Iraqi Orthodontic Society announces new journal

In May, Dr. Akram Faisal Al-Huwaizi announced to WFO fellows that the first issue of the Iraqi Orthodontic Journal (IOJ) has been published. Dr. Al-Huwaizi, vice editor-in-chief of the IOJ, made this announcement during the AAO/WFO Presidents’ Breakfast May 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA. This breakfast was held in conjunction with the 106th Annual Session of the American Association of Orthodontists.

The Iraqi Orthodontic Society (IOS) recently established this biannual journal to provide its 120 members with an additional forum for orthodontic research.

Orthodontics is a young specialty in Iraq. Prior to 1973, orthodontics was not recognized or practiced as a distinct specialty. In 1973, the University of Baghdad established within the College of Dentistry a department dedicated to orthodontics, pedodontics and preventive dentistry. In 2003, the orthodontic department was established as a separate discipline.

The IOS has been serving orthodontists since it was founded in 1994. Today, approximately 160 orthodontists practice in Iraq and serve a population of 27 million. 

The IOS affiliated with the WFO in April 2005. It was the 99th organization to join the WFO. Thirty-eight IOS members are now WFO fellows.

To learn more about the IOJ or to submit articles, contact the IOS at iraqortho@yahoo.com.