Curriculum

1 Orthodontic System,

2 Ways to Study

This comprehensive program will allow you to help your orthodontic patients at a high level immediately. You’ll start by building your foundations and work up to treating or managing the majority of your fixed orthodontic cases. Learn more about our teaching philosophy.

We cater to dentists’ busy lifestyle and individual learning styles and teach the program in two formats: Live and Online (IAT). Whether you learn better in a classroom or with mixed media, we have a system to help you treat your orthodontic patients successfully!

The best of both worlds

Not sure which method to use? Don’t worry, you can use both! Both formats have the same curriculum, cost, software, support and high graduate proficiency. Best of all, you can mix and switch study formats to maximize your learning for no extra cost! Try out the different formats with our free live or online trial today.

Live
Online

Live

The popular Live format consists of 12 seminars, each lasting 4 days (Friday – Monday). Instructors use Powerpoint presentations, hands-on exercises, and other visual tools to help you learn. You are most likely to appreciate this format if you are an audio-visual learner liking regular interaction in a classroom and minimal homework.

You will develop your orthodontic capabilities over a 20-22 month period. The first four seminars will build your foundation to start diagnosing and treating bread and butter cases with success. The next section will expand your skills to predictably treat these (and intermediate) cases with the detail needed. The last four seminars add in the vertical dimension, maximizing the benefits of orthodontics in all areas of dentistry.

Seminar 1

Start Diagnosing: Clinical Evaluation, Records & First Consultation

For success in orthodontics, you should have a solid foundation. Learn your core orthodontic principles and limitations so that you are successful on every case.

Regardless of your background, you will understand how to select good initial cases, how to start them, as well as fix any misconceptions if you have any. To avoid future complications and surprises, you will learn how to set up your orthodontic cases and expectations properly. You will learn from instructional cases and practice diagnosing and working with them like they are your own patients.

Highlights:

Clinical Evaluation & Selecting the Right Cases for Success
Case Classification of 10 Cases of All Ages
Generating and Computer Processing Orthodontic Records
Setting Goals, Objectives, & Limitations
Patient and Family Dynamics when Seeking Orthodontic Services
Timing and Start of Orthodontic Treatment
The Initial Clinical Exam & Live First Consultations
Set Up Your Practice to be Efficient and Profitable

Hands-On Exercises:

Case classification and initial diagnosis of 10 practice cases

Bring:

Laptop
Patient impressions, models or photos (recommended, for potential cases that you want the “ok” to take orthodontic records on)

Now you can:

Discuss orthodontics with the right patients, take proper orthodontic records, and prepare your patients and staff for orthodontics!

Seminar 2

Cephalometric Analysis, Treatment Planning & Second Consultation

You will learn how to fully analyze your orthodontic records to develop predictable treatment plans. Using the latest diagnostic software, you will evaluate treatment options and present them successfully to your patients

After analyzing the case, you’ll practice the second consultation as patients will want to know—how much is treatment, how long will it take, and what are the next steps. You will practice with extensive exercises so you are confident to analyze and discuss your cases immediately when you go back to your office.

Highlights:

McGann Lateral and Frontal Cephalometric Analysis
Model Measuring with Your Computer
Dental VTO (Visual Treatment Objective) Tool to Support the Treatment Decision
Creating Individualized Treatment Plans
Non-Extraction and Bicuspid Extraction Treatment Options
Computer Analysis of Orthodontic Records for 10 Cases
Live Presentations of the Second Consultation Key Points

Hands-On Exercises:

Treatment plan from computer analysis (cephalometric tracing, model measuring, VTO tool) with 10 practice cases

Bring:

Laptop
Full records of 1 (or more) of your own cases (recommended)

Now you can:

Analyze and treatment plan your easier orthodontic cases. You can also now start earning orthodontic revenue!

Seminar 3

Start Treatment: Bracketing & Understanding Appliances

Now that you have a background on orthodontic principles and analyses, learn the mechanics to start your orthodontic cases. You will gain better understanding on how brackets, torque, wire progression, and tooth movement work so you can start treating patients with confidence.

With both didactic and hands-on training, this initial mechanics class is one of doctors' favorites!

