Is your Orthodontist in your Facebook friends?
Moderator: bbsadmin
No way... last week my status update told how many Mars Bars I treated myself to as an award for going to the orthodontist. Gosh I would have it change it to "I flossed well today and bough 3 bottles of fluoride mouthwash" no thanks! Could you imagine getting a "are you wearing your elastics" on your wall!
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Ice runner
- Posts: 36
- Joined: Tue Oct 28, 2008 9:50 am
- Location: Somewhere in Europe :)
I believe you can find some friends here, put it on facebook, because we are "connected" here at least one thing and you can find a friend here (or any other forum) but putting your ortho (which you dont know) on a facebook it is really odd! He/she is not your friend or co-worker or something, you give him/her a money and for that you get better teeth 
thats it. Are you also friend with a mechanic, builder, decorator, electrician ?
thats it. Are you also friend with a mechanic, builder, decorator, electrician ?
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DrJasonKTam
- Posts: 847
- Joined: Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:50 pm
- Location: Toronto and Markham
- Contact:
We have a FB fan page for those interested in getting some time to "socialize" with us outside of the office. http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/pages ... 865?ref=ts . It has information about ortho procedures, office events, photos, etc.
It's definitely a fine line between being professionally friendly, and overly social with your patients. Despite our patients becoming part of our "family", there is still an obligation to maintain a professional relationship. Certainly I have become friends outside of the office with some patients, because of common extra-office activities, but that is more the exception than the norm.
I've had patients add me on FB and I personally don't have a problem with it, as I don't feel like I have too much to hide. However, I also live a few minutes from the office and run into patients and parents all the time, while out for groceries, dinner, at the mall, etc. There are a lot of doctors who prefer to live far away from their office and would hate living in the same community. It's all a matter of personal preference and respect for each person's right to privacy if they want it :).
It's definitely a fine line between being professionally friendly, and overly social with your patients. Despite our patients becoming part of our "family", there is still an obligation to maintain a professional relationship. Certainly I have become friends outside of the office with some patients, because of common extra-office activities, but that is more the exception than the norm.
I've had patients add me on FB and I personally don't have a problem with it, as I don't feel like I have too much to hide. However, I also live a few minutes from the office and run into patients and parents all the time, while out for groceries, dinner, at the mall, etc. There are a lot of doctors who prefer to live far away from their office and would hate living in the same community. It's all a matter of personal preference and respect for each person's right to privacy if they want it :).
Dr. Jason Tam
Toronto Invisalign, Scarborough braces, and Markham Orthodontist
Diamond Plus Invisalign Provider
Thrice Published in the Invisalign Case Gallery
http://www.mcosmiles.com
Learn all about Toronto Invisalign at http://www.torontobraces.ca.
Before and After Invisalign Video 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNTVxoTQqR8
Before and After Invisalign Video 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywcwlyL-sg8
Toronto Invisalign, Scarborough braces, and Markham Orthodontist
Diamond Plus Invisalign Provider
Thrice Published in the Invisalign Case Gallery
http://www.mcosmiles.com
Learn all about Toronto Invisalign at http://www.torontobraces.ca.
Before and After Invisalign Video 1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNTVxoTQqR8
Before and After Invisalign Video 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywcwlyL-sg8
Orthodontics is a business and part of business is maintaining a professional image. By becoming friends with patients/customers, the doctor is projecting his facebook page is part of his business image. Everyone has their own private life and it is just that, private. I certainly wouldn't want to know that my doctor spent all weekend getting trashed in mexico and then is about to perform brain surgery on me, it would undermine my confidence in his ability for no good reason.
We all have our private lives, and some might look better in the public eye than others, lol. Most working professionals know how to separate their private and public life, however the general public generally does not see that distinction, so they have to be censored.
Your best bet is to ask if the doctor has a facebook page for his office and if he ever uses it to maintain contact with patients at all, and go from there.
We all have our private lives, and some might look better in the public eye than others, lol. Most working professionals know how to separate their private and public life, however the general public generally does not see that distinction, so they have to be censored.
Your best bet is to ask if the doctor has a facebook page for his office and if he ever uses it to maintain contact with patients at all, and go from there.
I'm not on facebook 
04/09/09- Consult, 04/21/09- Spacers in, 04/23/09- Braces on, 06/01/09- Extractions
06/25/09- First Adjustment (new wire, but same size- all the way to bck molars- after extractions)
08/20/09- Second adjustment (same size wire but got Powerchains top and bottom!!!)
10/02/09- 3rd adj (same size wire, new powerchain, started elastics)
12/10/09- 4th adj. (same size wire, new powerchain, same elastics)
02/11/10- 5th adj.
06/25/09- First Adjustment (new wire, but same size- all the way to bck molars- after extractions)
08/20/09- Second adjustment (same size wire but got Powerchains top and bottom!!!)
10/02/09- 3rd adj (same size wire, new powerchain, started elastics)
12/10/09- 4th adj. (same size wire, new powerchain, same elastics)
02/11/10- 5th adj.
I think it's bad form to put evidence of such excursions up for public view, regardless of if you're a professional! I don't do a lot of 'drunk weekends' and such, but I never allow my friends to tag me in pictures where I'm holding liquor because even if I only had one (which I usually do), it still looks bad. I feel like an ortho, or anybody else for that matter, being smart about what the put online really shouldn't have much to hide. I'm friends with a lot of people who I technically have a 'professional relationship' with (professors, pastors, etc), and that's okay because they're okay with it.fosterp wrote: I certainly wouldn't want to know that my doctor spent all weekend getting trashed in mexico and then is about to perform brain surgery on me, it would undermine my confidence in his ability for no good reason.
That being said, being a graduate teaching assistant myself, I keep my facebook page private so only friends of friends can view it, because I'm not comfortable with my students being privy to my contact info and status updates. I think the ortho is within their rights if they are uncomfortable being facebook friends to decline, and I think the patient really has no right to get angry about it. It really has to do with how comfortable the specific person is. If they don't mind, go ahead and be their friend if you want! But don't be upset if they don't friend you back.
No I wouldn't add them unless I was already friends.
Be careful... this this reminds me a "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episode where Larry's dentist invites him round to dinner, and he makes an excuse to get out of it, gets caught out, and then find himself in need of emergency dental , and of course the dentist has much fun 'forgetting' to make his mouse numb first
Be careful... this this reminds me a "Curb Your Enthusiasm" episode where Larry's dentist invites him round to dinner, and he makes an excuse to get out of it, gets caught out, and then find himself in need of emergency dental , and of course the dentist has much fun 'forgetting' to make his mouse numb first
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Marc
Marc
