(Blue Bell, PA) Nearly all adult DCO patients treated with Invisalign share a common regret: “I wish I had done this sooner.” For many working professionals, lack of time is the key deterrent to reaching the smile and healthy bite they have long been seeking. Because time is your most precious resource, we have optimized our treatment systems to allow for a flexible, efficient treatment process for all of our adult patients. We have designed our processes to utilize high-level technology to drastically reduce your number of appointments while achieving the best outcome. This makes treatment more convenient for you. We have strategically harnessed the power of innovative technology and careful patient-specific treatment planning and staging. We set the exceptionally high target of having your decision to be treated with Invisalign at DCO be the best decision you have ever made. Below are four ways we deliver this to our patients:
Treatment experience: We prioritize personalization and customization to specifically accommodate your needs. Travel out of the country for work? No problem. Busy schedule? No problem. Going on an extended vacation? No problem. Our Experience Concierge will ensure that your needs are being met, every step of the way.
State-of-the-art technology and facility: DCO was designed from scratch to specifically give privacy and comfort to adult patients. Read more details about the DCO Digital Experience and how we have selected technologies to enhance your treatment results and make the process more streamlined for you.
Exceptional clinical care: Dr. Cassarella is highly trained and skilled orthodontic specialist with over 10 years of experience practicing orthodontics exclusively. He is a graduate of the Penn State Schreyer Honors College and trained at Harvard University (4-year DMD degree) and UCLA (3-year Orthodontics Residency). Dr. Cassarella also holds an appointment as a clinical orthodontic faculty member at the University of Pennsylvania.
We begin by listening: Our most important source of information throughout your treatment is YOU. Our most important metric for success is your happiness.
The pathway to your perfect smile in a manner that fits your lifestyle is clear. We can’t wait to meet you!
Misconceptions exist about the general experience of having braces and are typically based on recommendations, procedures and technologies from decades ago. New research has enabled advanced technologies that have made the orthodontic experience much better than it would have been even 5 or 10 years ago. This is great news for everybody.
“Can I chew gum with braces?”
This is one of the most common questions we have in our practice. The short answer is yes, if the gum is sugar-free and contains xylitol. Several recent scientific studies have shown that gum with xylitol (examples- Trident, Icebreakers, and many others) have a multitude of benefits:
Reduction of Tooth Decay
Aids Enamel Remineralization and Repair
Increases Salivary Flow
Increases Comfort During Tooth Movement
Always follow your specific orthodontist’s recommendations when it comes to the care of your braces. Each patient’s case or type of braces being used may vary. There are specific cases (TMJ pain/discomfort) when gum chewing is not recommended. However, at DCO, we generally recommend that our patients chew a sugar-free gum that contains xylitol 2-3 times per day. Invisalign patients may chew gum as well when aligners are removed. The best timing for chewing gum during orthodontic treatment is immediately after a meal.
That service is the noblest which is rendered for its own sake. -Mahatma Gandhi
Last month, Dr. Jeffrey Watson, colleague and close friend of Dr. Cassarella, took part in his 4th annual trip to Guatemala with the F.I.N.N. Foundation team. During his time in Guatemala, Dr. Watson was able to provide care to those who need it most but are in circumstances that allow no access to the highly specialized care that is required. Over the course of several years, this team has performed close to 200 surgeries, profoundly impacting the lives of each patient. This year, his team screened and provided treatment for patients with cleft lip and palate as well as victims of domestic violence (see images below). In a week full of long days, they changed the course of countless futures by using their skills in a powerful way. We are so proud to share the stories of those like Dr. Watson who utilize rare skills, education and talents to touch those who need it most. Dr. Jeffrey Watson is in private practice as a facial plastic surgeon in Carlsbad, California.
Before and after photos of a cleft lip repair surgery performed by Dr. Watson and his team.
Dr. Watson pictured with a patient who was an unfortunate victim of domestic violence, which is prevalent in Guatemala.
Busy Operating Room schedule created by Dr. Watson's team after conducting screenings on their first day in Guatemala. Each post-it note is a life to be changed.
Dr. Watson is a shining example of a highly trained, educated and skilled medical specialist placing a high priority on giving back. Over the past 16 years, Dr. Watson has performed philanthropic medical work in Papua New Guinea, the Dominican Republic, Guatemala and East Africa.
We are all deeply familiar with the capability of digital technology to revolutionize the way we do things. Twenty years ago, we all would have had trouble believing that most of society would be connected via mini, hand-held computers that magically merged with our phones. At that point, we were still grappling with the concept of the internet and hoping that the world did not end on “Y2K.” As we know, in many arenas and in many ways, digitization has spelled dehumanization of experiences for customers.
At DCO, we are constantly seeking to combine the awesome capabilities of digital technologies to enhance the personal experience patients have while in treatment. Each patient is assigned to a DCO Experience Concierge whose sole mission is to guide individuals through the treatment process. The DCO Experience Concierge ensures seamless coordination, high-quality service, and a personal connection throughout treatment.
