iTero has arrived

An iTero scanner has found a new home... in the records room of Hansen Orthodontics and we couldn’t be any happier. What is an iTero scanner, you ask. Good question and we’d be glad to fill you in. Well… an iTero scanner is a revolutionary tool in the orthodontic field. It is a 3D imaging wand that takes 100s of pictures of your teeth. The computer than reads, sorts and analyzes the pictures and instantly renders a 3D image of your teeth (picture below).

iTero 3D rendering

Why is having a 3D image helpful? It gives Dr. Hansen the ability to look at your teeth and bite from any angle he chooses.  With the slide of a mouse he can rotate angles, zoom in, zoom out, look at the back of your teeth and begin mapping out his treatment plan all while your at home (with no cameras or mirrors in your mouth).  It also helps Invisalign make a better fitting tray.  The better a tray fits, the faster your treatment is going to be. 



More importantly than that... it gets rid of messy impressions, forever! If you have ever been to the orthodontist you know exactly what I am talking about and are probably a little jealous that this technology wasn’t around when you had braces (I know I am).



Not only does it get rid of messy impressions for your Invisalign records it, as stated above, speeds up the entire process. Before iTero, Invisalign records could take upwards of an hour. Each records appointment usually consisted of two or three sets of impressions. Invisalign requires a “prefect” impression for each arch and any distortion means a redo! iTero never needs a redo.  The computer will not let you submit a case unless it is perfect so we make the proper corrections while the patient is still in the chair. Case acceptance usually took weeks, now it takes hours. Lance, our records tech, just set a new Hansen Orthodontics record with iTero. He completed an entire Invisalign records appointment in 12 minutes. Way to go Lance!

Not only does it speed up case acceptance but it speeds up treatment time too. Since we are now able to get an exact 3D image of your teeth the trays are fitting tighter and have become much more efficient in moving teeth. iTero and Invisalign are on top of their game and we are proud to be partners with them.
Come check out iTero in action at a free consultation and if you like what you see… maybe Lance can slide you in for your records on the same day! =)

Oh yeah...  we're Certified Specialists in operating the new machine!

We're back...

To all our loyal readers (all 7 of you), I apologize for not having posted in a month... or two... or three. =/  Things have been really busy around here.  That was a bad excuse.  Summer is a week away and this year is going to be a busy one.  Before we start talking about summer lets rewind and recap on whats been happening in the last two months.

MAY:
Dr. Hansen went to Hawaii for a week.  Don't get jealous (yet) because it wasn't all fun in the sun for Dr. H.  He went to Hawaii because it was the location of this years AAO (American Association of Orthodontics) convention.  Dr. Hansen attended many classes and seminars.  The topics ranged from new products all the way to advanced orthodontic techniques.  After the classes, seminars and meeting Dr. Hansen played a little golf and spent time with his family (now be jealous)! =)  I know what you're saying, "Hawaii! Couldn't they have had the convention in Detroit or Cleveland"?  Nothing against Detroit or Cleveland but if you were an orthodontist where would you rather go to a convention? Hawaii.

The office participated in YMCA Healthy Kids Day.  On a Saturday, four staff members volunteered their time to represent Hansen Orthodontics at two YMCA locations across the valley.  We handed out treats, talked about braces and had a lot of fun.  If you've never been to a YMCA Healthy Kids Day I would recommend checking one out next year.

Kelli, our scheduling coordinator, moved to California with her husband. She will be missed but we are excited for her and her family as they embark on a new adventure.

April:
Dr. Hansen took us all (his employees) to Disneyland!  We spent 24 hours in the happiest place on earth (which is Disneyland and not to be confused with Hawaii for those of you still thinking about the beach).  We ate tons of sugary foods, saw Jack Sparrow on Pirates of the Caribbean, navigated our way through Space Mountain and plummeted 13 floors on Tower of Terror!  A big thanks to Dr. Hansen (our amazing boss) for taking us on such a fun trip.  If you haven't seen them yet...I would recommend going on our Facebook page and checking out the photos of Jon and Lance wearing their fanny packs.  Classic!

