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Office Visit: Flunking Retirement Benjamin Lund, Editor, Orthotown Magazine

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Get to know Orthotown Magazine's Editorial Director Dr. Wm. Randol Womack and his practices in Arizona

by Benjamin Lund, Editor, Orthotown Magazine

Welcome to the first installment of Office Visit, where we visit a Townie's office and profile his or her equipment, design or unique practice philosophy. If you would like to participate or nominate a colleague, please e-mail ben@farranmedia.com.

This month we are pleased to introduce you to Orthotown Magazine's Editorial Director Dr. Wm. Randol Womack and his successful orthodontic practices in Peoria and Surprise, Arizona. Dr. Womack discusses why he got into orthodontics, the benefits of new technologies, and how he could only stay retired for two years before jumping back into ortho full-time.

Name: Wm. Randol Womack, DDS

Graduate from: University of Missouri (KC) School of Dentistry (DDS) & Eastman Dental Center (Orthodontic Certification)

Year graduated from dental school: 1963 / 1966

Practice Name: Affiliated Orthodontic Consultants

Practice Location: Peoria and Surprise, Arizona

Year when this office opened: October 2006

Practice size: 3,200 sq.ft. / six workstations in clinic, two private

Staff: 11

Web site: www.deervalleyortho.com

Office Highlights

Bonding Agents
· 3M L-Pop
· 3M Transbond XT
· Ormco Enlight
 · Ormco Etch
· Ortho Solo Primer
· Pro Seal

Cements
· A2B Filtek Supreme Plus
 · Reliance Ultra Band Loc

Impression Material
· Alignmax
 · Aquasil

Technology         Click Here To View Dr. Womack's Top 5
· Glendale IT Services
· In-Ovation R&C Self-ligation Systems
· Invisalign System
· Kodak Orthotrac Software

 · Ortho Cad Digital Study Models
· Ortho Sesame
· Planmeca Digital X-rays
· Zap Laser
Why did you choose orthodontics as your career path?
I became attracted to orthodontics when I was having orthodontic treatment at the age of 14 (1952). I had to go 100 miles to the orthodontist and when I was in the office, I noticed that there were a lot of patients who came into the orthodontist's office and left in about a half-hour. It was a steady stream of patients. I knew what we paid for each time my braces were "tightened" and it was easy to calculate how much money this guy was making. It became my career focus and never changed.

Since you began your career as an orthodontist, what are the three biggest changes you've seen in the profession?
  1. Bands to bonded brackets totally revolutionized putting braces on the teeth; more comfort for the patient, less chair time for the doctor. Also reduced inventory and cost over bands/brackets.
  2. Straight wire appliance/super-elastic wires simplified orthodontic treatment and made tooth movement more physiologically compatible with the oral tissues.
  3. Digital/3-D radiography drastically reduced the amount of radiation to patients. It also eliminated the film/developing area of the office. No more darkrooms and chemicals.
What is the most interesting case you have worked on?
It is difficult to pick just one; there have been so many over the years. I became intrigued by Invisalign when I started back to work in 1999 and two Invisalign cases come to mind. The first is a four-bicuspid extraction case and the other is an orthognathic surgery case that we completed with only aligners and no fixed appliances. Today's technology really makes orthodontic treatment very interesting.

You retired in 1997. Why did you decide to go back to work two years later?
Basically I "flunked" retirement. I greatly missed the "accomplishment feedback" that goes with having an office, a staff and treating patients. For more than 30 years, going to the office and treating patients created my identity. When that went away, I felt like I had lost my identity and playing golf and fishing didn't restore it. Also, after two years of being at home all the time, my wife Camille said, "I married you for better or for worse ... but not for LUNCH!"

What was the transition like from retirement to working full time again?
It would have been difficult to start over except for the appearance of Invisalign. I saw the opportunity to return to practice by attending an Invisalign certification at the encouragement of my friend and ortho rep, Scott O'Neil. At that course, I spoke with Paul Serrano and he invited me to work in a satellite office he had just purchased. We were the first Phoenix orthodontists to begin treating with the Invisalign system in 1999. I owe a debt of gratitude to Scott and Paul for a chance to get back to orthodontic practice. So, the transition back to working was greatly simplified by these series of occurrences and I feel blessed to be doing what I really love to do.

