FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 5, 2022
Contact: Jackie Bode
[email protected]
(314) 689- 6546
AAOF COMMITS ADDITIONAL FUNDING TO CRANIOFACIAL GROWTH LEGACY PROJECT
St. Louis, Missouri - The AAO Foundation (AAOF), the charitable arm of the American Association of Orthodontists, recently committed $540,000 to the Craniofacial Growth Legacy Collection project - a complimentary web site and database of nine collections, from both U.S. and Canada, of longitudinal craniofacial growth records in untreated children and adolescents.
Under the direction of the steering committee led by Dr. Heesoo, Dr. Mark Hans, Dr. James McNamara and Mr. Sean Curry Oh, the newly committed dollars will go to fund the next phase – making the project one of the most highly recognized resources for orthodontic research.
“The collection has significantly contributed to expanding knowledge on human development by giving access to 842 subjects and over 18,900 radiographs of irreplaceable longitudinal growth records. Our committee is grateful for the AAOF’s continued support of this historic project,” said steering committee chair, Dr. Heesoo Oh.
Since its 2008 inception, the Craniofacial Growth Legacy Collection project has been bringing together clinicians, craniofacial investigators, students of human growth and interested members of the public to collect sample records from the participating collections, develop a web site and database and evaluate user interaction.
Over the past five years, the web site has surpassed 380,000 page views and provided high resolution images to researchers at 45 universities throughout the world. The next phase will include making three-dimensional digital dental casts available, adding additional image types, and expanding to new collections with different races.
According to AAOF senior vice president, Jackie Bode, the web site’s primary role is to serve as a resource for orthodontic teaching and research, which is why the foundation is dedicated to keeping the collection available and free for all members of the orthodontic community.
To learn more about the Craniofacial Growth Legacy Collection project or to make a financial contribution, visit aaoflegacycollection.org.
About the American Association of Orthodontists and Foundation
The American Association of Orthodontists represents 19,000 orthodontist members throughout the United States, Canada, and abroad. Founded in 1900, the AAO is the world's oldest and largest dental specialty organization. The AAO is dedicated to ethically advancing the art and science of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics worldwide; improving the overall oral healthcare of the public; advocating for the health and safety of the public; and educating the public about the benefits of orthodontic treatment provided by an orthodontic specialist. The American Association of Orthodontists Foundation is the charitable arm of the AAO. For more information, visit aaofoundation.net.