Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Winter 2017 - 20

PCSO Business: Book Review

The Golden Age of Orthodontics
Reviewed by
Dr. Dawn Pruzansky and
Dr. Jae Hyun Park

The Golden Age of Orthodontics:
Decline and Aftermath
A History of the Business of Orthodontics
Norman Wahl, DDS, MS, MA
185 pages, $16.95
First Edition Design Publishing, 2017
www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com
Dr. Wahl's book primarily covers the 19th and
20th centuries in the two main sections, which
were part of his Master's thesis. He has added an
update on the 21st century for this book. It is
interesting to learn about the cyclical nature of
the orthodontics business and to discover that
the issues our profession faces are not new.
The Golden Age of Orthodontics begins with a
history of organized orthodontics, including the
establishment of specialty schools, associations,
and journals. Dr. Wahl discusses advertising and
the association's disapproving stance on branch
offices and clinics. The specialty faced the issues
of mail-order orthodontics (via lab appliances)
and general dentists treating cases as early as
the 1930s. From 1950 to 1970 - the period
deemed the "Golden Age"- the specialty saw
tremendous prosperity and growth. Most practitioners had waiting lists while schools were graduating larger numbers of specialists to meet the
growing need for treatment. At the same time,
the number of general dentists providing orthodontics was increasing, although it was difficult
for non-specialists to obtain continuing educa-

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tion. In the 1970s, advertising gained popularity,
extended function assistants were available, and
managed care was forming. Department store,
retail, and corporate dentistry were also on the
rise. Toward the end of the century, campaigns
were underway to promote consumer awareness
of the importance of orthodontics and the orthodontic specialist. Managed care was commonly
accepted, and the output of graduate orthodontists had slowed.
The second part of the book discusses the
growth of Management Services Organizations
(MSOs) and corporate dentistry. Dr. Wahl considers
the effects of government legislation (OSHA,
HIPAA) on private practices, as well as the introduction of electronic health records. He examines
student debt and its effect on the new practitioner. Clinical advances in materials, TADs, and
digital dentistry have also influenced the way
patients are treated. In addition, new techniques
for marketing and social media necessitate practice management in education - clinical skills
are only a part of running an overall orthodontic
business. In addition, Dr. Wahl touches on risk
management and trends in orthodontic education, and takes a peek into future.
Overall, this book is filled with comprehensive
information about the history of orthodontics.
Practitioners and residents, as well as anyone
with an interest in the field, will enjoy it. 

PCSO Bulletin  Winter 2017
http://www.firsteditiondesignpublishing.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Winter 2017
