Melbourne Orthodontist

My Orthodontist

I was in China when I felt my upper fixed retainer break. WHAT a MeSS! NOoo I yelled into Guilin’s abyss. My life of orthodontic treatment as a teenager previewed through my mind. I had done my time!!!!!!

I know the treatment back then is so different from today, but to have nothing on my teeth! I had arrived!

As the horror of shifting teeth became real to me, my previous training as an Administrative Orthodontic Assistant burst through my mind, Sifting through useful training I had obtained at Burleson Orthodontics.

Teeth have a memory of their original positions. Did my orthodontist use the right tools from the beginning? My teeth have already moved enough as is...,ugh I don’t want braces. After 10-15 years of a fixed retainer I may be in the clear, I thought. UnLESS, I have teeth grinding issues, which (TMI) I do. It's possible I tongue thrust. I have no clue. 

I NEED to FIND an ORTHODONTIST STAT, I thought!

“It is not an orthodontic emergency.” said the little Ortho Fairy on my shoulder!!!

I began remembering all the times I had calmed my patients through these ordeals…grateful I was just as loving to them, as I dreamed someone would be towards me in that moment. I used all the controlled emergencies tips I used to give to patients.

I clipped the loose wire, and then went to find an Orthodontist, all I could think was who can I trust? No one in China, I don’t speak Chinese!! That’s not happening.

I have a limited Chinese vernacular.  Hi, Thanks, and no want…o yeah, I also know, want buy card…That one I use at the metro stations.

I sincerely felt for orthodontic assistance I could only put my trust in my previous employer Dr. Dustin Burleson. His skills out did so many orthodontists I had researched and known. I would recommend him to anyone, any day, for orthodontic care, but he is a million miles away in the heart of Kansas City, and I am in China!

Why now?? DR. BURLESONNnnnnn! (: see Stella)…I yelled into the rice paddy fields. Water buffalo heads lifted everywhere to see where the commotion was coming from.

While I was waiting for Dr. B to respond to my cry for help, I decided to look up an Orthodontist in Australia incase it took a while for him to receive. I would be in Sydney soon, which started to provide some relief. When you are away from home medical treatment of any kind can be an uphill journey. Australia, from what I have learned in movies, is as close to America in my mind as a country can get, and so my chances of retaining my spectacular smile was seeming brighter and brighter.

I felt pretty confident researching an orthodontist. I looked for someone who had technology and skills advertised that I knew only good Orthodontist would use, I read their credentials, researched their staff. etc. "Anyone remotely like Dr. Burleson!!!" This is a hard task, as he is really one in a mill, and with out knowing the Dr. personally it’s hard to tell.

(Check out his site, and you will know what I am talking about, or visit him on facebook, especially if you are in the Kansas City Metro Area. First you will see tons of cool pictures I tool long long ago when I worked there, but you will see the fantastic work and dedication this Doctor and team provide for their patients. Simple Amazing. www.BurlesonOrthodontics.com)

..BUT I did it…I felt!! I called and found a place, and they booked me a month out.

I thought about all the times I had scheduled patients. My two computers in front of me, I stood scheduling patients swiftly on both computers at the same time. Sometimes I scheduled while taking a phone call in-between, and working through some emergency, while printing receipts and collecting office visit fees. Always giving each patient my full attention!!!! I know this all sounds unrealistic, but ask my patients. True story.

 I was a great coordinator, and knew my job like the back of my hand. I knew the girls and doctors skills I worked with, and anyway I could fit a patient into the schedule where I knew they would get the best treatment, I would.  I worked every minute in that office for my patients. They truly made that office the best in the world…not to mention a highly trained staff, which were all pretty fun, an amazing doctor, and a cozy atmosphere.

 So, anyway, I guess that’s my ode to Burleson Orthodontics. Moving on, I used my well-learned Patient Coordinator lingo, trying to squeeze in, asking those certain questions, incase they weren’t seeing slots available!!! I didn’t push too much remembering the complexities of scheduling and timing of everything knowing she probably knew her job as well or better than I did.

There are not very many offices in Australia, let alone ones I really trusted with my care but she bumped me up to a few weeks out..so not a bad spot. 

However, we would NOT be in that city in two weeks, and so the search continued, but it was becoming somewhat more challenging being that we were on the move.

We stopped in Melbourne for a few days, and that is when I found THE LOOK Orthodontics, a big chain. They got me in the next day after my call, and what a relief. I could see my teeth shifting a bit, and I was ready to hand my Ortho work over to a monkey with a wrench if he could stop the movement. That is when I met Dr. Who?? I forgot his name but I will find it.

I walked in, and filled out the paper work. I put my traveler’s insurance down, and slowly waited for the possible monkey to treat me. I mean this with no disrespect. I just believe some doctors finish school with C's and some with A's. I also believe that people have a hard time with change, and inviting new technology as we get used to old technology isn't easy for everyone...anywho..

They called my name, and it was me now on the other-side of the counter; watching all the girls just like those I had worked with, watching the patient coordinator do my job, trying to decide if I had picked the right office!

That’s when my doctor walked in. He looked at me, and asked me some questions. He explained what had happened with my teeth since my last orthodontist. Talked to me about American Politics, and tossed me the cost of my retainer! I cheered, as it was an amazing deal!!...Until low voiced words came to my mind, and reminded me “YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR”…, but I got WAY MORE than I paid for!! YAY!

Although the technology way different than I expected it too be, he took care of me in about 3-5 minutes and spent around 15min. chatting. My retainer came in a few hours later, we talked for another 20 minutes he adjusted my retainer, and I was gone!!

My teeth are better than they have been in years! While wearing my retainer at night is not as alluring as I had hoped, it doesn’t seem to change anything for Curtis..so that’s a plus. He still thinks I’m cute as ever!! YAY!

 I just wanted to say thank you for making my experience a good one! Burleson Orthodontics is hard to compare with!! I really enjoyed your office, staff, and our chats!

Things have gone well and my teeth are straight and my bite is better than it was before!! I hope your trip to Hawaii with the family was wonderful! That’s my Shout out to Dr. McGlade!!