Parasailing and Orthodontics: Choosing a safe professional

Dr. Okun went parasailing last month, the same day as that awful parasailing accident off the coast of Florida. (In the crash, the rope connecting the parachute to the boat broke from high winds, and the girls crashed into a building, ultimately landing in a parking lot.) The difference between the parasailing trips was the experience and safety awareness of the people who ran each activity. Dr. Okun went with Parasailing Adventures, a company that emphasized safety. Their web site stated: "We are members of WSIA (Water Sports Industry Association,) are PAPO certified, and employ a 100% drug free crew." When the winds were too high on the day of Dr. Okun’s reservation, Parasailing Adventures called her to cancel her trip and recommended that she come another time.

Dr. Okun practices orthodontics with the same safety philosophy. She recommends against treatment which she feels won’t accomplish the treatment goals or might attain an adverse result. She tells growing patients when the timing is not ideal, so that their parents can reschedule at a more appropriate time for treatment. The goal is always to attain the most esthetic, most functional alignment of the teeth and jaws for each patient, in the least amount of time that is reasonable for treatment.

When Dr. Okun went up with the parachute she couldn’t stop smiling, and she hopes that her patients will have such a wonderful experience that they can’t stop smiling either.