Journal of the American Orthodontic Society • January

AOS MEMBERSHIP NEWS The Best of Times What’s in a smile? A: an outstanding life! : her MIT professors notice how brilliant she is : it’s the first thing her incredible husband notices : it engages her fellow Harvard professors and students and all her colleagues in the Senate All of these beliefs are due to a gorgeous smile. Her smile is the “it” Chris Baker, RN, DMD in each. AOS President A recent Wall Street Journal (WSJ) article, “The 8-Year Old with a Perfect Smile”, published November 16, 2010, shows the clear support of early treatment by the Ameri-can Association of Orthodontists (AAO). The article observes that the number of children 17 and younger receiving orthodontic treat-ment grew 46% to a decade high in 2008 of 3.8 million, and even more now. In my pediatric practice, about 85% of the 7-10 year olds are in or have been in, orthodontic treatment. Even the President of the AAO, Dr. Lee Graber, estimates that he recommends treatment for 15-20% of the 7-10 year olds in that he sees. The WSJ article closes with a parent’s guide to orthodontic treatment for the child patient. How great to see! It is indeed, the best of times! Those of us in the Pediatric and GP community have been lead-ing this growth for years. While this WSJ article attributes the explosive growth of treatment for children to the 1990 AAO public ads encouraging early screening for younger children, the truth is that innovative and talented pediatric and general practitioners were successfully using interceptive treatment years earlier. My own mentor and partner, Dr. Walter Doyle, made this treatment modality normal in his practice from the middle 1960’s onward, and it was his life’s passion to teach others how to treat the child patient as early as possible. And yes, one of the best reasons to treat children is esthetics. It is easier being pretty! The prettiest smile possible is a life-defining gift for every child, because, as Dr. David Satcher, Surgeon General of the United States said in 2002, “The importance of the face as the bearer of identity, character, intelligence and beauty is universal.” The research is voluminous. We humans believe deep down that “beauti-ful is good.” Even babies and little children prefer beauty. And, the researchers discuss how their findings demonstrate that our anthro-pologic instincts may drive our beliefs of “beautiful is good,” [Dion ] because facial attractiveness is a visual marker for genetic quality, health and fertility. [Luxen] The studies are detailed in their find-ings, and in summary, attractive people are shown to be more competent. [Jackson] Beauty confers competence due to our beliefs about beauty! And as well as providing a child with a life-transforming smile and a great life, interceptive treatment provides the possibility for not just movement of teeth, as in the adolescent, non-growing patient, but as well, orthopedic growth modification and better development of the condyles and fossae and bones of the face. It’s a no-brainer! There may be treatment needed in childhood and in adolescence, to confer the gift of the healthiest, the most competent and the most beautiful adult. We realize the importance of these gifts, and know that the best treatment is usually what is called “early” treatment. Of course the decision for interceptive pediatric treatment must be based on the individual child’s needs and unique-ness. Truth be told, it’s the best – with important benefits that late (adolescent) treatment cannot provide. Your American Orthodontic Society, through this outstanding journal and AOS educational courses for exploring and teaching topical and beneficial skills, is a leader in this amazing area. The pediatric practitioner, along with many of you, our talented general practitioners, are the ones treating our precious children, and serve as the first source of life-transforming, effective and cutting edge orthodontic treatment. I applaud you for being leaders in these, the best of times! Chris Baker, RN, DMD First AOS Mastership Orthodontic Course Offered Overseas The American Orthodontic Society is gaining significant inter-national influence in the world of orthodontic instruction for general dentists. For the first time, a full multi-session orthodontics course will be offered by AOS outside of the United States. In partnership with the Academic Center for Dental Fellowship, AOS President and Senior Instructor, Dr. Chris Baker, will teach a Mastership Orthodontic Course in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) beginning in February 2011. “The AOS has always been a pioneering organization,” said Dr. Baker. “It is our privilege to serve the needs of dentists by providing the best in orthodontic instruc-tion. The doctors we have been working with to make this course a reality are very enthusiastic about the course. I think it is significant that the Dubai course approval came directly after [AOS Instructor] Dr. Lenny Carapezza went interna-tional for the AOS by lecturing at a major pediatric symposium in Acapulco, Mexico.” The Mastership Orthodontic Course combines materials from two of Dr. Baker’s AOS courses: Comprehensive Orthodontics and Craniofacial Orthopedics, plus her Mastermind Orthodontics course. This course will be held at the Monarch Dubai Hotel beginning February 4, immediately following the UAE International Dental Conference & Arab Dental Exhibi-tion, also held in Dubai. All atten-dees will gain 200 course hours and become members of the AOS. “The thing that sets apart AOS doctors from typical dentists is their dedication to learning and constant improvement in their field,” Dr. Baker said. “They are eager to learn, to better treat their patients and to improve their prac-tices. This is true in the U.S., and we are finding that it is true in the Middle East, as well.” If any AOS member is interested in enrolling in the course, you should visit the AOS Course Cata-log online at orthodontics.com or email Dr. Majid Rahmani at drmrahmani@yahoo.com www.orthodontics.com January/February 2011 45