conventional orthodontist who did not believe we could modify growth and development. I am happy to state that “attitude” has proven false by current evidence-based research and today there are many orthodontists who practice both growth modification and early treatment as well. More and more practitioners are real-izing the benefits of early treatment for their patients in early mixed dentition and the AOS has been important in spreading and publishing those benefits. The AOS has provided a forum to foster collegiality among my peers with a common interest in delivering orthodontic care. Through the AOS Journal and the Annual Meeting plus AOS C.E. courses, an exposure to differ-ent orthodontic philosophies and tech-niques has been available. Personally it has allowed me to share my experi-ence, knowledge and expertise in Early Treatment orthodontics. “The reason to be educated is to TEACH somebody else – you never fully grasp the fruits of your education until you give it away to another.” I realized long ago the importance of teaching others and the importance of being a doctor rather than a mechanic. Upon graduating from dental school I went into the U.S. Naval Dental Corps as a Lieutenant and was billeted to the USS WASP as its dental officer for the Gemini-Apollo space recovery missions. During my time aboard the carrier I channeled my readings on Pediatric Dentistry know-ing that I would be entering the Harvard-Children’s Hospital post grad-uate Pediatric Program upon discharge. One of my readings was by a Dr. Sydney Kohn who emphasized the combination of a pedo-ortho specialty. This immediately made sense to me. During my graduate program, I was dismayed by what I observed of malocclusions either not being treated or treated early with cervical headgear or serial extractions without orthodontic control. Upon entering private practice I was saddened to learn that my specialty’s image and the perception of orthodontics by both the pediatric and generalist was ‘the profession that straightens teeth with braces’. Those of us who wanted to get involved in orthodontics were being forced to become mechanics and lost sight of our images of doctors and the biologi-cal natural approach to problem solv-ing. I felt the need to be a “doctor” again rather than a mechanic. Individ-ualized treatment designs and a more biological process in treating my young patients seemed more appropri-ate. My direct mentor has been Dr. Waldemar Brehm who I am proud to state that I carry his DNA. Dr. Brehm introduced me to the Andrews Revolu-tionary Straight Wire Concepts and encouraged me in my advocacy of Early Treatment with the development of Early Treatment protocols. There truly is something pediatric dentists and generalists can do during the eruption process to alter the course of eruption and to change the final arrival of the teeth. A first phase or Early Treatment can reduce the sever-ity of a developing problem before it becomes more severe and harder to correct. Watching a child deform should never be a mode of treatment in the correction of a malocclusion. 34 Spring 2014 JAOS
Journal of the American Orthodontic Society Spring 2014: Page 34