Highlights:

Bracket Variations Used to Minimize Wire Bending
Computer Design of IP Appliance®
Single Patient Ordering with Minimum Inventory
Range of Brackets Torque (RBT) for Predictable Incisor Positioning
Wire Progression & Selecting the Correct Arch Wire and Shape
The Alignment Stage, Tie-In Techniques & Your First Year in Ortho

Hands-On Exercises:

Size bands, bond brackets (metal and ceramic), and place separators on a typodont and a skull

Bring:

Laptop
Educational Kit
Bonding light
Cases you want to start for instructor diagnosis (recommended)

Now you can:

Start treating easy orthodontic patients!

Seminar 4

Complete Treatment: Alignment, Mechanics & Finishing of the 10 Cases

While the first 3 seminars showed you how to start your bread and butter cases, this class will teach you how to continue treatment throughout these cases. You will learn about the alignment, mechanics and finishing stages as well as the common orthodontic tools used in these stages.

We will now reveal the treatment given to the 10 practice cases that you have been working on. We are sharing every detail in these cases, so you can understand how the principles you see apply to your own patients.

Highlights:

Extra-Oral Force Theory & Application (Cervical & Reverse-Pull Headgear)
Edit World-Class Treatment Plans for Your Individual Patients
Elastics and Coils for Force Application & TPAs, RPEs, and Lingual Arches
Cephalometric Overlay to Evaluate Treatment Results and Growth

Bring:

Laptop
Cases for instructor diagnosis (recommended, last seminar to take advantage of your 1 free case)

Now you can:

Understand the overall treatment plan for your bread and butter cases!

Seminar 5

Basic Class III Management, Growth in Class II Cases & Cuspid Impaction Retrieval

Now that you have developed your foundational orthodontic skills, we will focus on the “doctor work”. Starting with this seminar, the focus will shift more into diagnosis, treatment planning, and the actual treatment of the cases you will see so you can be efficient and confident in the orthodontic work you do.

In this course, you will learn new principles ranging from Dentofacial Orthodontics to Class III philosophies. By following certain protocols, you can successfully treat Class III cases (and often without surgery). You will also learn the proper system to retrieve impacted teeth with the right forces.

Highlights:

Diagnose and Edit a Customized Treatment Plan for 4 Cases
Introduction to Dentofacial Orthodontics and Multiple Option Consultation
Identifying Skeletal Resistance and What This Means to Treatment
Anchorage Planning with Technology for Consistent Finishes
Management of Class III and Class III Tendency Cases
Growth in Class II Cases & Treatment of Deep Bite Cases

Bring:

Laptop

Now you can:

Understand Class II and Class III patients with much better diagnostic knowledge and treatment tools.

Seminar 6

Mixed Dentition Diagnosis, Taking Growth into Account & Unconventional Extraction Sites

Young patients are greatly overlooked, and they often grow too long with unresolved orthodontic problems. In this seminar, you will learn how to identify the commonorthodontic issues encountered in young patients and develop a long term vision for them. Mixed dentition cases will become rewarding and fun!

You will get more skilled at doing the “doctor work”. You probably won’t be fully proficient at treatment planning yet, but are well on your way. This is likely to be the seminar where you will hit a turning point of orthodontic understanding. Although this “ah ha” moment depends on a few factors, this is a milestone seminar to look forward to.

Highlights:

Diagnose and Treatment Plan 4 Cases with Moderate Severity
Mixed Dentition Treatment Plan
When Extraction of Molars or Lateral Incisors May Be the Best Treatment
Predicting and Treating Incisor Advancement and Protrusion
Management of Protrusive Growing and Non-Growing Cases
Add Growth to Computer Predictions to Diagnose at the Top of the Profession

Hands-On Exercises:

Fabricate and activate TPAs and practice finishing bends

Bring:

Laptop
Educational Kit

Now you can:

Apply new tools like TPAs and growth management skills to help your young patients. You now also have finishing techniques that can aid your current cases.

Seminar 7

Fabricate and activate TPAs and practice finishing bends

The focus of this seminar is to give you more experience in diagnosing cases, making treatment plans, and understanding of the best appliance for each treatment. The severity of the cases will be increasing and the topic of asymmetry will be introduced.