This summer:
Now that you know what we have been doing lets jump ahead and check out the calendar for the rest of the summer.  On July 13, 2012 we will be hosting our 5th annual patient pool party.  We are handing out invitations at your appointments.  If you haven't had an appointment in awhile or missed your invitation please feel free to call ahead and RSVP.  Bring your family, bring a friend... everyone is invited!

That's it for now... I'll make sure to write a new blog entry next week and give you a little more details about the Pool Party.  Bye for now!


 

Dr. Hansen visits Invisalign

Dr. Hansen and his wife, Katie, recently took a trip to Invisalign's Technician/Clinical Check Facility in San Jose, Costa Rica.  They were gone for five days, two of which were dedicated to travel (FUN!).  While in San Jose Dr. Hansen toured the facility with our Invisalign Rep (Matt Kelly) and talked with other orthodontists whom also use Invisalign.  Dr. Hansen came home very impressed with the building, its technology and the employees Invisalign had working there.  One of the employees he met was the technician who personally handles all of our cases.  Dr. Hansen had spoken with her over the phone and conversed with her over many Invisalign cases but he had never personally met her.  To Dr. Hansen, meeting her was as important as anything else on this trip.  In preperation, he brought a few pending Invisalign cases to go over with her.  He wanted to see how she handled each case and express to her his high standards of excellence and share his personal treatment beliefs.  Like the facility, he left impressed with our technician and was encouraged by their meeting.  All-in-all Dr. Hansen left feeling confident about where Invisalign is at and where it is going.  He has never been more proud  to be one of their Premier Providers.

Upcoming School Presentations...

As you all know, February is "Children's Dental Health Month".  Everyone in the office is getting excited. Jon and Lance are skipping down the hall and Breann is so excited she is thinking about pushing back the due date of her first child.  Ok ok ok.. that last part may not be true.  In all seriousness February is an important month to Dr. Hansen and our entire staff.  It is the time of year Dr. Hansen likes to give back to the kids in our community by teaching them something he knows a lot about, dental health!

In February Dr. Hansen and members of our staff go to local elementary schools and do a 30 minute (give or take) presentation on the importance of brushing and good oral hygiene.  We bring in tons of props, a giant toothbrush, show an awesome video and answer as many questions as we can about teeth!  The kids love it almost as much as we do.  Last year we went to 6 schools and saw just under 1300 students.  THIS YEAR... we already have 1150 students scheduled and are trying to reach our goal of 2000!!!! =)

Today we received a shipment of 2000 red "Hansen Orthodontic" pencils that will be placed in a goodie bag for each student in attendance. The custom toothbrushes, toothpaste, smoothie cards, stickers and game sheets will be added as they arrive. Stay tuned and we will keep you posted on how the preparations are coming. 

HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Get to know Dr. Hansen...

You know who Dr. Hansen is. You know what he does for a living. You know he is the BEST orthodontist around... but how well do you REALLY know him? Here is your chance! I recently gave Dr. Hansen a survey to fill out and here are his answers:

Dream Car: 1968 Shelby Mustang
Favorite Movie: Man From Snowy River

Favorite Book: Last of the Breed: by Louis L'Amour
What chore do you dislike doing the most: Mopping
Favorite sport to play: Basketball & Golf
Alma Mater: BYU & Kentucky
Favorite college sports team: BYU & Kentucky
Favorite NBA team: Boston Celtics
Favorite NFL team: San Francisco 49ers
Favorite MLB team: Boston Red Soxs
Favorite professional golfer: Jack Nicklaus & Phil Mickelson
If you could witness any event (past or present):1986 Masters

 If you could know the question to any question: Who stole my "six million dollar man" lunch box in the 5th grade!
What do you miss most about being a kid: Long summers
What is one of your favorite quotes: "Would you rather be feared or loved? Both. I want people to fear how much they love me."
Where were you raised: Spanish Fork, Utah
What was your dad's profession: Dentist
How many animals do you own: 2 Dogs, 2 Horses
How many kids do you have: 5 (4 girls, 1 boy)


There you go everyone... a few fun facts about Dr. Hansen.  If you have your own question/questions for Dr. Hansen feel free to leave them on our blog or our facebook page!

