Fall 2002 ABO

American Board of Orthodontics Phase II Exam

On May 3, 2002,the Phase II written examination was given at the annual AAO meeting in Philadelphia, PA. Two-hundred and ninty-five candidates successfully passed this examination, which represents a 92% pass rate.

Dr. Tyler W. Ferris from Baylor University will receive the annual Earl E. and Wilma S. Shepard Award of Distinction, which recognizes the candidate who attained the highest score for the Phase II examination.

At the ABO meeting in February, 2000, the Board determined that if a candidate passed the Phase II written exam, but experienced a time lapse before completing the Phase III oral/clinical examination, he or she must retake Sections II and IV of the Phase II written examination to re-qualify to take the Phase III section of the certification process.

Re-certification Test Project

The Board is in the process of inviting160 Diplomates to participate in recertification for 2003 by submitting one case from any of the categories 1–8 and diagnosing two cases from the ABO web site.

In mid-August these volunteers will receive a calibration kit, and will also be asked to field test data for re-certification in which ten consecutively finished cases from their office are graded and the results submitted along with the one case from categories 1–8.

Clinical Outcomes Study for University Orthodontic Programs

The Board will initiate an Orthodontic Resident Clinical Outcomes Study. The Board would like to evaluate the efficacy of offering early certification to recent orthodontic graduates by using cases treated in their residencies.

They will choose a cross-section of schools having at least 30-month programs, based on the number of students, and AAO constituent location. The school will have to include all residents starting in the Fall 2002 semester.

Twelve cases will be identified at the beginning of treatment by submitting a cephalogram and panogram. Following graduation, the resident must submit six of the twelve cases, worked up in ABO format. The Board will then assess the cases and return all records along with the evaluations.

This feedback is intended to help students and their respective resident programs learn valuable information about their present clinical efforts.

—John Grubb, DDS PCSO Director to the ABO

(PDF version)*