Summary: The American Board of Orthodontics announced the 2024 award recipients, honoring individuals for their significant contributions to orthodontic education, clinical excellence, and dedication to the field.

Key Takeaways:

  • Leslie A. Will received the O.B. Vaughan Special Recognition Award for her contributions to orthodontic education.
  • Allen H. Moffitt was honored with the Dale B. Wade Award of Excellence in Orthodontics for his dedication to clinical excellence and teaching.
  • Eladio DeLeon, Jr. received the Earl E. and Wilma S. Shepard Distinguished Service Award for his outstanding dedication to the ABO’s mission.
  • Peter M. Greco was awarded the Albert H. Ketcham Memorial Award for his notable contributions to the science and art of orthodontics.

O.B. Vaughan Special Recognition Award

The American Board of Orthodontics (ABO) has named Leslie A. Will, DMD, MSD, of Boston, as the recipient of the 2024 O.B. Vaughan Special Recognition Award.

The O.B. Vaughan Special Recognition Award honors an individual who has significantly contributed to orthodontic education and furthered the ideals of the American Board of Orthodontics (ABO). The award is named in honor of Dr. O.B. Vaughan, an ABO past president. The award was presented on May 6 at the ABO awards reception held in conjunction with the American Association of Orthodontists Annual Session in New Orleans, La.

Will is chair of the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics and Anthony A. Gianelly Professor of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics at Boston University, a position she has held since 2009.

“It’s an honor to be able to contribute to this important task,” said Will. “In addition, it’s always a learning experience. I consider helping to give the board examination a privilege, so I am amazed to be recognized for this.”

Dale B. Wade Award of Excellence in Orthodontics

The ABO also presented Allen H. Moffitt, DMD, MS, of Murray, Ky., the 2024 Dale B. Wade Award of Excellence in Orthodontics. The Dale B. Wade Award recognizes an exemplary senior clinician and board-certified orthodontist who demonstrates exceptional dedication to orthodontics through clinical excellence and/or devoted teaching in the image of Dr. Dale B. Wade, an ABO past president.

Moffitt was in private orthodontic practice in Murray, Ky., from 1974 to his retirement in 2015. He has been certified by the American Board of Orthodontics since 1984. He was elected to the ABO board of directors in 2000 and served as ABO president during the 2007-2008 year. He continues as an ABO examiner.

Earl E. and Wilma S. Shepard Distinguished Service Award

The ABO has named Eladio DeLeon, Jr., DMD, MS, of Augusta, Ga., as the recipient of the 2024 Earl E. and Wilma S. Shepard Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes an individual for outstanding dedication and advancement of the ideals and mission of the ABO.

DeLeon served as Marvin C. Goldstein Chair of Orthodontics and director of the Graduate Orthodontic Program at the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University from 2000 until his retirement at the end of 2023. Previously, he served for 22 years in the US Army Dental Corps, retiring in 1998 as a full colonel. Certified by the American Board of Orthodontics, Dr. DeLeon was elected to the ABO board of directors in 2008 and was ABO president during the 2015-2016 year. He chaired the ABO Written Examination Committee from 2008-2015 and remains a member. He also serves as an examiner for the ABO Clinical Examination.

Albert H. Ketcham Memorial Award

The ABO has presented Peter M. Greco, DMD, of Philadelphia, with the 2024 Albert H. Ketcham Memorial Award, its highest honor. The Albert H. Ketcham Memorial Award commemorates the achievements of Dr. Albert H. Ketcham. Created by the ABO in 1936, this award is presented annually to an individual who has made a notable contribution to the science and art of orthodontics.

Greco is a clinical professor in the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine, recently completing his 39th year on the faculty. Greco is the attending orthodontist at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he is an adjunct instructor in the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He is also a faculty member at the Einstein Medical Center Department of Orthodontics. He maintains a private practice in Philadelphia and Ardmore, Pa.