PBO Inaugural Address

Given by Dr. Ermelinda Sabater-Galang, DMD, MS on August 5, 2008

Chairperson of the Professional Regulation Commission – Hon. Leonor T. Rosero
President of the Philippine Dental Association – Dr. Leo De Castro
Outgoing President of the Association of Philippine Orthodontists – Dr. Katherine Ong
Incoming President of the Association of Philippine Orthodontists – Dr. Jose Rivera
Distinguished Keynote Speakers of the 6th APO National Congress
President of the Asia Pacific Orthodontic Society – Dr. Somchai Satravaha
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
Good Evening!

I would like to thank my beloved colleagues in the Philippine Board of Orthodontics for the trust and confidence they have accorded me. This will be my second biennial term in a row together with most of the current officers and I believe this is a signal for us to do even better and to do a lot more for the Board.

Admittedly, we are pushed against the wall in trying to control or manage the ever creeping problem of flourishing preceptorship courses all over the country. Concomitantly, more and more general practitioners attempt to do orthodontic treatment.

The Board believes that the public should be protected and should be receiving a high quality of orthodontic care at all times. The only way we can assure this is by evaluating or assessing the knowledge and clinical competency of graduates of accredited orthodontic programs through standardized examinations and to contribute to the development of quality graduate, postgraduate, and continuing education programs in orthodontics. This is the very mission of the Philippine Board of Orthodontics in order to protect the interest of the public.

Motivating the orthodontic practitioners to undergo the certification process remains a challenge to the Board. Nevertheless, the Board will exhaust its means to further its aims in order to fulfill its mission yet, will continue to refine its certification process if only to motivate the orthodontic practitioners.

On a happy note, the PBO gained international recognition by being one among the eleven (11) certifying Boards identified by the Committee on National and Regional Orthodontic Boards of the World Federation of Orthodontists.

In retrospect, it has been difficult and discouraging at times but under the light of this recent recognition, I feel that all the more, we need to step up to achieve our mission more so now that we have a calling to protect the public not only on a local level but on an international level as well.

I thank the past officers for their unwavering support and cooperation. Special thanks to our secretary, Dr. Marina Lu-Tan, for her efficiency in producing the documents that we need at a flick of a finger. Enormous thanks go to the Examination Committee responsible for the preparation, correction, and evaluation of the examinations. These things certainly take a lot of time, effort and sacrifice. Will the members of the Examination Committee please stand to be recognized. While I thank you for all your efforts, I would like to appeal to you once again for your continued support and cooperation.

On behalf of the Philippine Board of Orthodontics, I wish to congratulate the three new Diplomates, Drs. Angela Castro-Centeno, Dennis Lim, and Marivic Reyes for successfully hurdling all the four phases of the PBO Examination hence earning the title: Diplomate of the Philippine Board of Orthodontics (DPBO). Their noble aspiration is indeed worth emulating. May they serve as an inspiration to others and may they continue to uphold the mission of the Philippine Board of Orthodontics.

Thank you very much and a pleasant evening to all.