Does your ortho office have assigned assistants?

[prairiehouse]

You know the people that change your wire and attach the ligatures? Does your orthodontist's office assign them to you for the duration of your treatment, or do you whoever is available at the time? Did they let you know that you were assigned to the assistant (when treatment began) and did you have a choice?

Mine doesn't, but I've read that some offices do do this.

Thanks.

[parsleysage]

I've had different ones each time I go. I also don't know their names - they don't introduce themselves and I usually forget to ask. I actually put that feedback in a survey they sent me. (Yes, my ortho sent me a customer satisfaction survey lol!)

[TMJJill]

I typically had one of two assistants who worked with me. I knew all of them in the office though.

There was one who was new and young and had too heavy of a touch for my TMJ issues. I called and talked to them and she never worked on me again. It was a bit awkward because sometimes she was the one available and I'd sit there waiting, but she was still nice to me.

[mmkay]

First few times the assistant was one young woman. The last few times it has been a different young woman.

At the first appointment the assistant provided some instructions on how to clean my teeth and apply wax. Aside from that here is the extent of my contact with the assistant:

Assistant: mmkay? Hi, how are you today.
Me: Hi.

The assistant's hands don't go near my mouth, she just stands by and hands items to the orthodontist.

[Nozzelnut]

There's a few assistants that work in the office; 6 or so.

I've only had 2 of the 6 work with me over the last couple weeks. Not sure if it's my age or them, but they've always worked well with me. Both have been working with my ortho for 12-16 years; so I'm guessing he likes what they do and has confidence in their work.

My last regular appointment; I brought donuts and coffee for everyone; just in case I have any of the other girls work on me. If I can't win them over with humor; I'll do it with food.

[tamiddavis]

I've had the same girl every time, HOWEVER they are not assigned. I thought it was odd, because at my last appointment she goes, "Wow I've had you for all of your appointments!" And I was like "oh, you mean you don't always get the same patients?" She said no, she just happens to get handed my chart every time, but that she loves it because then she can see the progress. I hope I keep getting her, I like her a lot, and I have no idea who the other people are.

[ljms]

I've had a different assistant each time. I don't mind seeing a different one each time. They're all very good.

The big advantage to not assigning an assistant is fast turnaround. The assistants call patients in the order in which the patients arrived at the office. My appointments are usually really quick without any wait time.

[djspeece]

My ortho uses 3 assistants, and they appear to be randomly assigned, but I typically get the same two. They are pretty good with their little quirks. One complains about the difficulty putting elastics over Damon brackets (was not impressed with the attitude) and seems to be a bit on the whiney side in general, and has less adept hand-eye coordination (as a nurse I am very aware of this); the other was an RN in South America and about which we have had some interesting conversations; she is very slick with the instrumentation and loves to warn me about all the pain I am going to have and so forth. I like to tease her back, daring her to get the ortho to add more torture devices because so far it is a piece of cake. That's not exactly true of course but I like to have at least a little fun in the chair.

[kathydell]

My ortho's office used 3 assistants as well and I've gotten all 3 of them at various times. Luckily they are all very good, although I will say one is definitely better and I always cross my fingers for her.

[Bikerchick85]

Mine has 6 assistants assigned at random. I like most of them. Some are the same women that were there when I had braces as a teenager. There's a section on their check-in screen for notes (I suppose I coiuld request a certain assistant..) But I never do. I'm hoping I get my favorite one at debanding.. maybe I should call and request her...

[Featheryy1221]

My ortho has like 10-12 assistants (he has four or five offices). For a few visits, I got the same assistant, but now I get a different one each time. Usually its just whoevers free gets to see me. They're all friendly and likeable people though. I do have some I get along with better than others, usually the ones that are sarcastic as I'm really sarcastic myself.
They're all great there though, except maybe not one of the receptionists they had, cause she had an bad attitude a lot of the time. Lol.

[SpottedPickle]

I go to a privately owned Ortho. He is the only doctor and he has only one chair side assistant. The other two assistants are for the labs and such. So I will only be seeing my doctor and his one assistant.

[arciedee]

I generally see a different assistant every time I go. Occasionally I've gotten one a couple times in a row, but I think it's purely been coincidental. Some I like more than others, but all seem friendly and relatively knowledgeable. My recent visits have mostly just been check-ins anyway for me to pick up more trays (I'm an Invisalign patient, obviously!), so there hasn't really been anything for them to do other than write the change dates on the packets and find the ortho to do his assessment.

[Ambrosia80]

I usually see a different assistant each time. I did have the same lady twice in a row these past two visits, and I never want to have her again! She is way too rough and doesn't pay very much attention to what she's doing (when I look up at her, she's looking at other patients--while she's working on me!), and she messes up a lot and has to redo things over and over--OUCH!! Last time I left my ortho office with back cramps and sweating. It was bad. Sigh.. So...you can request another assistant??

[MrsCharisma]

So...you can request another assistant??

When you're paying, you call some shots!! Call before your next appt and tell them you don't want her to work on you.

My ortho has 4-5 assistants. One is my fave but none are bad.