Biography
James L. Vaden has been a private practitioner in Cookeville, Tennessee since 1972. During his professional career, he has been privileged to serve as a Director of The American Board of Orthodontics, as the Commissioner for orthodontics for the Commission on Dental Accreditation, and as a member of various AAO standing committees and councils. In addition to his private practice, Jim has been active as an educator and has been a clinical professor at the University of Tennessee since 1980. He served as the Professor and Chairman of the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Tennessee from 1999 until 2010. He also served from 1991 to 1999 as an adjunct clinical professor in the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Michigan. Dr. Vaden has been active with the Charles Tweed Foundation and the Tweed Study Course since 1976. He is currently the Co-Director of the Tweed Study Course.
Abstract
The Orthodontic Specialty – A Curmudgeon’s Perspective
The specialty of orthodontics has existed for well over 100 years. This presentation will share some thoughts as to how the specialty can be preserved for future generations. Many challenges to our specialty exist, but all specialists must look at these challenges as opportunities and address these opportunities with optimism and courage. The presentation will share some thoughts about what the specialty must do in order to survive. These thoughts will be illustrated by case reports of patients who have been out of treatment for 30 plus years. The bottom line is that the result of orthodontic treatment must be esthetic, healthy, functional and stable. The benefits of treatment must last for the patient’s lifetime in order for the specialty to exist and prosper.
Learning Objectives: The aim of the lecture is to provide an in depth understanding of the problems faced by orthodontics and offer some insight into how these problems can become opportunities.
Learning Outcomes: Following this presentation, listeners should have a deeper understanding of the specialty, the problems it faces that can be turned into opportunities, and hopefully, appreciation of benefit versus burden for orthodontic patients.
