Living Your Best Virtual Life
Dr. Powell, owner of Papillion Orthodontics, opened his practice only eight months before the pandemic forced him to go completely virtual.
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Case studies
Depew Orthodontics
Outside of the office, Dr. Depew is an avid horseman. “I love raising and training horses, and helping other people learn how to ride.” On their farm, Dr. Depew and his wife of 30 years, Vicki, have seven quarter horses, most of whom they have raised since they were foaled. “We actually have three generations of horses on our farm,” Depew says, referencing their 36-year-old mare, Robin, who has foaled three times and is now a granddam to a member of their herd. Another activity which keeps Dr. Depew busy on the regular is travelling, much of which is related to Trapezio, the AAO-endorsed orthodontic staff training program which he founded. Before its establishment in 1999, there was no formal training available for orthodontic assistants. As the saying goes, ‘Necessity is the mother of invention,’ and Trapezio is a quintessential example. “As my practice was growing, I had a challenge of hiring people who were trained to be orthodontic assistants, and so I realized that I need to do something about that.” What initially began as an in-office course is now a program offered primarily online. Since the online launch in 2003, Trapezio has released a substantial number of both clinical and non-clinical courses, and there have been over 7,500 graduates from across the globe. To learn more about Trapezio at https://www.trapezio.com/.
I grew up with a father who was a hard worker and he gave me the love and joy of hard work, and the benefits that come from that. I think that just following his example is what really inspires me.
Good-natured and hardworking, Dr. Depew’s drive is infectious; a characteristic which he attributes to his father. “I grew up with a father who was a hard worker and he gave me the love and joy of hard work, and the benefits that come from that. I think that just following his example is what really inspires me.” And the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree in the next generation either. Dr. Depew’s youngest son, Ryan, is following in his footsteps, and will be joining Depew Orthodontics in two years.
A Cloud 9 Early Adopter
Dr. Depew proudly states “I was probably one of the first 10 people on Cloud 9.” An early-adopter, he brought his practice onto the cloud in 2012. “We were having issues our previous software,” Dr. Depew says. “Every time we had to have an update, or something was not quite working, it would actually shut us down, where we couldn’t function without the software running.” After trying everything in his playbook to fix the problems himself, including upgrading his network provider, Depew reached his limit when he was told he would need not one, but three new servers to keep the software operational. It became clear to him that “Cloud 9 was the obvious choice,” and he hasn’t looked back since. His staff members have been equally delighted. Says Ashetin Brooks, Treatment Coordinator, “I would definitely recommend Cloud 9… I definitely would not go back to the software we had previously.” Melanie Adamson, Treatment Coordinator, agrees: “I’m thankful for Cloud 9, it helps our practice to be successful, and we love Cloud 9.”
Cloud 9 is There Every Step of the Way
The process of moving from one practice management software to another is called conversion and for Depew Orthodontics “it was very easy… It happened on a weekend, so that it did not disrupt us one bit,” Depew says. “We were able to come in on Monday morning, and start punching keys, and using it.” He reiterates, “it was really, really painless.” To ensure a smooth conversion experience, Cloud 9 also provided hands-on training. “They were right there with us, every step of the way. And after two or three days, we were good to go without any help.”
After being on the cloud for seven years, Dr. Depew wants people to know “that Cloud 9 Software is very user friendly. It’s always in continual development to improve, and make our practices better, and to make our practices more efficient, and to make it so we don’t have to be worried about things that could happen with our software. We want to be able to concentrate on seeing our patients, and not be worried about software problems… It’s been a pleasure to work with the Cloud 9 Software.”
Learn more about Dr. Depew’s journey
![Dr. Depew is Cloud 9]()
Listen to Dr. Depew’s story in his own words.![Ashetin working in her office]()
Ashetin Brooks, Treatment Coordinator, works with Cloud 9 Software daily.![Depew Orthodontics exterior]()
Depew Orthodontics has multiple locations, but the one in Acworth has the most personality.![Orthodontic Assistant Brittney working on the lingual braces of a patient]()
Orthodontic Assistant Brittney works on the lingual braces of a patient.![The Depew Orthodontics operatory seen from above]()
The Acworth practice features a mezzanine overlooking the operatory, providing a great bird’s eye view of the office’s day-to-day operations.
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