What is your biggest source of new patients? How do you market to new patients?
There really is no "biggest" source of new patients. All sources are very important. However, after treating patients for a number of years, your former patients are a significant source of new patient referrals. In addition, there is great value to our GP referral sources and, in the past year, the Internet has become an increasing source of new patients. Technology has become a serious part of all aspects of my practice, from referrals, to office management, to radiology and photography, to patient treatment. Our goal for 2008 is to increase our technology marketing techniques to compliment our traditional marketing procedures.

In your current practice situation, what is a typical day's schedule? What kinds of cases are you doing routinely?
Our schedule has been influenced tremendously by the management software system we use. Our transition to a "chartless" office has created more control and "flow" to patient treatment. We work a typical 8 a.m.-4 p.m. day, four days/week, and we treat patients from ages eight to 80. We have a very active early assessment program as recommended by the American Association of Orthodontists. We also have an extensive adult treatment program based on my experience with Invisalign. But the majority of our patients are the usual sixth- to 10th-grade children in "braces."

What is your favorite procedure to perform?
I really enjoy the variety of procedures that we do but from a "favorite" perspective I would have to say Invisalign treatment and orthognathic cases. Years ago I used to treat 20-30 orthognathic cases a year, but insurance changed that, so now we treat maybe four or five cases a year ... but I still have an attraction to the results that can be achieved through these interdisciplinary cases.
What types of procedures/surgeries do your office perform?

The latest addition to our practice techniques has been the Zap soft-tissue laser. Technically, I guess you would call it a tissue surgery tool. We no longer refer tissue-involved issues out for treatment. These issues involved tissue-covered teeth, typically upper cuspids, that are delaying the progress of treatment. In a short appointment, we can remove the tissue covering these teeth, place a bracket and a Ni-Ti archwire and six weeks later these teeth are in almost complete alignment. When properly explained to patients/parents, this has become a very welcomed enhancement to case management. We are still evaluating T.A.D.s and exploring their utilization in our treatment procedures.
Dr. Womack's Treatment Coordinator Lori Abshire
What new technologies has your practice embraced? How have they improved your practice?
Invisalign of course, but we also have transitioned to electronic models, self-ligating brackets, thermal sensitive arch wires, digital imaging, "chartless" patient records and an "interactive" Web site. Technology has definitely improved all aspects of the practice today. Patients have shorter appointments, longer appointment intervals, less time out of school, less inconvenience for working parents, more efficient and shorter treatment. Less stress and strain on me and the staff translates to a more enjoyable working environment. Our interactive Web site provides our patients with access to their patient information, records and appointments and has produced very positive feedback to us about this technological enhancement to the way we practice today.

Who are the people on your staff and in what capacity do they function?
We have the usual mix of staff functions and an exceptionally great team. I am blessed to have some very experienced ladies working for me and you can meet them on our Web site (www.deervalleyortho.com). We have two staff in the reception office plus an account manager; there are six chairside assistants who also share lab duties, an office manager/treatment coordinator and two "roving" staff who cover the clinic, treatment coordinator and technology management as they are needed.

What are you most looking forward to working on with Orthotown?
This is an opportunity for me to make a contribution in creating a publication that can positively impact the sharing of information and ideas within our specialty. As we more efficiently exchange information, the ultimate result will be better treatment for our patients. It is not often that one gets the chance to make such a contribution during your professional life. The "interactive" relationship between the magazine and the Web site (the message boards) is a uniquely attractive aspect of Orthotown. Again, this is an expression of how technology is advancing our profession through our ability to share information. The Arizona Orthodontic Study Group, which has been active for more than 60 years, has "case presentation" meetings where the members sit around tables of six or eight doctors and present patient records for review and feedback by their peers. Whereas this happens in "realty" three or four times a year, it can happen "virtually" every day as doctors post cases or comments on Orthotown.com. Since this magazine and the Web site are exclusively for Orthodontists, I feel it will expand the value of sharing ideas and concepts like no other modality. Had I not returned to practice in 1999, I would have missed so many professionally and personally fulfilling opportunities, and this would have been one of them.

Tell me something that people would be surprised to know about you?
Two things: I don't ever intend to retire again!! And: I'm a lot older than I look or act.
Orthotown Magazine
September 2025
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