Sunil Kapila

University of Michigan

 

THE AAOF: REFLECTIONS ON PAST SUCCESSES AND FUTURE PROMISE

 

It has been 13 years since I received my first of several Research Awards from the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation.  This time frame has given me ample opportunity to reflect on the difference that the AAOF has made to my career, and indirectly to the careers of about 20 classes of orthodontic residents that I have had the privilege to teach at two institutions.  It is also a good time to reflect on the successes of many other faculty who, like me, have benefited substantially from the opportunity afforded us by your generosity channeled via the AAOF.  

 

I still remember vividly my reaction when I got word of being awarded my first grant in 1994, AAOF’s inaugural year.  I felt a great sense of achievement and exhilaration for many reasons that include the obvious ones like “I now have the resources to conduct research, publish papers and the momentum to launch into an academic career.”  More importantly it demonstrated to me the recognition that our parent organization and its members placed on the importance of my work and my success as an academician- an important validation for a young an impressionable person that he was on the right track.  My strong positive sentiments have been oft repeated at every grant that I have been fortunate to subsequently obtain from the AAOF, which I believe are shared by my peers who have had similar success in obtaining this support.  The findings generated through many of the AAOF awards were critical not only for several publications, but also provided me with the essential preliminary data needed to obtain subsequent grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH).  To date, every single grant that I have obtained from the NIH, that now total several million dollars, is directly connected to an initial investment made by the AAOF.  This subsequent funding has led to additional studies to provide a better understanding of TMJ pathobiology, bone turnover in periodontal disease and tooth movement, and in tissue engineering.  

 

The many other successes of the AAOF speak for themselves.  At the 67 graduate orthodontic residency programs in the US and Canada, there are 11 Department Chairs and/or Program Directors who have been directly supported by the AAOF early in their academic careers.  Additionally, 80% of Junior Faculty supported by the AAOF remain in full-time academics after five years. The combined contribution of these individuals to the education of numerous orthodontists, most of who are in private practice, and to the profession at large is immeasurable.  To me the success of many of my peers and I in academics reflects a great return on investment of your contributions and bodes well for the longevity of our beloved profession.  This support enhances and creates a critical mass of sophisticated educators to prepare the next generation of highly capable practitioners, academics and researchers.  The knowledge created through the studies funded by AAOF enables the incorporation of science and evidence into our practices and indirectly helps in the understanding of other medical and orofacial conditions including craniofacial anomalies, osteoporosis, and arthritis, amongst others. Eventually, this knowledge base will lead to improved efficiency and quality of treatment we render to our patients.

 

While it is may be easy to presume that the AAOF has adequate funds to provide continued and significant support to academicians, this is indeed not the case.  Many mitigating factors necessitate continued support of the foundation and our vigilance in sustaining our excellence as a profession.  The growing disparity in academic and private practice incomes makes it challenging, if not impossible, to recruit and retain the best in academics.  While, most academics do not expect to earn at the level of a private practitioner, it is imperative that this discrepancy between remuneration be diminished through various efforts both at the level of individual institutions and through help from the profession.  I believe that only by retaining the best in academics will we ensure a vibrant and evolving profession.  In a recent trip to China, I also realized how very globalized every aspect of our lives are becoming- from business to biomedicine, to technology and even education.  For us to retain our edge in this globalized world, we have to make every effort to support and preferably enhance our educational and research enterprises. Since the support for higher education and research continues its precipitous decline at the state and federal levels, we are increasingly dependent upon the support of our profession through the AAOF and alumni associations.  Your active role and that of the AAOF is critical for the many reasons surmised in my reflections for the continued health of our profession.