31 responses

  1. Bill goldner
    April 8, 2011

    We are just finishing up our first five cases. Yes! What fun!
    Our patients are thrilled and we are,too
    I am so glad I began 6MS, I never suspected I would at this point in my career.
    You were a great teacher, Mike!

    Bill g
    key West

    Reply

    • The Dental Warrior
      April 8, 2011

      Thanks, Bill! Glad to hear you’re up and running with it. You’ll clean up in Key West! 🙂

      Reply

  2. John Seward
    April 9, 2011

    Took my Course in 2009 February in San Antonio Tx
    Best move i ever made!
    Over 200 cases to date,
    John, Cork, Ireland.

    Reply

    • The Dental Warrior
      April 9, 2011

      You rock, John! I might move to Ireland and open up across the street from you! 😉

      Reply

    • Charles Payet
      April 9, 2011

      200 cases in just 2 years? Wow, that is impressive, John! Talk about taking the ball and running with it full-speed ahead. As Mike showed here, I sure hope you’re taking those patient pictures to plaster all over your website and office, although it doesn’t seem you’re having any difficulty with case acceptance. 😉

      Reply

  3. Tony Gedge
    April 12, 2011

    Love the ‘action photos’.

    Many lesons here for students of pictorial proof and demonstration of product.

    I particularly like the photo of Leticia effortlessly answering the most common objection; “will you be able to see braces?”

    Great blog- dental warrior!

    Best

    Tony Gedge

    Reply

  4. Andrey Eng
    June 13, 2011

    Have any opinion about Ryan Swain’s course vs. Powerprox 6 month recall? Supposedly Ryan Swain was taught by the developer of powerprox?

    Reply

    • The Dental Warrior
      June 13, 2011

      Hi Andrey,

      I will admit to being biased, as I took Ryan’s course way back when. What I like about Six Month Smiles is that it’s a SYSTEM. Everything you need… soup to nuts… is from one source. There’s also an excellent support system – both technical from SMS and also from the forum community of Six Month Smilers.

      I spent 2010 as an instructor for Six Month Smiles, so I got to know the company inside and out. The SMS people are top-notch. SMS is also continuously working on brand awareness and marketing.

      I cannot comment on any other courses, since I haven’t taken them. But, I am very confident in recommending Six Month Smiles. You will not regret the decision. 🙂

      Mike

      Reply

  5. Andrey Eng
    June 13, 2011

    I appreciate your quick response and my gut feeling from reading both websites is that I like Ryan Swain’s system better. I get the feeling there are hidden annual fees with the other system. I also have recently trained in the Dentsply Essix Minor Tooth Movement seminar which involve clear liner. I’ve done Invisalign for a few years and have felt the quality control is not consistent and the high costs for sometimes minor tooth movement is a little too much. I wanted a couple of alternatives that are cost effective for patients. Have you utilized any clear liner systems you like that you can offer patients? I figure some patients just don’t want brackets at all.

    Reply

    • The Dental Warrior
      June 13, 2011

      Hi Andrey,

      Actually, I haven’t done any clear aligner cases. I was about to sign up for Invisalign when they instituted the sales quota. I figured it was a good arrow to have in my quiver. But, the sales quota really turned me off. They’ve since rescinded it, but I still can’t, in good conscience, work with a company that puts their profits ahead of patient care…. and treats their customers (dentists) like that.

      For what it’s worth, I just haven’t had any patients that want clear aligners after I explain the pros and cons of each. Here’s what I say:

      Here are the advantages of Six Month Smiles:
      1. They are white or tooth colored, so they are nearly invisible.
      2. It moves teeth far more quickly than aligners. A fraction of the time.
      3. It is more PRECISE. I have more control over the movement of the teeth with brackets and wires.
      4. If I need to make a mid-course correction, I can do it in minutes vs. sending the case back to the clear aligner lab.
      5. It costs far less than aligners.
      6. No compliance issues. That means you don’t have to do anything except come back to my office once a month. No worries about putting your aligners in and out.

