of my adult patients to my own orthodontist for their treatment. He built his office 7 years ago and it has a coffee shop atmosphere--definitely not kiddy...he does have a little room off to the side for small children to play and it seem just as friendly for young teens getting braces too. I am betting his practice is about 30% adult.

I jokingly say I got my braces on just so I can relax in his office during visits...about the only time I get to relax....ha!

Best,
Deb