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Questions to Ask at Your Orthodontic Consultation

The internet makes everything so easy these days. We can order dinner, clothes, household items, even furniture online. But is it really a good idea to order orthodontic treatment online? There is no match for a trained, experienced professional when it comes to your oral health. Orthodontic treatment is not a product or device – it is a professional, medical service. 

At Coolsmiles Orthodontics, we think it’s important to ask a few questions before making a decision on where you will receive your orthodontic treatment- whether it is online through a Direct-to-Consumer Company or in-person at an orthodontic consultation.

Important Questions to Ask at an Orthodontic Consultation:

  • Will my treatment be managed and monitored by an orthodontic specialist?
      • Yes. When it comes to you or your child’s smile, we want you to know that we are experts in this field. We are Diamond+ Invisalign® providers and we are board-certified orthodontists by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO).
  • Are you Board Certified Orthodontists?
  • Yes, we are board certified through the American Board of Orthodontics, which means we have voluntarily gone through hundreds of additional hours of preparation to demonstrate the judgment, skills and knowledge required for providing the highest level of patient care.   
  • Are you a member of the American Association of Orthodontists?
      • Yes, we are.
  • When is the proper time to begin treatment?
      • The AAO recommends an orthodontic visit for children starting at age 7.
  • How many doctors will be treating me through this process?
      • Dr. David Amram and Dr. Justin Ohnigian are committed to providing excellent orthodontic care to all patients and their families. They are the only two doctors that treat our patients throughout their process.
  • Who put the braces on? Is it a doctor or an assistant?
      • At our practice, the brackets will be placed only by Dr. David or Dr. Justin.
  • Have you treated many cases similar to mine? 
      • No two people are the same, and likewise no two orthodontic treatment plans are identical. Only an orthodontist has the specialized knowledge to identify and plan for all the possible issues and outcomes that may arise. The bottom line: orthodontists know what to use and when to use it because they are specially trained with these tools and work with them every single day.
  • Does your office have a digital scanner or do you have to take impressions with ooey-gooey material?
      • Coolsmiles Orthodontics is proud to offer iTero Digital Impressions for our patients. Unpleasant putty impressions are a thing of the past with the iTero Digital system! We utilize the latest in orthodontic technology. Cutting-edge procedures, techniques, and equipment help us determine orthodontic issues with expedience and accelerate your treatment.
  • How much experience do you have with invisalign? 
    • Dr. David & Dr. Justin are Diamond Invisalign® providers– Top 1% in North America. Even though we’re the top 1% provider of the country, this does not mean you’ll have additional fees for orthodontic treatment. We will provide you with a peace of mind that your smile is in the best hands.

Recently the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) put out a  Consumer Alert; it advises that when researching orthodontic treatment (including treatment models from direct-to-consumer companies like SmileDirectClub, Candid Co., Smilelove, SnapCorrect, Orthly, etc), you should consider many key questions. 

Below we’ve outlined what we think are the most important questions from that consumer alert. 

  1. As part of your treatment, are comprehensive diagnostic records like x-rays taken before your treatment?
  2. As part of your treatment fee, do you receive any in-person visits to a dentist’s or orthodontist’s office during your treatment?
  3. Is only one treatment type offered (such as invisible aligners or a certain appliance)?
  4. If a dentist or orthodontist is involved with your treatment, do you know the name of the dentist or orthodontist who will be specifically involved with your case (for example, is it available on the company’s website or elsewhere)?
  5. What are the possible risks (financial, health, etc.) associated with your orthodontic treatment?
  6. Who is responsible for detecting any issues that may occur during your orthodontic treatment? Is it you? If it is a doctor not associated with your treatment, who pays for those check-ups?
  7. If a doctor is involved with your orthodontic treatment, how can you contact him or her over the course of your treatment? How can you contact him or her if an emergency arises?
  8. If an emergency arises, does the company have a dentist or orthodontist in your area that you can see in-person? If not, who would cover the costs associated with seeing a dentist or orthodontist in your area?
  9. If you are injured or have another dispute involving your orthodontic treatment, how is it handled (litigation, arbitration, etc.) and what rights do you have? 
  10. Does the treatment model comply with the dental laws in your state? To check your state’s dental laws, click https://www.aaoinfo.org/state-laws-and-regulations. Information for your state dental board can be found at https://www.aaoinfo.org/aao/state-dental-board-info.

Ready for a NEW smile? Schedule a complimentary consultation with us today! Give us a call at: 631-289-0909 or visit us online at www.coolsmiles.com

 

Why Choose Us?

What’s important to you when choosing an orthodontist? Expertise? Convenience?

At Coolsmiles Orthodontics, we offer both of these. We realize in today’s world, there are many choices for orthodontic treatment, so why choose us? 

We’re Invisalign Diamond Providers – Top 1% in North America & Board Certified

We know you have a lot of choices when it comes to orthodontics and we know it can be a bit overwhelming! When it comes to you or your child’s smile, we want you to know that we are experts in this field. We are a Diamond Invisalign® provider and we are board-certified orthodontists by the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO).  Even though we’re the top 1% provider of the country, this does not mean you’ll have additional fees for orthodontic treatment. We will provide you with a peace of mind that your smile is in the best hands.

Open 5 days a week- with 2 doctors that are fully available for their patients’ needs

We know how to make YOU smile! We offer free consultations and we make orthodontic treatment affordable with easy interest-free financing. And we know your time is valuable, so we are open 5 days a week with two locations and the same two doctors on staff! 

