Q. Is this your first visit to Korea? What is your impression on this visit to Korea?
This is my first visit to this amazing country. I am a fan of tradition, hard work and meritocracy, and the impressive country that you have built is based upon these three attributes.
Q. Congratulations on being the key special lecture speaker for the 47th annual session of the Korean Association of Orthodontists. Please let us know how you feel about this.
I am honored to have been invited as the key speaker of this meeting. Korea has established high standards of care in our specialty, and at the same time our Korean colleagues have contributed to the development of new techniques and concepts that are used worldwide in modern orthodontics. This prestigious invitation naturally increases the responsibility of presenting a good lecture for such a highly qualified audience.
Q. Could you please briefly explain the topic of your lecture in the KAO annual session?
In 2004. I realized that we no longer needed the conventional orthodontic preparation for orthognathic surgery. I made this conclusion based on evaluating obstructive sleep apnea patients. I independently developed a protocol to eliminate the conventional orthodontic preparation for orthognathic surgery and named it Anticipated Benefit. The protocol is very similar to Sugawara’s Surgery First approach, and the key elements in forming this method are adequate planning and the use of skeletal anchorage. At that time, I was already using rapid prototyping ? also known as 3D printing ? for various purposes. We started to work with R.P. in 1998, and published an article in AJO-DO in 2005 regarding the topic. I will also cover some of the applications of R.P. in orthodontics.
Q. Why did you choose this topic?
The topics reflect two new trends in our field: Focus on quality of life and the use of technology in treatment planning. The elimination of conventional orthodontic preparation for orthognathic surgery centers the treatment on the patient’s needs. By the same token, the R.P. technology also enhances our capability of customizing treatments.
Q. Let us know what you plan to emphasize in your lecture.
My goal is to strengthen the early benefits of having the surgery during the early stages of treatment, in both functional and psychological aspects. Besides that, I will show some applications of R.P., the technology that will be very popular in the near future.
Q. What do you think about the level of orthodontics in Korea?
I have been closely following the development of Korean orthodontics over the last 20 years, through articles and lectures by Korean orthodontists. The standards of care and quality of research produced by this country are very high.
Q. What do you think about the present position and the future possibility of orthodontics in Korea?
Korea is already a leading country in orthodontics. You have significantly contributed to many paradigm shifts that have taken place in our specialty over the last years. The orthodontic gravitational field has been clearly shifting during the last two decades. The influence of traditional countries has been mitigated by those that endeavor to innovate, develop intriguing ideas and inspire thought. Korea is a center of innovation.
Q. Please let us know your future plans, in short.
My term as editor-in-chief of the JWFO ends in two years. After that, I intend to devote more time to an environmental project that we have in Brazil. Besides that, I plan to take more time to think about new treatment strategies, and methods for improving clinical excellence in orthodontic treatment. There is still much to be done.
