The American Board of Orthodontics: Today and the future John S. Rathbone,
D.D.S.*
Santa Barbara, Calif.
A
t the fifty-eighth annual meeting of the American Association of Orthodontists in Los Angeles in 1962, the President of the American Board of Orthodontics, Dr. B. F. Dewel, presented a paper entitled “The American Board of Orthodontics: Past, Present, and Future.“l In celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the American ‘Association of Orthodontists, the American Board of Orthodontics should again report on the changes that have occurred since 1962 and on what lies ahead regarding certification. During the seventy-fifth anniversary meeting the American Dental association, through its Council on Dental Education, recognized the American Board of Orthodontics with a scroll signifying its twenty-fifth year of existence. The actual fact is that the American Board of Orthodontics was founded in I929 as the first certifying board to be established in dentistry, somewhat before the Council itself had been organized, so in reality the American Board of Orthodontics has been in existence for 46 years rather than just 25 years. During those early formative years, the American Board of Orthodontics took its direction from the American Society of Orthodontists as the Association was known at that time. After the Council on Dental Education was formed by the American Dental Association in 1950, the American Board of Orthodontics was then recognized and came under the jurisdiction of the Council on T)ental Education. It is through this Council that all of the specialty boards in dentistry now take their direction. They report directly to the Council on Dental Education on their activities, method of examination, registration of diplomates, requirements for certification, election of directors, and general administration. In his article, Dr. Dewel pointed out that the American Board of Orthodontics in many respects is the liaison agency between the American Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists. This was confirmed in Las Vegas by Frank B. Bowyer when, as speaker of the ADA House of Delegates, he presented the Council’s Scroll to the Board. There is no formal relationship between the *Immediate
Past-President
of the American
Board
of Orthodontics.
185
186
Krrfhbovle
American Dental Associatioll and the Amcricall Association of Orthodontists; the relationship is mostly through the l\merican Board of Orthodontics. This is true of all specialty boartls ant1 their sponsorin, c?societies. AS 8 result, the bOarcls Associatim hy polie; are formally alld directly rrlatctl to the AnlCA(*iiIl Statements and guidelines adopted by the ADA House of 1jelcgates, as rccommended by the Council on 1)ental Educ~atioll. It is from this direction that the politics of the American Board of Orthotlontics are formed. There exists, of’ ~ursc, voluntary coopcrat,ion between the officers and councils of both the American Dental Associat,ion and the American Association of Orthodontists anal betwee? the administrative staffs of the two associations. Nany AA0 members have bern a part of this coopcrati\c c~ntlearor as individuals by serving on the various councils of these two organizations. It is in regard to these policies and changes that have taken place over the past, 13 years that I would like to tlircct this article for the information of’
D.D.S.*
Santa Barbara, Calif.
A
t the fifty-eighth annual meeting of the American Association of Orthodontists in Los Angeles in 1962, the President of the American Board of Orthodontics, Dr. B. F. Dewel, presented a paper entitled “The American Board of Orthodontics: Past, Present, and Future.“l In celebrating the seventy-fifth anniversary of the American ‘Association of Orthodontists, the American Board of Orthodontics should again report on the changes that have occurred since 1962 and on what lies ahead regarding certification. During the seventy-fifth anniversary meeting the American Dental association, through its Council on Dental Education, recognized the American Board of Orthodontics with a scroll signifying its twenty-fifth year of existence. The actual fact is that the American Board of Orthodontics was founded in I929 as the first certifying board to be established in dentistry, somewhat before the Council itself had been organized, so in reality the American Board of Orthodontics has been in existence for 46 years rather than just 25 years. During those early formative years, the American Board of Orthodontics took its direction from the American Society of Orthodontists as the Association was known at that time. After the Council on Dental Education was formed by the American Dental Association in 1950, the American Board of Orthodontics was then recognized and came under the jurisdiction of the Council on T)ental Education. It is through this Council that all of the specialty boards in dentistry now take their direction. They report directly to the Council on Dental Education on their activities, method of examination, registration of diplomates, requirements for certification, election of directors, and general administration. In his article, Dr. Dewel pointed out that the American Board of Orthodontics in many respects is the liaison agency between the American Dental Association and the American Association of Orthodontists. This was confirmed in Las Vegas by Frank B. Bowyer when, as speaker of the ADA House of Delegates, he presented the Council’s Scroll to the Board. There is no formal relationship between the *Immediate
Past-President
of the American
Board
of Orthodontics.
185
186
Krrfhbovle
American Dental Associatioll and the Amcricall Association of Orthodontists; the relationship is mostly through the l\merican Board of Orthodontics. This is true of all specialty boartls ant1 their sponsorin, c?societies. AS 8 result, the bOarcls Associatim hy polie; are formally alld directly rrlatctl to the AnlCA(*iiIl Statements and guidelines adopted by the ADA House of 1jelcgates, as rccommended by the Council on 1)ental Educ~atioll. It is from this direction that the politics of the American Board of Orthotlontics are formed. There exists, of’ ~ursc, voluntary coopcrat,ion between the officers and councils of both the American Dental Associat,ion and the American Association of Orthodontists anal betwee? the administrative staffs of the two associations. Nany AA0 members have bern a part of this coopcrati\c c~ntlearor as individuals by serving on the various councils of these two organizations. It is in regard to these policies and changes that have taken place over the past, 13 years that I would like to tlircct this article for the information of’
