Clincal Efficiency Retreat
It is strongly recommended that online students who do not have significant experience as an orthodontic assistant participate in the hands-on portion of the course. In doing so, they will be able to apply and remember what they have learned.
An intense two-day "hands-on" workshop is held in our home office in Atlanta, and occasionally in other locations. The retreat is available to anyone who has completed or is participating in the online course and is ideally suited for those with little to no experience or for assistants who need to brush up on their skills. See our locations page for upcoming locations and dates.
During this two day workshop, students will participate in activities working with mannequins and each other. The skills they will learn include:
- Taking of alginate impressions
- Separating impressions and cleaning
- Pouring working models
- Trimming working models
- Bite registration
- Photographic techniques
- Panoramic X-ray techniques
- Cephalometric X-ray techniques
- Development and/or downloading of X-rays
- Elastomeric ligature placement
- Steel ligature placement
- Continuous steel ties placement
- Elastic power chain placement
- Open/closed coil spring placement
- Kobayashi hook placement
- Archwire insertion and termination
- Headgear fitting and adjustment
- Arrangement of intra-oral elastics
- Placement of rubber donut and wire spacers
- Bands - sizing and fitting
- Preparation of teeth for bonding of brackets
- Bonding brackets - including isolation techniques
- Proper assistant posture
- Proper patient positioning
- Passing instruments
- Infection control and sterilization
After completion of the retreat, you will receive a Certificate of Participation and earn an additional 12 CE points.
The AOA will assist in accommodations for those traveling to take the workshop. Lunch will be provided both days. Those wishing to take the course should have begun the online lessons well in advance of the Retreat in order to have an understanding of what they will be practicing.
The fee for this workshop is $400 per participant, plus travel expenses. To sign-up, contact the AOA directly by phone, fax or email.