Advanced technology

At Coolsmiles Orthodontics, we are forward thinking when it comes to treating your smile. We offer digital impressionless imaging so you can see what your new smile could look like and are at the forefront of the latest orthodontic technology. Our commitment to excellence represents that we have the highest knowledge and skills to treat our patients in the latest technological advances for treatment.

Ready for a NEW smile?

Visit us at our Medford or Port Jefferson, New York office locations. Schedule a complimentary consultation with us today! Give us a call at: 631-289-0909 or visit us online at www.coolsmiles.com 

 

VOTE for Coolsmiles!

Hi Coolsmiles Ortho friends and family!

We are SO excited to be nominated for the Bethpage Best of Long Island “Best Orthodontist” award!

Show us some love by giving Coolsmiles Orthodontics a VOTE!

Simply click the link below and scroll down to the “Orthodontist” category.

Easy as that! Don’t forget, voting can be done once a day until December 15th, 2021.

CLICK HERE TO VOTE FOR COOLSMILES

Coolsmiles Orthodontics is open! Welcome back!

Dear Patients of Coolsmiles Orthodontics,

We hope this letter finds you and your family in good health. We have all been through so much as a community and we’re all very much looking forward to resuming our normal activities. Things have changed, and so have we- we’re COVID conscious! We want to ensure that your visit is as touch free and safe as possible. Here are some of the new practice that have been incorporated into our new, daily routine:

Health & Safety: Our office may look a little different…

  • We will be protecting our team and our patients with the latest recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) including n95 masks and face shields for our entire team. You may not see it, but we’re smiling under our masks!
  • We have all of the latest sterilization protocols in place to ensure that our facilities and clinics are ready for your arrival including hand sanitizer and air purifiers in our treatment rooms that provide surgically clean air filtering particles less than 0.1 microns. 
  • We have implemented the minimization of using instruments that cause aerosols (as they can spread respiratory droplets).
  • We have implemented numerous protocols to reduce the risk of transmission such as: social distancing among team members, plexiglass dividers, strategic scheduling that ensures only one patient is treated at a time, and constant team health monitoring (our staff’s body temperature is monitored and recorded on a daily basis).

  • Our reception areas are being rearranged to allow for the recommended six-foot social distancing during your visit. We would like to ensure that your visit is essentially a touchless one! There will be no brochures, pamphlets, toys, or coffee / refreshments in the waiting area.
  • We now use a hospital-grade fogger disinfectant machine which is used at the end of every day, in addition to hospital-grade disinfectants that will be used throughout the day after each patient is walking in and out of the office. The disinfectant will be used on all frequently touched surfaces such as door handles, restrooms, and the front desk.

Patient Screening

  • All patients will be screened for a fever upon arriving with our contactless thermometers. This is done to ensure that care is provided to only symptom free, fever free patients with normal oxygen saturation. In accordance with CDC guidelines anyone presenting with a fever of 100.4 F will be rescheduled. 
  • All forms that need to be completed will now be in a digital format. Before coming in for your appointment, all patients and/or parents must fill out the following health screening form: https://secureonline.co/supplemental-health-questionnaire-coolsmiles-com/

Appointments

  • Upon arrival at the office please call or text us at 631-319-8489. 
  • Please brush your teeth prior to your appointment, as brushing stations have been temporarily closed!
  • A team member will meet you at the front door to take your temperature and guide you to the treatment area for your visit.
  • Please wash your hands in our clinical area prior to being seated for your appointment and prior to leaving our clinic after your appointment.
  • We will continue to offer virtual appointments for check-up exams, recall appointments and retainer checks. After your appointment, please call us to schedule your next visit with us!

Guidelines:

  • Patients experiencing flu-like symptoms, feeling unwell or suspect they have been exposed to COVID-19 are asked to proactively reschedule their appointment and not enter the office.
  • Please call ahead if you are experiencing an emergency or if you have a broken appliance. There may be long wait times for patients who have not notified us of their emergency prior to arrival.
  • We strongly prefer for anyone accompanying a patient to wait in the car during the exam unless absolutely necessary. One caregiver or guardian is allowed to accompany the patient to the treatment area, but must wear a facial covering.

This is a dynamic situation and we’re constantly adjusting our approach to ensure both our patient’s and our team’s safety. We have missed each of you and look forward to safely and confidently caring for you at your next visit!

Stay safe and well,

Dr. David Amram & Dr. Justin Ohnigian

An Important Message From Coolsmiles Orthodontics

In order to ensure the safety of our patients, our team and the community at large during the COVID-19 outbreak, we are proactively adapting the way that we provide orthodontic treatment. Starting on Thursday, March 19th we will be limiting our in-office appointments to emergency appointments only. Our goal is to go back to our regular in-office patient appointments on April 6th.

 

What this means for you:

• We are here for calls regarding questions or appointment adjustments. Please reach out at 631-289-0909 to speak with us! If you already have an appointment scheduled in the upcoming weeks, we will reach out to you to reschedule.

• Emergencies will be handled on a case-by-case basis. Please call 631-289-0909 and we’ll work with you.

• All new patient consultations will be conducted virtually.

 

If you have an appointment in the next few weeks and we haven’t already spoken, we will reach out to you to discuss the best option for your family.

Please know that we remain committed to the importance of your health, comfort and safety. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 updates, and will communicate further based on the expert advice of government departments, public health authorities and healthcare professionals.

We promise to keep you updated through this dynamic situation, and we look forward to continuing to make you smile.

 

Stay well,
Dr. David Amram and Dr. Justin Ohnigian