Ortho Technology - October 2018

Ortho Technology - October 2018

OCT 2018

Attachments

Bonding Supplies

Brackets - Aesthetic

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GREAT PRODUCTS, EVEN BETTER PEOPLE

Brackets - Metal

Buccal Tubes

A Word From Dr. Gerry Perret

Burs & Discs

Dr. Gerry Perret has been a client of Ortho Technology basically since our company’s inception. Over the years, the Tampa-based clinician hasn’t just ordered our products, he’s designed and invented several of his own! So, this month, we got in touch with Dr. Perret to get his perspective on his experience with Ortho Tech! Ortho Technology started about the same year as my practice, in the early 1990s. In that time, I’ve had the pleasure of watching (and hopefully helping) them grow into a flourishing company. I was initially attracted by their quality products, but it was the people who worked for them kept me coming back. Having practiced orthodontics for almost 30 years now, I’ve consistently had Ortho Tech products on my tray.

From pliers and archwires to bracket systems, each tool has proved to be top-notch. In particular, I’m a fan of their impression trays and alginate. I hate to sound cliché, but they really are a one-stop shop. It’s one thing to just have quality products; it’s another to have quality customer service as well — this is where Ortho Tech really shines. Over the decades, I’ve continued getting to know most of their team on a first-name basis and have never had a problem calling in with questions or concerns. The personable, knowledgeable nature of their team became invaluable when I began developing my own orthodontic tools. My first claim to fame as an orthodontic inventor were the ever- popular disposable archwire markers.

These wax- tipped dowels saved me a lot of time and energy

Elastomeric Products

marking archwires at my practice and provided an elegant solution to a common problem. Ortho Tech saw the applicability and gave me a shot. Now “OrthoGap” markers and their dispensers are one of their staple products. As I’ve worked to develop ideas for new orthodontic tools over the years, the people at Ortho Tech have never had a problem acting as a sounding board. Their willingness to listen and provide feedback speaks not only to the way they value their customers, but to their commitment to driving innovation in the industry. I suppose some might consider this “old-fashioned,” but if there’s one thing I want my peers in the industry to take away from reading this, it’s the value of picking up the phone and calling the businesses you work with. It lets you know the real people who help your clinic function, and it opens doors to meaningful long-term relationships. The people at Ortho Tech excel at this interpersonal communication. That, more than anything, is why I’ve stood by them for nearly three decades.

Fixed Appliances

Headgear Products

Impression Supplies

Instruments

Lab Supplies

Molar Bands

Organizers

Orthodontic Anchorage

Patient Care

Photography

Dr. Gerry Perret

Wire Products

X-Ray & Imaging

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MARKETING HORRO

A Lesson in What Not to Do

Every marketing professional wants their campaign to be memorable. They want consumers to take notice — or take the bait — and make their company a big profit. But sometimes, things don’t go exactly as planned. The campaigns below certainly won the attention of consumers, but in each case, what started out as a marketing dream quickly turned into a nightmare.

FIAT’S DIRECT MAIL DISASTER In 1992, women across Spain received anonymous letters inviting them to go on a “little adventure.” The letters stated, “We met again on the street yesterday, and I noticed how you glanced interestedly in my direction.” Fearing a stalker, many women locked themselves in their homes. A few days later, another letter arrived, revealing the identity of the “secret admirer” as the new Fiat Cinquecento. Yes, the creepy letters were part of a marketing campaign by the Italian car company. Fiat apologized and

ended the campaign after criticism from consumer protection groups, Social Minister Cristina Alberdi, and the 50,000 women who received the letters. KFC AND HOOVER CAN’T DO MATH A shocking number of companies hold giveaway promotions without calculating exactly how much they will cost. Here are a few examples.

•

Back when “Oprah” was the biggest show on television, KFC ran an ad

How Ultra-Guard Can Help Prevent Injuries

The moment the first fall leaf hits the ground, Americans all over the country start preparing themselves for something they have waited for since February. They load up their grills with juicy and delicious burgers and brats, they brush the dust off of their favorite jersey, and they plant themselves in front of the TV to spend hours yelling, cheering, or jumping up and down while watching some of the most action-packed competitions known to mankind. They are ready for football season. Whether you are a diehard NFL fan or you only catch glimpses of a game every once in a while, chances are that, as an orthodontist, you inwardly cringe when you consider how much damage a player’s jaw or teeth undergo during a single season.

While encouraging your more athletic patients to wear mouthguards is an important step, it is imperative that they know that not all mouthguards are made the same. The Ultra-Guard Mouthguard, for example, is specifically designed for athletes with braces. It protects not just the upper and lower teeth, but it also keeps the lips and cheeks from being lacerated should the athlete accidentally take a ball or an elbow to the face. Lastly, its shock-absorbing bite tabs lessen the chances of a concussion, which makes it a great option for athletes playing all kinds of sports. As an orthodontist, you know that all mouthguards aren’t created equal. If you want more information about ULTRA-GUARD before recommending it to your patients, visit our website at orthotechnology.com.

Of the patients you see every month, a large number are under 18 years of age, and of those younger patients, a vast majority will opt to play at least one sport in their high school years. The American Dental Association projects that one-third of all dental injuries are sports-related, and that the use of a mouthguard can prevent more than 200,000 oral injuries each year. Additionally, a study of high school athletes found that 75 percent

of injuries occurred during baseball and basketball practice, but 9 percent of all athletes suffered some type of oral injury. And 56 percent of all sports- related concussions were suffered when mouthguards were not worn. In this way, a mouthguard offers more than tooth and jaw protection; it can help protect against trauma that can be seriously devastating to young players’ brain development.

