The timing of the AAOF Faculty Development Fellowship Award was spot on! It allowed me to continue to do what I enjoy the most, teaching graduate orthodontic residents. I began teaching on a day per week basis in the Graduate Orthodontic Department at The Eastman Dental Center the week after I graduated from the same department. It was a thrill, and very exciting, and clearly helped my professional development as I continued to associate with talented faculty members and of course, the talented, idealistic and passionate orthodontic residents. Because of this very positive experience, I did not hesitate to join the department as program director on a full-time basis in 2007.

 The AAOF funding helped immensely with salary support which eased the transition from private practice. Unfortunately, the situation in the Orthodontic Department at the Eastman Dental Center changed dramatically when our Chairman left for a similar position at another institution at the end of 2008. How quickly things can change! I needed to increase my time commitment to the department and the AAOF award allowed me to do just that. I am able to continue to teach and interact with our residents though I am now involved in more administrative work including Chairing the Search Committee for a new chairperson and establishing a departmental budget. This, too, has clearly been an education. But the point is that the budget support from the AAOF grant made the restructuring within our department more manageable and the department is moving forward. I am sure there are numerous and varied stories of how the AAOF money was used and how it has benefited orthodontic educators, orthodontic research and orthodontic education in North America. My story is about great timing. I am very grateful.