      Here are the advantages of Clear Aligners:
      1. They are clear.
      2. They are clear.
      3. They are clear.

      Disadvantages of Clear Aligners:
      1. More expensive. A lot more expensive.
      2. You have to remember to take them out and put them back in. If you skip a day here or there, it’s two steps forward and one step back.
      3. Much slower movement.
      4. Mid-course corrections require sending the case back to the lab and may require more impressions.
      5. Not as precise. Certain movements are very difficult or very slow.

      Most patients gladly accept brackets and wires, since they’re nearly invisible and work much faster. People like FAST. Give the nice folks at SMS a call and tell’em I said to give you the red carpet treatment! 😉

      Reply

  6. Andrey Eng
    June 13, 2011

    Hey Mike,
    You make so much sense and I cannot argue with any of your points.
    I am probably going to sign up for the 6 Month Smiles seminar.

    FYI, The dentsply Essix MTM system is based on the individual dentist making the clear aligners in his/her office. So there is no sending out to the lab and extremely minimal costs. You do end up buying a kit that cost $1500 to start, but otherwise not much else. The theory is based on giving room for teeth to move rather than Invisalign making tight retainers to move teeth. When I think about the Invisalign cases I’ve had difficulty with, it almost always points to not having enough room for the teeth to move.

    Thx for the common sense responses,
    Andrey

    Reply

  7. Andrey
    June 14, 2011

    Hey Mike,
    In utilizing the 6monthsmile system, do your assistants end up doing much of the work? How important is it that staff go to the 2 day seminars?

    Reply

    • The Dental Warrior
      June 14, 2011

      Many doctors bring some of their team to the course. Always a good thing, IMO. Way back when I took the course, it was in the ATTIC of Ryan’s office. No kidding. He had room for 6 doctors, and I was #7. 🙂 No assistants. And, my team had no problem implementing SMS. But, I would encourage you to bring at least your main assistant, if you can.

      In my office, I don’t delegate nearly as much as I can or could. Just my style of practice. I make my own crown temps, for example. But…. a LOT of short term ortho procedures can be delegated (pay attention to your own state’s laws, of course). Many SMSers spend very little time with their SMS patients and delegate most of it. Nothing wrong with that at all. It’s up to how you want to do it.

      Reply

  8. Andrey
    June 14, 2011

    Mike,
    In the 6monthsmile system, each case has to be sent out to the lab? Is there a big lab fee attached?

    Reply

    • The Dental Warrior
      June 14, 2011

      SYSTEM is the key word. And, that’s what makes it so easy. I send every case to the lab (case processing center) for bracket trays. This is an indirect method of placing the brackets. The case processing center will place the brackets ideally on the models and then make a vacuum-formed (actually pressure-formed) tray over them. This makes the bracketing appointment SO EASY (and fast). I’ve never once free-hand bracketed up a case. Don’t want to, either. The trays make it easy and stress-free. Stress-free… another key word! 🙂

      The lab fee, if I recall, is about $550 for both arches. A single arch is something like $365… don’t quote me on that… I may be off a bit. But, it’s in that range. It’s really a great value, IMO. If it saves me TIME and STRESS, it’s well worth it. Retainers are $55 each, I think.

      When you take the course, you’ll be very impressed with how the system works and really makes your life easy. With the Six Month Smile system, I can say that doing short term ortho is the EASIEST procedure I do in my office. It’s like getting a break in the day. 🙂

      Hope that helps!

      Reply

  9. Alvaro Fernandez-Carol DDS
    July 17, 2011

    Dear Mike, I enjoyed your 6MSmiles course and have stated and almost completed two cases. Very easy to place and exciting to see rapid tooth movement. Thanks!! And I’m getting more fired up as I see the wide range of cases treated with 6MS. Awesome!!! Alvaro- Coral Gables, FL

    Reply

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