Dr. Hirsh has been invited to Sacramento by the Dental Board of California to join a small, very elite committee of reputable California Orthodontists to develop new testing and licensing requirements for all California Orthodontic Assistants. Dr. Hirsh was chosen based on his superior reputation and experience in Orthodontics. The committee he will be joining will be designing an entirely new licensing program for all California Orthodontic Assistants.

In previous years, Dental Assistants were able to apply for licensing after attending either a 10 month course that reviews all areas of dentistry with only a small focus on each of the dental specialties, such as Orthodontics, or they could apply after 12 months of on the job training with a licensed General Dentist or dental specialty doctor. Applicants had to pass a written and clinical procedure exam, complete Radiation Safety, CPR, Dental Practice Act and Infection Control course. They then, can be granted a Registered Dental Assistant license. However, all of the courses and examinations focused mostly on general dentistry. There was very little focus on any of the dental specialties. The new standards will require each assistant to be licensed in the specialty they are working in. These new standards will ensure that all assistants working in a dental specialty with be fully skilled in their specific duties and responsibilities.

For Orthodontic Assistants, in addition to completion a course in Radiation Safety, CPR, Dental Practice Act, and Infection Control, they will also need to attend a course on the Orthodontic Specialty. After successfully completing these courses, applicants will then take an exam that will test their knowledge in Orthodontics. This ensures each Orthodontic Assistant is fully skilled in Orthodontics.

Dr. Hirsh, and the fellow Orthodontists on the committee, will decide what tasks and duties each Orthodontic Assistant needs to be skilled in. Dr. Hirsh is personally helping to insist all California Orthodontic Assistants are being held to the highest standards and qualifications. He will determine what is appropriate and necessary for each assistant to know and the quality of care they will be required to provide to patients.

Dr. Hirsh has always been known for his high standards of care, and he is honored to have been selected for the Dental Board of California’s committee based on his reputation and experience.

We have two exciting tidbits to share with you!

First of all: One of our star patients, Kelly Huntley, was just crowned Sophmore Princess for the ASB Ball at her high school, the School of Creative and Performing Arts (SCPA). I’m sure her winning smiled helped land her the crown.

Congratulations, Kelly!

Also, this week we began implementing a new form that is intended to improve communication between our office staff and parents of teens who cannot attend the office appointment with their kids. It’s like a report card for teeth, covering how the oral hygiene, treatment process and overall cooperation of the patient is coming along. It will be filled out by the dental hygienist and sent home with your kiddo. This new tool came out of a request from a mom who works and is therefore not able to attend the appointments.

Hope this helps and, as usual, we are always open to suggestions to make our practice better.

Have a great weekend!

Our video contest just got better and easier! Oh, and we extended the entry date! All you have to do is send your 60 second video to Amanda and voilá, you’re entered in our contest to win $250 in AMEX gift card or (2) Park Hopper tickets to the Happiest Place on Earth.

HOW TO ENTER: Record a short video telling us “What you’re looking forward to in 2012” or “What you love about Braces San Diego” and send link to amanda at bracessandiego.com

RULES:

• Video must be 60 seconds or less.
• Video must be uploaded no later than
  • 11:59 PST on May 16^th, 2012.
    • For more details go to BracesSanDiego.com

JUDGING: Videos will be judged by a panel of office staff.
They will be looking for creativity, humor and personality.

Winner will be announced the last week of May, 2012.

HOW TO SEND THE VIDEO ON AN iPHONE:

1) Record yourself talking about what you’re looking forward to in 2012.

2) Click the  icon and select “email photo”

3) Enter Amanda at bracessandiego.com.*

And you’re done!

GOOD LUCK!

*By submitting your video to Amanda, you are giving Braces San Diego permission to post your video on YouTube and on the Braces San Diego blog.

Thumb sucking and pacifier usage is commonplace for babies and young children to help with self-soothing.

Photo via brightsidedental.com

Though many dentists and orthodontists, including Dr. Hirsh, recommend ending “binky” usage by age two and thumb sucking by age four or five, these pacifying acting don’t cause too much harm to the shape of the jaw or direction of the teeth until the permanent teeth start to erupt between age five or six.

The process of getting rid of the binky can be challenging and emotional, sometimes even more so for the parents than the kids. We asked patients and local mom bloggers to give us some tips that have worked for them in getting rid of the binky.

1) Morgan Benzian, former patient of Dr. Hirsh and Mother Hen over at The Little Hen House, said she pulled the pacifier from her little one cold turkey, but not before heading to Toys R’ Us to swap out the binkies for a new shiny toy. Her “breaking up with binky” experience is documented on her blog, complete with video footage.
2) Chelsea Nichole of Someday I’ll Learn recommends the Bye Bye Pacifier Elmo DVD and Densie Scatena of the PR firm ScatenaDaniels Communications recommends the board book, Binkies are Not Forever.
3) Mary Burt-Godwin of The Mama Mary Show recommends first limit the binky time to nap and bed-time only at age two, and then introducing the concept of “The Binky Fairy” who comes on a child’s third birthday. The Binky Fairy leaves a gift for the “big 3 year old” in exchange for all the old binkies. She takes them to little babies who need them. There is a children’s book called the Binky Fairy that you can read to your kids too.
4) Poking a hole with a small stick pin in the center of the binky will cause airflow and will not allow for proper suction, which frustrates the kids.

Though it may seem challenging at first, getting rid of the binky is mostly painless and easy once the initial shock wears off in a day or two.

Thumb sucking, on the other hand, can be a bit more challenging since it’s not a separate entity that can be discarded and given away to a fairy. In previous years, parents were told to try such techniques as using Tobasco sauce or other ill-tasting nail treatments, yet such techniques were found to be a bit traumatic for children
and are no longer recommended.

Some are some tips for ending thumb sucking from more of our patients and local bloggers:
1) Bribery! Most parents will tell you that bribery has a special place in their arsenal of tricks to get their kids to do what they want them to do. Thumb sucking is no different. Read local San Diego blogger Leah Singer’s account of how she got her daughter to stop sucking her thumb by bribing her with a pink tent from Target.

2) Limit thumb sucking time for home only, at nap time and bed time. If your child sucks his or her thumb when holding a special blanket, limit the time with the blanket (another tip from Leah).

3) Use encouragement and positive reinforcement rather than criticizing when they do suck their thumb.

4) Placing a sock or mitten over the hand while kids sleep.

5) Products like the thumb or finger guard at that you can find online.

Good luck with the process, parents! Dr. Hirsh sets up contracts with kids to help them put an end to their habits and he has a nearly perfect success rate so be sure to call us if you get in a bind or have any questions.