You will learn a more in depth evaluation of mixed dentition and the most common appliances used with young patients. Plus, understand how to deal with protrusion, a common complaint that goes unnoticed. In class you will diagnose slightly more difficult cases as you become more proficient at diagnosis, editing treatment plans and mechanics

Highlights:

Diagnose and Treatment Plan 5 Cases with Moderate Severity
Managing Biprotrusions in Growing and Non-Growing Patients
Lower Lingual Arches, Utility Arches and Anchorage Planning
Using Growth to Your Advantage
Introduction to Treating Asymmetries (Dental and Skeletal, Functional Shift, and McGann Frontal Cephalometrics with Computer Analysis)

Hands-On Exercises:

Become knowledgeable working with cervical headgear, utility arches, advancing arches, and nitie closed coil activations

Bring:

Laptop
Educational Kit

Now you can:

Diagnose and treat cases with moderate severity, including some cases with asymmetry and biprotrusion, and use patients’ growth with more confidence.

Seminar 8

Asymmetry in Adults and Mixed Dentition Cases & Dento-Aveolar Bone Remodeling

Seminar 8 is a diagnosis seminar with asymmetry as the main focus. You will develop skills to recognize and distinguish between skeletal asymmetry, functional shift, and dental asymmetry. At the same time you will enhance your diagnostic skills and habits, making the cases you learned in the first 4 seminars look easy.

You will diagnose slightly more difficult cases as you become more proficient at diagnosis, editing treatment plans and mechanics.

Highlights:

Diagnose and Treatment Plan 7 Cases of Increasing Severity
Establish a System to Diagnose and Treat Asymmetric Cases
Asymmetries in Mixed Dentition Cases
Labial Cortical Bone Remodeling for More Non-Extraction Treatments
Correct Major Class II and III without Cooperation or Orthognathic Surgery
Introduction to Skeletal Anchorage: Apply Forces to the Skeleton, Not Teeth
Bone Modifications to Control Vertical and Transverse Dimensions

Bring:

Laptop

Now you can:

Treat asymmetric cases in a rewarding and predictable way

Seminar 9

Basic Skeletal Anchorage and Surgical Application to Control Vertical and Lower Minimal Anchorage & Gingival Display Protocols

Seminar 9 is a class favorite. This is the first seminar where you diagnose and treat the vertical dimension. You will gain new tools like skeletal anchorage to open up a new world of orthodontic capabilities. You will learn the proper approach and placement within skeletal anchorage for stable and predictable results.

You will now have a protocol on how to diagnose and treatment plan your deep bite and gummy smile patients.

Highlights:

Diagnose and Treatment Plan 4 Cases of Increasing Severity
Dentofacial Orthodontics: Do More Than ‘Just’ Straighten Teeth
Skeletal Anchorage and Surgical Application for Easier and More Effective Ortho
Bone Plates versus Ortho Anchors (TADs) with Mechanics for Each
Deep Bite, Gingival Display and Occlusal Plane Cants are No Longer a Problem!
Diagnosis Protocol and Treatment of Gingival Display

Hands-On Exercises:

Practice skeletal anchorage techniques on a skull model: place bone plates, pins, wires, and coils in the proper position and direction

Bring:

Laptop
Educational Kit
Your surgeon (optional, see below) below

Now you can:

Diagnose the vertical dimension of cases. You can use these new skills to improve treatment on your gummy smile and deep bite patients.

*At this seminar, you are invited to bring your surgeon to learn with you for the first 3 afternoons (for no charge). You and your surgeon may work together to place the appliance to create a stable, effective anchorage and force. You will learn how to help patients with a minimally invasive procedure (that either you or your surgeon can do).

Seminar 10

Intermediate Skeletal Anchorage and Surgical Application to Correct Severe and Growing Class II Patients

In this class, you will add to your existing skeletal anchorage skills. Better understand the common complications of this procedure and practice diagnosing cases to expand your capabilities.

In this seminar, you will become even more versed in some of the most exciting and modern techniques in orthodontics that are now available. Gain tremendous knowledge on what you can do for your patients that was not possible a decade ago.

Highlights:

Diagnose and Treatment Plan 4 Cases of Increasing Severity
Class II Growth Management
Maximal Retraction Is No Longer an Issue
Treat the Cases the Specialists Don’t Want, with Ease
Severe Midline Correction with Skeletal Anchorage
Management of Severe Impactions
Coordinating with the Maxillofacial Surgeon, Periodontist, or Do It Yourself

Bring:

Laptop

Now you can:

Work with multiple dimensions of orthodontics and know how to avoid many of the common issues seen within the specialty.

