Straighten Out Details of Orthodontic Work

A practicing orthodontist, I was interested in your article regarding my profession (“A Controversy That Has Real Teeth to It,” April 5, by Marnell Jameson). As noted, an area of much disagreement between orthodontists is the first phase of the two-phase treatment referred to in the article.

In my office, the purpose of the first phase is to minimize the need for a second phase. Therefore, it is important that prospective patients ask for the maximum fee for both stages. This would discourage the tendency by an orthodontist to do little in the first phase, be paid disproportionately, then require a hefty fee for the second phase.

I appreciated Ms. Jameson’s comment that a patient request a definite time frame with a fixed cost, not so much a month.

DR. PATRICK PAIGE

Lancaster