WFO Affiliated Organization Profile

Two national organizations offer Mexican orthodontists continuing education, resources on a regular basis
Second to the U.S., Mexico has the largest number of WFO fellows

Mexico has two national orthodontic societies - the Asociación Mexicana de Ortodoncia, founded in 1934, and the Academia Mexicana de Ortodoncia, founded in 1976. Both are affiliated with the WFO. Representatives from the Asociación Mexicana de Ortodoncia signed the WFO charter in 1995.

Prior to the formation of the WFO, some Mexican orthodontists were not interested in joining their national orthodontic societies. However, the WFO policy that requires fellows to be members of their national orthodontic organizations has increased the membership in the two Mexican organizations. The Asociación presently has 548 member orthodontists, and the Academia has 637 members. The WFO has also seen an increase in the number of fellows from Mexico. In all, 634 Mexican orthodontists are WFO fellows - 341 orthodontists from the Asociación and 293 orthodontists from the Academia. This increase is partly due to the benefits that the WFO offers to orthodontists who become fellows. Both organizations have also widely advertised the recognition that members can receive through fellowship in the WFO. Among the 88 affiliates of the WFO, Mexico has the second largest number of fellows, which is only exceeded by the number of U.S WFO fellows. Mutual collaboration between the WFO and the two Mexican national orthodontic organizations is ongoing. Dr. Roberto Justus, a member of the Asociación, presently serves on the WFO Executive Committee as a representative for the North-American region.

Asociación President Dr. Marco Aurelio Enciso and Academia President Dr. Carlos Peláez note that Mexican patients have also benefited from the orthodontists' membership in the two organizations. More Mexican orthodontists now attend cutting-edge continuing education courses, thereby increasing the standard of orthodontic care. In addition, all Mexican board-certified orthodontists need to be re-certified every five years in order to maintain their diplomate status. The recertification process is carried out through credits, including continuing education credits for attendance at orthodontic meetings, seminars, and courses.

There are two orthodontic certifying boards in Mexico - the Consejo Nacional de Ortodoncia, which was established in 1978, and the Consejo Mexicano de Ortodoncia y Ortopedia Dentomaxilofacial (CMOOD), which was established in 1994. In 1996, the Consejo Mexicano awarded the first certificates to orthodontists who had meritorious professional qualifications. These orthodontists were grandfathered in as diplomates. Dr. Thomas Graber of Chicago, Illinois, USA, attended the award ceremony. Dr. Graber, at the time, was the editor of the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, the official publication of the American Association of Orthodontists, its constituent organizations and The American Board of Orthodontics. Presently, 780 Mexican orthodontists have been grandfathered into the two boards - 343 orthodontists have joined the Consejo Nacional, and 437 orthodontists have joined the CMOOD. Both boards have agreed to establish similar examination processes and requirements for new applicants.

The CMOOD carries out an annual examination. In the last three years, 178 candidates completed the Phase II Written Examination. The Phase III Examination will follow guidelines similar to those recently established by The American Board of Orthodontics. Five members of the Asociación are diplomates of The American Board of Orthodontics. Two of these orthodontists are founders of the CMOOD and have been instrumental in its establishment due to their moral authority. Dr. Manuel Yudovich, immediate past president of the CMOOD, was recently succeeded by Dr. Joaquín Canseco. Dr. Ricardo Rey will soon finish his term as president of the Consejo Nacional.

The Asociación and the Post-Graduate Division of the Dental School of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) each publish a biannual journal to keep orthodontists informed. These journals publish clinical articles and research papers from many of the orthodontic programs at the Mexican universities and hospitals throughout Mexico. Most of these institutions have two-year programs (2,400 hours of courses). However, many of these programs are gradually converting to three years (5,016 hours of courses). These orthodontic programs award certificates in orthodontics, and some award master's degrees.

The Inter-Institutional Committee for the Formation of Health Resources is currently developing new educational standards for private schools that offer orthodontic training. The committee was created by the Mexican government secretariats of the departments of health and education. At this point in time, the title "Specialist in Orthodontics" is awarded to any orthodontist who has successfully completed a graduate orthodontic program in any institution recognized by the Mexican government. The Secretariat of the Mexican National Department of Education awards this title.

Both the Academia and Asociación organize an annual orthodontic meeting. The Asociación's 34th annual meeting was held in March 2001 in Puebla, Mexico. More than 750 orthodontists attended, a historic first for the organization. The keynote speaker was Dr. Vincent Kokich of the University of Washington in Seattle. The next annual meeting of the Asociación will take place in Ixtapa, Mexico. The meeting will be held at Las Brisas Hotel from March 6-9, 2002. The Academia recently held its annual meeting in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. The meeting ran from June 28-30, 2001. The world orthodontic community is invited to attend future meetings of both these organizations.