Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists

Council on Orthodontic Practice Report

September 2004

Mary K. Barkley, D.D.S.

 

The Council on Orthodontic Practice (COOP) last met August 26 and 27, 2005 in St. Louis. GLAO members, you’ll want to mark your calendars for the upcoming COOP-sponsored events.

 

            The 2006 Orthodontist as CEO conference will be presented February 10-12 in Scottsdale, Arizona. Presentation subjects include employment law, tax planning, fraud and embezzlement protection and implementation of technology in case presentations and online communications. Registration for the 2003 Orthodontist as CEO conference sold out, and early registration numbers indicate that the 2006 conference will sell out as well. Don’t wait until the last minute!

 

            COOP administered a Staff Presentation Competition at the 2005 Annual Session. The winner, Ms. Donna Hannel, received an expense-paid trip to the WFO Annual Congress in Paris in September.  She will give her presentation, “Preventing Orthodontic Emergencies” at that meeting.

            Because of the interest shown, COOP will sponsor a 2006 Staff Presentation Competition. Eight finalists will be invited to present at the 2006 Annual Session, and the top three presenters will receive cash prizes. Details will be sent to all AAO members this fall.

 

            Also at the 2006 Annual Session, COOP will sponsor another full day seminar in the Practice Transition series. This year’s speakers will be Eric Ploumis, an active AAO member and attorney who has administered over 100 practice transitions, and Jackie Shoemaker, an accountant who specializes in evaluating the strengths and weaknesses of various orthodontic software accounting programs when calculating a practice’s value.

 

            A completely updated Orthodontic Office Design Manual is scheduled to be available via the AAO website by the first of the year. Topics will include project planning, project management, legal considerations, office design, lighting, computerization and sterilization. There will also be links to suppliers of orthodontic office services and equipment.

 

            The Practice Opportunities program continues to be a valuable service to AAO members. This program, which matches practitioners who seek to take an associate or sell a  practice  with orthodontists seeking positions or practices, is available to all members at no charge. Since January 2005, 43 matches have been made by this program. For more information, contact Katie Repking at the AAO, 1-800-424-2841, ext. 287, or kmrepking@aaortho.org.

 

            The mission of the Council on Orthodontic Practice is to “serve AAO members by providing vision, guidance, and education to enhance their practices so that they may focus on what they do best…deliver the highest possible quality orthodontic care to their patients”. I am always happy to answer questions about COOP’s current and future programs.