Seminar 11

Advanced Case Diagnosis Including Orthognathic Surgery Alternatives

This is a diagnosis seminar where you will be applying what you now know about skeletal anchorage and other multidisciplinary topics to achieve an even higher level of orthodontic and dentofacial care.

Some patients cannot be treated with just orthodontics alone. They may have skeletal malformations that require orthognathic surgery or multidisciplinary treatment. Whether or not you decide to treat these cases yourself, it’s important to learn the proper diagnostic technique, how to discuss the case with the surgeon, and the skills for proper case presentation. This is one of the most rewarding seminars, since you will be able to make a significant difference for many patients after this class.

Highlights:

Diagnose and Treatment Plan Severe Class II and III Cases
Preliminary Diagnosis for Multi-Option Second Consultations
Orthodontics versus Dentofacial Orthodontics versus Orthognathic Surgery
Managing Growth and Severe Skeletal Issues in Class II Cases
Retraction No Longer Means Increasing or Creating Gingival Display
Severe Skeletal Class III Cases & Lower Retraction with Bone Remodeling
Surgical VTO Predictions, Treatment Plans, & Working with the Surgeon

Bring:

Laptop

Now you can:

Help the patients that often need the most help. You can work with a surgeon effectively and understand how to use growth to prevent more severe Class II and III bites.

Seminar 12

Putting It Together: Periodontics, Maxillofacial, TMD, Implantology, & Orthodontics

Orthodontics is an integral part of dentistry, and it is an exceptional tool to improve the prognosis and health of all patients. In this seminar you will become more aware of the problems you face in your practice (periodontics, root resorption, TMD, etc.) and how to better manage these. These patients can usually benefit from orthodontics and it’s important to understand their options.

Seminar 12 is the end of your ‘basic orthodontic series’. You will have reached a milestone to represent POS well. After 2 years of learning, this program will probably be one of the most challenging experiences of your career. But hopefully it will cultivate one of the most rewarding parts of your dental practice.

Highlights:

Diagnose and Treatment Plan 5 Complicated Multidisciplinary Cases that YOU Can Now Manage
Final Exam Covering Over 1000 Orthodontic Principles
Presenting Two of Your Own Cases
Improving the Prognosis of Periodontal and TMD Cases with Orthodontics
Building Ridges with Orthodontics before Implant Placement
Surgical cases
Graduation celebration with family and friends!

Hands-On Exercises:

Activate warren springs and present two of your own orthodontic cases

Bring:

Laptop
Educational Kit
Powerpoint presentations of your 2 cases
Final exam (completed at home prior)

Now you can:

Represent yourself and POS well with a high level of orthodontic knowledge. You can now manage some of the most complex cases you’ll see in your practice, even those that need a multidisciplinary treatment plan.

Online

The Internet Assisted Training (IAT) format provides a comprehensive education within a more flexible, multimedia format. You would gain didactic and hands-on training by both studying online and attending 4 live classes. This is a great format if you need a flexible schedule, minimal travel, and thrive with online learning.

You would self-study the majority of the program at your own pace and minimize your time in a live classroom. Your online material would include hundreds of cases, lessons, diagnostic exercises, seminar videos, tutorials and quizzes.

At the 4 live modules (Friday – Sunday), students participate with intensive hands-on workshops. The live modules condenses all the hands-on exercises from the live format into just these 4 sessions. Instead of attending 48 days in the Live format, you would attend just 12 with IAT.

You will develop your orthodontic capabilities over a 14-20 month period and learn under a single instructor. You can constantly be in touch with your personal instructor via phone, email, webinars, and at the live modules.

Not sure which format to choose? Compare formats here.

Module A

Diagnose & Treatment Plan Your Bread & Butter Cases Properly

Module A teaches you the core orthodontic principles, limitations, and analyzing skills to ensure that you are successful on every case that you start. Regardless of your background, you will understand how to select good initial cases, analyze your records, and design a detailed treatment plan for them

You will practice providing consultations since patients will want to know—how much is treatment, how long will it take, and what are the next steps. Module A is equivalent to Seminars 1-2 in the Live Series format. Become confident to analyze and discuss your cases immediately when you go back to the office.

