EDITORIAL
The 100 people most inuencing the specialty
of orthodontics, 1915-2014
Rolf G. Behrents, Editor-in-Chief
St Louis, Mo
T
he single most important ingredient that has
affected the success and progress of orthodontics
over the last 100 years is people. The success of
the specialty cannot be explained by the tools and trin-
kets associated with orthodontics, but it can be ex-
plained by the actions and accomplishments of the
people who have helped to advance it.
Some people, as innovative clinicians, brought inert
blobs of plastic and wire to life, fabricating appliances
and applying them in patients. They enjoyed their
successes and reected on their shortcomings through
critical evaluations, always with a goal of improving or-
thodontic ministrations, so that at the end of treatment
there would be a corrected malocclusion, enhanced
facial esthetics, and a bright smile of appreciation.
They were the pioneers, the adventurers, and the brave
in their actions and results. Best of all, they shared
through textbooks, articles, and presentations.
Other people, as teachers, passed along what was
known, what was not known, and what was dreamed.
They sought out the tall timber from the dental schools
and invited them to learn orthodontics. They taught, they
trained, they molded, and they encouraged, and by doing
so they helped direct the professional lives of their grad-
uates. By their nature, teachers share, and their inuence
remains long after they are gone.
Still others, as thinkers, inventors, and scientists,
explored areas of concern or those that were uncharted.
They worked with ideas that could be considered and
tested. Ideas that proved to be good would be written
up and published, considered again, and then used to
formulate more research. Ideas without merit would be
reported and then discarded, sometimes contrary to
the inherited and strongly held beliefs of others.
Through determined inquiry and dissemination, these
people also shared their work and ndings with others;
they made us look at orthodontics in new and different
ways.
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Of course, we cannot have true progress unless some
people assume leadership roles. Through their inspira-
tion, courage, and charisma, leaders chart directions
often with a focused mind and a strong hand. They
guide us where they think we need to go, and as the
future unfolds, they are judged to be correct in that
guidance. Some become icons.
Finally, there are a few who, although not orthodon-
tists, have inuenced orthodontics by the nature of their
advancements in related clinical care, their prowess in
teaching and presentation, their accomplishments in
research that is relevant to orthodontics, and their lead-
ership.
To choose the people to honor, a list of nominees was
compiled from many sources: a listing of all the authors
who published in the AJO-DO over the past 100 years,
numerous journal articles written about the history of
orthodontics (notably those by Bernhard Weinberger,
Norman Wahl, and Milton Asbell), names suggested by
the judges, and several source books.1-4 This process
resulted in approximately 250 nominations.
Subsequently, 16 judges participated by casting 100
votes each. The following served as judges: James L.
Ackerman, Sheldon Baumrind, Rolf G. Behrents, Charles
J. Burstone, G. Frans Currier, Robert J. Isaacson, Lysle E.
Johnston, Jr, James A. McNamara, Jr, Sheldon Peck,
William R. Proft, David L. Turpin, James L. Vaden,
Robert L. Vanarsdall, Jr, Norman Wahl, Wayne G.
Watson, and Larry W. White.
These judges were selected because of their extensive
knowledge of orthodontics and their years of experience
in the specialty (in fact, I was the youngest judge). A few
restrictions were applied to those nominated and
selected. First, there was a window of time to be consid-
ered: all nominees had to be living sometime between
January 1, 1915, and December 31, 2014. They needed
to be deceased before January 1, 2015, to prevent the
complication of singling out a living legend, of which
there are many.
Of course, this window of time (January 1, 1915,
to December 31, 2014) is harsh at its beginning and
its end, since a few notable people who lived before or
after are not included. Thus, William Gibson Arlington
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Bonwill, Christophe-Francois Delabarre, John Nutting
Farrar, John Hunter, Pierre Fauchard, Norman Kingsley,
Pierre-Joachim Lefoulon, Jean Melchior Alexis Schange,
Robert Bunon, and many others who were inuential
before 1915 were not selected for the nal list. On the
other end of that time, some very inuential people,
such as Charles J. Burstone (one of the judges), were
not selected for the listing because they were still living
as of December 31, 2014.
Because of these notable people. once the selection
process was completed, there were a pause and a reec-
tion, and I wished that the original task had been to
select the 100 people of all time who most inuenced
the specialty of orthodontics. Well, however imperfect
or incomplete, or argued, the nal list of 100 was con-
structed, along with a list of 60 people who received
votes and thus deserved honorable mention.
I must also add that 20 people on the list were chosen
unanimously by the judges, and there was remarkable
consistency across the judges for more than half of the
100 listed. For all persons in either list, it was clear
that inuence is hard to measure, but it is possible
to identify people whose ideas, examples, talents, and
discoveries transformed the world of orthodontics over
the past century.
For all the people listed, we hope we have honored
them appropriately and afforded them the respect that
they deserve.
Finally, in compiling such a list, it is expected and
customary to single out one person who was the most
May 2015  Vol 147  Issue 5  Supplement 2 American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics
Editorial
inuential of all. There can be no serious debate about
this. It can only be Edward Hartley Angle. He was and
is a symbol of everything that we value and admire.
His time will be remembered for its denition and begin-
nings in organization, education, clinical advancement,
and appreciation of the value of science. So, for the time
from January 1, 1915, to December 31, 2014, the rst
century of the AJO-DO, Edward Angle is the Person of
the Century.
I hope you enjoy our special section honoring some
of the heroes of orthodontics.
Rolf G. Behrents
These men moved the world, and so can we all. Few
will have the greatness to bend history itself, but
each of us can work to change a small portion of
events, and in the total of all those acts will be written
the history of this generation.
Robert F. Kennedy
REFERENCES
1. Moyers RE, Jay P. Orthodontics in mid-century: transactions of a
workshop in orthodontics. St Louis: C. V. Mosby; 1959.
2. Shankland WM. American Association of Orthodontists: the biogra-
phy of a specialty organization. St Louis: American Association of
Orthodontists; 1971.
3. Curtis EK. Orthodontics at 2000. St Louis: American Association of
Orthodontists; 2000.
4. Wahl N. Who was who in orthodontics with a selected bibliography
of orthodontic history. Sequim, Wash: Norman Wahl; 2002.