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STORIES

offering a free two-piece chicken meal with two sides and a biscuit for anyone who went to their website and downloaded a coupon. Over 10.5 million coupons were downloaded, and KFC had to give away $42 million in free food. • In the 1990s, Hoover Company in the United Kingdom offered two round-trip plane tickets with the purchase of a vacuum. Unfortunately, even in the ‘90s, most vacuums were still cheaper than plane tickets, and Hoover lost 50 million pounds in what remains the biggest promotional disaster ever.

Dear Tooth Fairy,

Under my pillow you will find, a tooth that is one of a kind! When it fell out of its socket, I put it inside my pocket. Now it is with me in the night, under my pillow in plain sight. Please Tooth Fairy, leave me a treat. Anything would be really sweet.

From,

_____________________________

CARTOON NETWORK CAUSES A BOMB SCARE Guerrilla marketing can create valuable word of mouth — think about the success of the movie “It” last year. The marketing for the film included simple red balloons tied to storm drains. But Cartoon Network didn’t have quite the same luck in 2007 when they tried to promote their show “Aqua Teen Hunger Force.” When the network put electronic devices featuring a character from the show all over Boston, city residents thought the strange contraptions looked like bombs and called the police. This triggered a terrorist scare that ultimately cost the general manager of Cartoon Network his job. WHAT A SITE TO SEE Our Website Has a Fresh Look

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)

Frequent visitors to our website will have noticed some exciting changes these past few months. We are always looking to improve your experience while shopping for tools and supplies for your clinic, which is why we added some great improvements to our online marketplace. These changes will help you order your favorite Ortho Technology products faster while providing you with greater detail on items that you may be less familiar with.

Here you’ll be able to set the quantities and view the individual pricing of multiple items at a time. Once you’ve found everything your clinic needs, you can add them to your cart simultaneously with a single click. MORE IMAGES, BETTER INFORMATION When you’re researching a new product, such as the Lotus Plus DS self-ligating brackets, it helps to be able to examine the item up close. That’s why we’ve upped the number of high-quality images on our

site and added a handy magnifying feature to allow you to get a better sense of the product before you buy it. Each product also has a description to give you a better sense of its particular features. For more in-depth information, we also have a “Products and Literature” section, where you can delve into the nitty-gritty of the items we have on offer. QUALITY-OF-LIFE UPDATES We’ve also added numerous features to make shopping at orthotechnology.com an even easier experience. With a single click from our home page, you can view all of our monthly specials and sales from a single place rather than hunt for deals throughout the site. You can also view your clinic’s order history to make restocking that much simpler. Finally, our site’s fresh look has been designed to make navigation a breeze. If you haven’t already, log on and take a look for yourself!

INTRODUCING QUICK ORDER Whether it’s renewing your supply of archwires or receiving a fresh batch of Dr. Perret’s disposable archwire markers, sometimes you want to place an order quickly and easily. Now you can compile an order of all your clinical necessities on one page. Simply visit orthotechnology.com/quick- order and begin compiling your list of products in the fields provided.

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4614 Pet Lane Suite D-101 Lutz, FL 33559

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INSIDE Dr. Gerry Perret, Orthodontist and Inventor Would You Survive These Marketing Nightmares? PG1 PG2

Not All Mouthguards Are Created Equal Our Website Gets an Exciting Update The Birthplace of Halloween

PG2 PG3 PG4

County Meath, Ireland, Where Halloween Began THE REAL HALLOWEEN TOWN

Every year in Boyne Valley, the residents of County Meath throw a month-long Halloween celebration. The Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival attracts thousands of guests from all over the world, and while this festival has only been celebrated since 2009, many of the traditions observed here date back to ancient times. The ancient Irish weren’t trick-or-treating or visiting haunted houses on Oct. 31, but they were celebrating the pagan holiday Samhain. Over 3,000 years ago, this Celtic festival was born in Meath and marked the end of the harvest. Samhain was celebrated with bonfires, offerings to fairies, and other rituals meant to keep evil spirits away. Many of these customs carried through the centuries and inspired Halloween traditions that are still practiced today.

Samhain practices. The Spirits of Meath Halloween Festival starts with the lighting of the first torch fire of Samhain in Athboy, which kicks off a month of fun activities. If you like your Halloween extra spooky, the scream park, Farmaphobia, is waiting for you. And if you’re not a fan of screaming your head off, you can check out the Halloween-themed Spookling Afternoon Tea for fresh-baked treats and spirited conversation. The motto of this all-ages festival is “Fun by Day; Frights by Night,” meaning all the really scary ghosts wait until after sunset to come out. There are plenty of ways to celebrate Halloween, from carving jack-o’-lanterns and eating chocolate to running for your life through a haunted corn maze. And in County Meath, you can celebrate Halloween in every possible way. For more info, visit www.Discoverboynevalley.ie/whats-on/ spirits-meath-halloween-festival-2018.

Fans of Halloween don’t need to look far to find somewhere to celebrate their favorite holiday. There are festive parties all over the world, from New Orleans to London, but if you really want to embrace the spirit of Halloween, there’s no better destination than the birthplace of the holiday: County Meath, Ireland.

Today, Meath celebrates Oct. 31 with a blend of spooky thrills and traditional

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