Hands-On Exercises:

Set up 10 instructional cases. These will be like the bread and butter cases that you will soon start on your own. On these cases you will:
Classify and diagnose
Process digital records
Analyze (computer cephalometric tracing, model measuring, VTO tool))
Create individualized treatment plans
Role play the first and second consultation
Take intraoral and extraoral photos for proper orthodontic records

Lecture Highlights:

Clinical Evaluation & Selecting the Right Cases for Success
Setting Goals, Objectives, & Limitations
McGann Lateral and Frontal Cephalometric Analysis
Model Measuring with Your Computer
Dental VTO (Visual Treatment Objective) Tool to Support the Treatment Decision
Creating Individualized Treatment Plans
Non-Extraction and Bicuspid Extraction Treatment Options
Set Up Your Practice to be Efficient and Profitable
Timing and Start of Orthodontic Treatment

Prior Tasks to Complete:

There is no required homework. However, we encourage youto get familiar with the online materials. Any prior review reduces your studying after.
You are also encouraged to look for patients and bring in records if you feel ready.

Bring:

Laptop
Patient impressions, models or photos (recommended, for potential cases that you want the “ok” to take orthodontic records on)
Camera, mirrors and retractors (optional)

Now you can:

Discuss and diagnose your easier orthodontic cases. You can also start earning orthodontic revenue!

Module 1

Start Treating Cases & Understanding the Full Process

After having a brief review of what was covered in Module A, you will learn the mechanics to treat your bread and butter orthodontic cases. Module 1 is equivalent to Seminars 3-4 in the Live Series format.

Students will learn how brackets, torque, and common orthodontic appliances work and the stages of orthodontics in more detail. We will now reveal the treatment given to the 10 practice cases that you have been working on. We are sharing every detail in these cases, so you can understand how the principles you see apply to your own patients.

Hands-On Exercises:

Analysis (cephalometric tracing, model measuring, VTO) review
Size bands
Bond brackets (metal and ceramic)
Place separators
Wire tie-ins
Full computer diagnosis and treatment planning a case

Lecture Highlights:

Bracket Variations Used to Minimize Wire Bending
Computer Design of IP Appliance®
Single Patient Ordering with Minimum Inventory
Range of Brackets Torque (RBT) for Predictable Incisor Positioning
Wire Progression & Selecting the Correct Arch Wire and Shape
The Alignment Stage, Tie-In Techniques & Your First Year in Ortho
Basic Mixed Dentition Diagnosis and Treatment Planning
Extra-Oral Force Theory & Application (Cervical & Reverse-Pull Headgear))
Edit World-Class Treatment Plans for Your Individual Patients
Elastics and Coils for Force Application & TPAs, RPEs, and Lingual Arches
Cephalometric Overlay to Evaluate Treatment Results and Growth

Prior Tasks to Complete:

About 100 hours of online study
First consultations and taking records with your own patients

Bring:

Laptop
Educational Kit
Bonding light
5 of your own cases classified within SmileStream (recommended)

Now you can:

Start treating orthodontic patients! You will also understand the treatment plan for your bread and butter cases.

Module 2

Expand the Range of Your Orthodontic Capabilities

This module will shift more into diagnosis, treatment planning, and the actual treatment of the cases you will see. You will work with slightly more difficult cases and material to expand the range and efficiency of your capabilities.

Module 2 is equivalent to Seminars 5-8 in the Live Series format. You will learn new principles in greater depth, including those in mixed dentition, Class III, impactions, finishing, and asymmetry. Gain more understanding of the best appliance for each treatment. Become proficient with TPAs, T-loops, finishing bends, niti closed coils, RPE, and Class II mechanics.