Lights, Camera, Action...

    It's that time of year again!  Can you feel it in the air?  It only comes around once a year but it is something we all look forward to (and possible dread at the same time) each November-December.  It's full of bright lights, laughter and comes and goes in the blink of an eye.  What am I talking about... Fall (No), Thanksgiving (Nope), the Holiday Season (as if) or Christmas (not a chance)!

    I'm talking about the Hansen Orthodontics office photo shoot... of course!  It's the one time of year we let our inner model/diva out for a few hours.  The Hansen girls get their hair and make-up done and the Hansen guys... well, I guess they just smile and try not to get in the way.  Each year we are always excited to see what the photos are going to look like and this year is no different.  We received a sneak peek (available on our facebook page) this year and they look very promising.

    In an effort to stick with out sports theme (best office theme ever) we decided to get Hansen Ortho football jerseys and take our team pictures on the football field at Durango High School.  We spent about two hours on the field after work.  With limited light we were, to say the least, a little worried how the pictures were going to turn out.  Judging from the small sample we were given you can say we worried for NOT! The pics look great and I cannot wait to get them all back so I can post them all!

Stay tuned for pictures.

Here is a small taste... the rest will be on facebook!

Does this not remind anyone else of the hit TV show "Friday Night Lights"?  All we need is Coach Taylor in the back row and you could mistake this for a season 2 promo.

Get to know Daisy...

    Testing 1... 2... 3... Testing 1... 2... 3.  Is this thing on? Ok, here we go.

     Hello everybody! Today we are going to do something new... something we have never done before.  If the feedback is good, we will continue doing it.  Make sure to let us know what you think (meaning: write a comment, please).

     Today we are going to interview one of our own employees.  Over the course of treatment we get to know all of our patients very well.  We know what school they go to, their favorite hobbies, favorite food and how well they brush their teeth (yes, we can tell).  Tip for patients reading this: brushing your teeth for 20 minutes before your appointment doesn't hide bad oral hygiene... just sayin'! Now it's your turn to get to know us!!!!

And we're off... 

Hansen Ortho: I would like to thank, Daisy, for joining us.

Daisy: Thank you, I'm excited to be the first one you interviewed.

H: Nervous?

D: Yes...

H: Good. Kidding... kind of.

H: What do you do at Hansen Orthodontics?
D: I am the scheduling coordinator.

H: What does that mean?
D: I am the first person you see when you walk in and I will assist you in making your future appointments!
H: Awesome!

H: What is your favorite part about working at Hansen Orthodontics?
D: Dr. Hansen is a great boss and it is a happy work environment!

H: How did you start working in the orthodontics?
D: I kind of stumbled into it. I was working in a Pedo office when Dr. Harrison (owned the practice before Dr. Hansen) had an opening. I jumped on it.

H: How long have you been working in the orthodontics field?
D: 6 years!

H: Wow! That's awesome. Still enjoy it?
D: YEAH! I feel blessed to work for Dr. Hansen and have such a great job.

H: What is your favorite thing about working for Dr. Hansen?
D: Flexibility. Dr. Hansen is very understanding with time off.

H: What about birthday lunches and trip to disneyland?
D: Yeah... those are great too.

H: Who is your favorite patient?
D: All of them!

H: Do you have any children?
D: Yes, two great boys (JC - 10, Alexander - 3).

H: What is the best part about being a mom?
D: Making my kids smile, laugh and their honesty.

H: Favorite Food?

Shrimp Scampi

D:
H: Mmmm... I love shrimp!

H: Perfect day off of work?
D: The mall, movie & dinner.

H: Are your kids included?
D: Ummm... sometimes (laughing).

H: There is nothing wrong with a little "me" time but knowing you, you would bring your kids.
D: Yeah, they love movies!

H: Favorite treat?
D: Anything chocolate.

H: Why should people bring their kids to Hansen Orthodontics?
D: Dr. Hansen is very honest and caring.  He will treat your child like his own... AND of course the staff is the BEST! ;)
H: I agree! BEST. STAFF. EVER.

H: Thanks Daisy!
D: Of course, my pleasure!