When asked why I, as a poor resident, have chosen to make such a lofty pledge to the AAOF, my reply is simple… I can not afford not to.

The easiest way for me to explain my present decision to be an AAOF Regent is to start with my past.  I love playing soccer.  Growing up in South Florida I would often come home late after hours of playing soccer with my friends.  On most days I would come home covered in grass stains, my hair in disarray, and sometimes sporting a new fat lip courtesy of a well-kicked soccer ball or misplaced elbow.  In addition to these more superficial badges of honor I would occasionally suffer a few chipped teeth.  Instead of dissuading me these small injuries only fueled my passion to improve and I continued to play.  

Finally the day came when my parents deemed me old enough to join the official youth soccer league.  I was overwhelmed with excitement and anxiously awaited the first game of the season.  During practice our coach, Coach Sheinis, would have us run a variety of drills.  While kicking the ball around those small orange cones I would often find myself daydreaming.  I would imagine the opposing center kicking the ball in my direction; I would intercept it and proceed to score the first goal of the game.  The day of the big game finally came and I found myself facing the opposing center; my hands were on my knees and my cleats were firmly planted in the grass.  The umpire blew her whistle signaling the kick-off.  The center rushed the ball, and as if my daydreams were coming true, he kicked the ball firmly in my direction.  Unfortunately, my daydream suddenly turned into a nightmare as the ball proceeded to curve toward my face instead of my foot.  I felt the cool touch of leather as the ball hit me squarely in the face, knocking out my front tooth.  Luckily for me Coach Sheinis was also known as Dr. Sheinis, the local orthodontist and he knew exactly what to do.   After examining my battle worn teeth in his office the following day, Dr. Sheinis informed my parents that the time had come for me to get braces.  

Apparently my teeth were in pretty bad condition.  It seemed to me that every month Dr Sheinis was placing a new contraption in my mouth, perhaps using me for some kind of experiment.  I was convinced that the word orthodontics was simply French for torture.  However, as my smile improved my relationship with Dr. Sheinis grew, and thankfully so did my soccer skills.  As I began to field more balls with my feet than with my face my lips were spared the indignity of being sliced against my teeth and brackets.    

After seven long years of brackets, rubber bands, bionators and finally retainers, my treatment was complete.  After my debonding Dr. Sheinis handed me my initial photos and asked me, "Who is this guy?"  As I gazed at the stranger in the photos I couldn't believe that seven years earlier that hideous smile had belonged to me.  Throughout those seven years Dr. Sheinis had not only been my orthodontist, but also my soccer coach, my teacher, my mentor, and moreover, my friend.  My experience with Dr. Sheinis left an indelible impression on me that ultimately guided me toward a career in orthodontics.   

After high school I left my "promising" career as a professional soccer player behind and continued my education at the University of South Florida.  In an effort to help pad my resume for dental school I found myself volunteering in research laboratories around the school.  Over time my initial interest in simply fleshing out my resume disappeared as I discovered myself enjoying my time in the lab.  Research opportunities continued to present themselves as I moved on to Harvard's School of Dental Medicine.  As I performed research in dental school I began to appreciate the important role research plays in the advancement of our profession.  

As an orthodontic resident here at UCLA I find myself surrounded by a group of eager and innovative minds.  As residents, we sincerely want to contribute to the advancement of our specialty and find that opportunity in research.  Our program chair, Dr. Eric Ting, constantly encourages us to raise our research to a new level; while at the same time emphasizing clinical experience by providing us opportunities to attend various meetings such as the PCSO, AAO, and Angle Society.              

During my three years of residency I have watched in awe as the field of orthodontics has undergone a rebirth of sorts.  The introduction of mini-implants and 3D cone-beam tomography has allowed us to diagnose and treat patients in ways that were previously unimaginable.  These new treatment modalities and concepts have helped to rejuvenate our specialty.  On clinic I find myself not only learning from our sagacious part-time faculty, but also returning the favor by demonstrating to them the clinical application of these new technologies.  It is this perpetual cycle of learning that drives our specialty and it is research that fuels this cycle.  The AAOF provides an opportunity for us to help fund this research and fuel the cycle.  

It is such a privilege to enter this great profession during this era of renaissance and change.  During my short tenure, orthodontics has given me so much.  It has given me the opportunity to give back to the community and the ability to improve a person's self-esteem through their smile.  On a more personal level, orthodontics has given me lasting friends, mentors, and a smile of my own.              

My personal journey toward orthodontics has been driven by two main elements:  First, the character of the people who make up our profession, beginning on the soccer field with Dr. Sheinis; and second by the opportunities to mature and learn afforded me through my participation in research.  The AAOF supports these two elements by providing funding to the orthodontic faculty who serve as mentors to the residents and by funding the research that pushes our profession into the future.  Through its support of these integral parts of our profession the AAOF has ultimately supported me; and so it is an honor for me to pledge my support to the AAOF as a Regent.