How an Engineer Approaches Ortho with Dr. Michael Pickard

In this episode of the GC Orthodontics Exchange, host Dr. Antonino Secchi sits down with Dr. Michael Pickard, a Canadian-born orthodontist practicing across three locations on the Washington-Idaho border, for a candid conversation about an unconventional path to orthodontics and the clinical philosophy he's built along the way. Dr. Pickard's journey took him from building roads and competing as a U.S. ballroom dance champion, to a career in petroleum engineering at Exxon, before ultimately finding his way to dental school at UCLA and orthodontic training at Baylor. That engineering mindset never left, and it shows in how he approaches clinical work. Key highlights from this episode: • Why Dr. Pickard chose self-ligating brackets from the start and has never looked back, including his wire sequencing philosophy and how he thinks about torque control • His approach to blending braces and aligners in the same treatment plan, and why that flexibility has opened doors for patients who once said "no" to braces • How efficiency in orthodontics isn't about speed. It's about quality, smart scheduling, and empowering your team • The case for (and against) indirect bonding, and how working with models made him a sharper bracket positioner • Building a three-location practice while protecting work-life balance in a tight-knit university community Dr. Pickard's story is a reminder that the road to orthodontics looks different for everyone, and that a commitment to quality, whether you're building roads or straightening teeth, makes all the difference.