THE EDITOR'S CORNER

This issue marks the tenth anniversary of JCO. As with any major anniversary, it invites reflection on the past and speculation on the future. Within these ten years, we have seen significant clinical developments with the arrival of bonding, of computerization in various forms, of the Straight-Wire concept, of Bio-Progressive technique. We have also seen clinical practice begin to be threatened by a combination of economic influences.

It is a paradox of this decade that just as we have improved our methods of diagnosis and treatment planning, our techniques, our efficiency and productivity through expanded use of auxiliary personnel, productivity has deserted us through declines in patient starts. The number of child patients per orthodontist has declined and the number of adult patients has not increased fast enough.

The next ten years in orthodontics will undoubtedly be marked by greater advances in our knowledge and ability to treat cases successfully. Undoubtedly, there will be extension of orthodontic services to occlusion, TMJ, periodontal disease, kinesiology. However, the future of the specialty may well hang on how well we handle the economic problems of orthodontics in the next ten years; whether we are able to restore productivity through increasing orthodontists' case loads; whether we are able to retain the private practice of orthodontics and establish a good bargaining position with third parties; whether we are able to maintain a fee structure that can provide a satisfactory standard of living.