The PBO at the WFO/ABO Symposium on Orthodontic Certifying Boards during the 8th International Orthodontic Congress

By Dr. Obet Tan

The World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO) Committee on National and Regional Orthodontic Boards and the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) Executive Board conducted a half-day symposium on orthodontic Board certification for the representatives from the 16 recognized WFO Orthodontic Certifying Boards & to those who wish to form an orthodontic certifying board in their country.

This was held last September 27, 2015, at the ExCel Center, London on the occasion of the 8th International Orthodontic Conference (IOC).

Top photo: (From Left to Right) ABO President-Elect Dr. Steven Dugoni, PBO Vice Chairman Dr. Roberto Tan, TAO IPP Dr. Johnny Liao and ABO Secretary-Treasurer Dr. Chun-Hsi Chung

Left photo: Dr. David Turpin, Chairman of the WFO Committee on National and Regional Orthodontic Boards with PBO Vice Chairman Dr. Roberto Tan

Dr. David Turpin, Chairman of the WFO Committee on National and Regional Orthodontic Boards welcome the participants with an opening remarks followed by the presentation from the ABO President Dr. Eladio De Leon Jr., Dr. Steven Dugoni, ABO president-elect, and Dr. Chun-Hsi Chung, ABO secretary-treasurer. Along with WFO Executive Committee Dr. Thomas Ahman, they designed the three-hour program to be both informative and interactive to meet the attendees’ needs and interests.

Philippine Board of Orthodontics (PBO) Vice Chairman of the Dr. Roberto B. Tan, together with over 50 participants attended the symposium that features a presentation by the ABO directors, who discussed the process for certification as well as changes that have occurred in recent years. Following this presentation, attendees were break into groups to discuss common issues, such as the selection of clinical examiners, examination criteria, examination evaluation criteria, clinical record requirements, and the development of written examinations. The groups presented their discussion outcomes at the end of the symposium.

The Philippine Board of Orthodontics (PBO) is among the 16 established WFO Certifying Board including the American Board of Orthodontics, the Argentinean Board of Orthodontics and Dentomaxillary Orthopedics, the Australasian Orthodontic Board, the Brazilian Board of Orthodontics and Facial Orthopedics, the European Board of Orthodontists, the French Board of Orthodontics, the German Board of Orthodontics, the Indian Board of Orthodontics, the Italian Board of Orthodontics, the Japanese Orthodontic Board, the Korean Board of Orthodontics, the Mexican Board of Orthodontics, the Philippine Board of Orthodontics, the Saudi Board of Orthodontics, the Taiwan Board of Orthodontics and the Thai Board of Orthodontics.


The aim of the PBO as the examination arm of the Association of Philippine Orthodontists (APO) is to impose measures of quality control on the standard of practice of orthodontics, and to safeguard the dental health and well-being of the orthodontic patient in the Philippines. The PBO is advocating the implementation of the WFO Guidelines on National & Regional Certifying Board. It was a great opportunity for the PBO to participate in the symposium so that it can compare its current guidelines and procedures to those recommended by the WFO and modify them accordingly to Philippine setting and uplift the practice of Orthodontics to the worldwide standards.

Photo below: Working Group on Clinical Examination (From Left to Right);  Dr. Adriana Pascual from the Argentinean Board of Orthodontics and Dentomaxillary Orthopedics, PBO Vice Chairman Dr. Roberto Tan, Prof. Somchai Satravaha from the Thai Board of Orthodontics and Dr. Shailesh Deshmukh from the Indian Board of Orthodontics.