Our practice has carefully and deliberately selected technologies that add value to the personal experience of each patient. Below are three examples:
3D Printing- A true win-win for patients is technology that improves treatment quality, enhances treatment efficiency, and provides a more comfortable experience. Three-dimensional scanning and printing has allowed us to be extremely precise in creating a digital 3D model of our patients’ teeth to aid us in accurate diagnosis and treatment. We are able to work with laboratories to 3D print and create accurate appliances like expanders for children and Invisalign aligners for teens and adults. The upsides to this technology are a huge increase in patient comfort through the elimination of the need for impressions and the improved accuracy of our diagnosis and treatment. The downsides are none.
Digital Workflow- Your healthcare experience will no longer be defined by having to fill out 15 paper forms while the reception staff sits behind a glass partition. At our practice, from beginning to end, the DCO Experience Concierge is always with the patient along the way, answering questions and lending support. Our digital treatment experience is built around elimination of unnecessary steps, clear communication, and paperless management of each patient’s personalized treatment. We use sophisticated digital diagnostic, practice management and treatment planning software that allows us to make things simple for our patients while leaving a green footprint. Among these technologies are digital radiographs and three dimensional model generation which provides enhanced comfort to patients, appliances that fit more precisely, and creates efficiencies to allow for fewer visits during treatment for each patient.
Invisalign- Clear aligner treatment (Invisalign) has enabled us to make treatment virtually invisible. Additionally, it allows for flexible for adults and has improved the quality of life, function, and confidence for many who would not pursue orthodontic treatment otherwise. Invisalign’s innovations are centered around using 3D models to virtually move teeth and manufacture clear aligners to be worn sequentially at each stage of tooth movement. Invisalign's digital technology dovetails perfectly into 3D printing and scanning technological advancements that we have harnessed in other areas of our practice. Adults are now free to pursue orthodontic treatment with extremely little impact on their lifestyle or work schedule.
The future is here and it is exciting! At DCO Orthodontic Specialists, we have harnessed the power of digital technology to enhance human interactions, not replace them.
We wanted our very first DCO Orthodontic Specialists blog post to be about you. That’s right- about YOU! We are thrilled to be opening our doors in July of 2016 to begin our effort to create an experience for patients that is truly unique in the healthcare space. We have been focused to build each of our processes around innovation, teamwork, collaboration, and above all else, making the patient’s experience during treatment priority number one.
Every aspect of our practice has been extensively planned, designed and built around making treatment convenient, enjoyable, affordable and rewarding. We set our goals very high, and we are determined that you will look back on your decision to have orthodontic treatment at DCO as one of the best decisions you have ever made- both in terms of the high quality result and the journey we took together to get there.
Some specific ways in which we deliver a treatment experience to you that exceeds your expectations:
Communication: We will take the time to listen to you and collaborate with you during treatment so we can help you reach your goals.
Comfort: Our office is a warm place and our entire team is determined to brighten your day. We have a beverage bar, complimentary Wifi, and semi-privacy in all clinical areas. During your visit, you may even forget that you are in a healthcare space.
Convenience: We are will work with you to make your treatment process simple and convenient. We have advanced technologies that can reduce the number of appointments. We offer early morning, evening, and weekend hours as well.
Esthetics: We offer the most advanced and esthetic orthodontic treatment options available. We are equally focused on the needs of young patients and adult patients.
We begin by listening.It all starts with you. These are the mantras of our practice. We will constantly seek feedback from our patients and tirelessly work to continue to improve each day on the delivery of an exceptional experience. Come and see what we are about. It would be an honor to have you join the DCO Family.
ex·pec·ta·tion (Merriam-Webster) noun: a belief that something will happen or is likely to happen.
Expectations. They are so important! “Does it hurt to get braces on?” It is a frequently asked question by patients of all ages. I love to be the bearer of good news: Of all of the medical/dental procedures a patient will have performed during the course of his or her lifetime, getting braces on will probably be among the easiest and most comfortable. Getting braces put on is so comfortable and painless that many patients actually fall asleep during the procedure!
My wife Sarah and I are excited to be expecting our first child in September and we have access to a plethora of information to help us prepare, including the famous book What to Expect When You’re Expecting. Fortunately, for patients, “what to expect” when getting braces on can be summarized in 4 easy steps:
We clean your teeth with a spin brush
We put several solutions on your teeth to help the adhesive work
The doctor places and carefully positions each brace
We shine a light on the brace to dry the glue
The real work is handled by the doctor in advance of your visit to diagnose and plan the best way to align your teeth and bite. After we wake you up from the nap you likely took while we put your braces on, we then explain the proper way to take care of your braces:
We show you a special brushing technique to keep your braces clean
We ask you to stay away from extremely hard or sticky foods
We show you how to keep everything very comfortable
The process of getting started with Invisalign is even easier- imagine that! The take home message is that getting braces or Invisalign is an extremely comfortable procedure. Most orthodontists offer complimentary consultations to children and adults. At the consultation, the orthodontist will illustrate the specifics of how you can benefit both functionally and esthetically from orthodontic treatment.