Hands-On Exercises:

Fabricate and activate TPAs
Practice finishing bends
Cervical headgear, utility arches, advancing arches, and niti closed coil activations
Diagnose and Edit a Customized Treatment Plan for 4 Cases

Lecture Highlights:

Introduction to Dentofacial Orthodontics and Multiple Option Consultation
Identifying Skeletal Resistance and What This Means to Treatment
Anchorage Planning with Technology for Consistent Finishes
Management of Class III and Class III Tendency Cases
Growth in Class II Cases & Treatment of Deep Bite Cases
Diagnosing and Treating Impacted Teeth
Mixed Dentition Treatment Plan
When Extraction of Molars or Lateral Incisors May Be the Best Treatment
Predicting and Treating Incisor Advancement and Protrusion
Management of Protrusive Growing and Non-Growing Cases
Add Growth to Computer Predictions to Diagnose at the Top of the Profession
Establish a System to Diagnose and Treat Asymmetric Cases
Labial Cortical Bone Remodeling for More Non-Extraction Treatments

Prior Tasks to Complete:

About 100 hours of online study

Bring:

Laptop
Educational Kit
Cases you want to start for instructor diagnosis (recommended)
Questions from your experience working with your cases

Now you can:

Understand Class II and Class III patients with better diagnostic knowledge and treatment tools. Apply new tools like TPAs and growth management skills to help your young patients. Diagnose and treat cases with moderate severity, including some cases with asymmetry and biprotrusion, and use patients’ growth with more confidence.

Module 3

Use Orthodontics with Other Disciplines to Your Advantage

You will gain new tools to open up a world of orthodontic capabilities not possible a decade ago. You can now use techniques like skeletal anchorage to diagnose the vertical dimension, allowing you to have predictable results with your deep bite and gummy smile patients.

Improve the prognosis and health of all your patients as you explore how orthodontic principles can be an integral part of your GP practice. Whether or not you decide to treat patients who need multidisciplinary treatmentor surgery, it’s important to learn the proper diagnostic technique and how to discuss the case with your team and patients. This is a rewarding module, since you will be able to make a significant difference for many patients after this class.

Module 3 is equivalent to Seminars 9-12 in the Live Series format. This is the end of your ‘basic orthodontic series’. After your extensive studying, this program will probably be one of the most challenging experiences of your career. But hopefully it will cultivate one of the most rewarding parts of your dental practice.

Hands-On Exercises:

Practice skeletal anchorage techniques on a skull model: place bone plates, pins, wires, and coils in the proper position and direction
Activate warren springs
Present two of your own orthodontic cases
Diagnose and treatment plan multidisciplinary cases and severe Class II and III cases

Lecture Highlights:

Dentofacial Orthodontics: Do More Than ‘Just’ Straighten Teeth
Skeletal Anchorage and Surgical Application for Easier and More Effective Ortho
Bone Plates versus Ortho Anchors (TADs) with Mechanics for Each
Deep Bite, Gingival Display and Occlusal Plane Cants are No Longer a Problem!
Maximal Retraction Is No Longer an Issue
Severe Midline Correction with Skeletal Anchorage
Management of Severe Impactions
Coordinating with the Maxillofacial Surgeon, Periodontist, or Do It Yourself
Managing Growth and Severe Skeletal Issues in Class II Cases
Severe Skeletal Class III Cases & Lower Retraction with Bone Remodeling
Surgical VTO Predictions, Treatment Plans, & Working with the Surgeon
Improving the Prognosis of Periodontal and TMD Cases with Orthodontics
Building Ridges with Orthodontics before Implant Placement
Corticotomies to Overcome Skeletal Resistance and Extend the Movement

Prior Tasks to Complete:

About 100 hours of online study
Final examination, covering over 1000 orthodontic principles
Powerpoint presentations of your 2 cases

Bring:

Laptop
Educational Kit
2 of your own cases to present

Now you can:

Manage complex cases, understand multiple dimensions of orthodontics and avoid the common issues within the specialty. You may now help patients that have gummy smile, deep bite, or need a multidisciplinary treatment plan.You now can represent yourself and POS well with a high level of orthodontic knowledge.

Free Intro to Orthodontics Seminar

We know our comprehensive orthodontic series is a big commitment for many doctors, so you're invited to attend a special one day introductory seminar free of charge. Come and learn a little slice of orthodontic knowledge and see if our program is right for you.

TRY 1 DAY FREE

Get in touch

Call us at 1.714.973.2266 or send an email to info@posortho.com

Advisors are available to speak with you Mon-Fri 6:00AM - 5:30PM PST. Emails will be responded to within 1-2 business days.