Kutztown orthodontist, Dr. Bryon Viechnicki, received the David C. Hamilton Orthodontic Research Award.
‘I feel lucky!’ he said about winning the award. ‘There is so much innovative orthodontic research happening right now. Research topics range from bone regeneration with stem cells to the invention of new transparent orthodontic wires to uncovering the genetic foundation of malocclusion. It is an incredibly exciting time to be an orthodontist and orthodontic researcher. I feel proud to be working in a field where so much is being learned everyday.’
The Pennsylvania Association of Orthodontists research award helps support continuing education and research at Pennsylvania’s orthodontic programs.
‘I was definitely surprised to hear that I won the award! I had just spent the morning seeing patients in my Kutztown office and I took a break to check my messages. Dr. Walter Schratz had left a voice mail for me. When I first started listening to the message I was wondering why the president-elect of the Pennsylvania Association of Orthodontists would call me personally,’ said Dr. Viechnicki. ‘When he said that I won the David C. Hamilton Memorial Research Award I jumped out of my chair to tell all of my assistants. After a jubilant series of high fives and congratulations I had to go back and listen to the message again to make sure it was real.’
Dr. Viechnicki’s research demonstrates the uniqueness of lower jaw growth in adolescents using 3D technology, according to a PAO release. The research was conducted at the Department of Orthodontics at Temple University, Philadelphia, where Dr. Viechnicki is a Clinical Adjunct Assistant Professor of Orthodontics.
‘The best part about doing research is the warm feeling of giving back to the profession,’ he said. ‘The only reason that braces and Invisalign work so well is because someone invented them and other people continued to research ways to make the techniques better. Doing research in orthodontics is my way of saying thank you to all of the thousands of past researchers who devoted their time and energy to making the specialty what it is today.’
His collaborators included Dr. Orhan Tuncay (Chairman, Department of Orthodontics), Dr. Jared Gianquinto (orthodontist, Bakersfield, Calif.), and Dr. Jinwu Chen (Associate Professor, Fourth Military Medical University, China).
‘To me, this award says, ‘Congratulations, you’re on the right track!” said Viechnicki, who is in Brazil lecturing at the International Association of Dental Research.
Acknowledgement by the Pennsylvania Association of Orthodontists provided him with all the extra motivation he needed to continue to develop techniques to study three-dimensional craniofacial growth, said Dr. Viechnicki.
He believes the award is also going to help attract orthodontic residents with a specific interest in three-dimensional growth and development to Temple University.
‘This would help strengthen the legacy of pioneering 3D imaging and growth and development research within the Department of Orthodontics,’ he said.
The best thing about being an orthodontist is helping children feel confident about their smiles, said Dr. Viechnicki.
‘I get to see their smiles grow every time they come in to visit. All that smiling makes for a very happy work environment,’ he said. ‘Adults go through a similar transformation as their teeth straighten – and the effect is particularly dramatic in adults because they know they are doing something good for themselves.’
The award is named in honor of Dr. David C. Hamilton, New Castle, one of the original founders of the Pennsylvania Association of Orthodontists, who has served as President of the PAO as well as the American Association of Orthodontists, and lectured around the world to orthodontic groups and graduate students.
Dr. Viechnicki presented the findings of this new 3D research at the International Association of Dental Research General Session in Iguacu Falls, Brazil on June 23.
Dr. Viechnicki is an orthodontist, serving the Lehigh Valley and Berks County with orthodontic offices in Bethlehem and Kutztown. He assists people of all ages with their orthodontic needs, including improving oral health with braces. He is also a certified Invisalign provider, offering an alternative to braces for adults. Dr. Viechnicki is a Clinical Adjunct Assistant Professor of Orthodontics at Temple University, where he assists orthodontic residents in their preparation for board certification, as well as advising research on craniofacial growth and development. For more information on Dr. Bryon Viechnicki, visit his site at dr.bryon.viechnicki.com.
