AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ORTHODONTISTS
More than 1,100 orthodontists and pediatric dentists attended the AAO 2025 Winter Conference, From Small to Tall: Nurturing the Growth of Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics. The meeting, hosted by the AAO and the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD), took place January 24-26 in Marco Island, Florida. Among the lecturers was Immediate WFO Past President Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid, who presented “Enamel Homeostasis & The Orthodontist – WSLs & MIH: The Why, What and How!” Dr. Takashi Ono, WFO Executive Committee member for Central and East Asia, presented “Revisit to Scammon’s Curves: Lessons from the Recent Studies on Adenoids & Tonsillar Hypertrophy.”
WFO Secretary General Dr. Aron Dellinger, left, greeted Immediate WFO Past President
Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid at the AAO Winter Conference.
ASSOCIATION OF ORTHODONTISTS (SINGAPORE)
The Association of Orthodontists (Singapore) Congress (AOSC) 2025 took place at the iconic Marina Bay Sands from March 1-2, with pre- and post-congress activities held on February 28 and March 3, respectively. The event welcomed 785 participants from 31 countries.
Distinguished guests included Singapore’s Ministry of Health Chief Dental Officer, Dr. Chang Chai Kiat, Immediate WFO Past President Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid, and representatives from the Asian Pacific Orthodontic Society (APOS).
Under the theme “Forging Ahead with the Evolving Faces of Orthodontics: Embracing Fundamentals, Change, and Innovation,” AOSC 2025 featured an engaging scientific program led by 11 esteemed experts, including keynote speakers Dr. Ute Schneider-Moser and Dr. Sandra Tai.
The conference explored a range of critical topics, including the evolution of fixed appliances versus clear aligners, innovations in 3D-printed shape memory aligners, advancements in self-ligating bracket systems and lingual orthodontics, early orthodontic intervention strategies, auto-transplantation, and the integration of orthognathic surgery with aligners. Delegates actively engaged in the exchange of ideas and in-depth exploration of cutting-edge research.
A major highlight was the 2nd AOSC Resident’s Symposium, organized in collaboration with the Faculty of Dentistry and hosted at the National University of Singapore. Another standout event was the Pre-Congress Forum: Women in Orthodontics, which featured an insightful presentation by Oral Medicine specialist Dr. Chelsia Sim on “Oral Medicine and Women’s Health: A Closer Look at Female-Specific Conditions,” followed by a dynamic panel discussion with respected female leaders Dr. Ute Schneider-Moser, Dr. Sandra Tai, and Dr. Letizia Perillo, incoming president of the WFO.
Association of Orthodontists (Singapore) Congress attendees gathered for a photo.
TAIWAN ASSOCIATION OF ORTHODONTISTS
The 37th Annual Meeting of the Taiwan Association of Orthodontists, December 3-5, 2024 in Taipei, Taiwan. Officially titled 2024 TAO APOC Taipei, the meeting also included the 14th Asian Pacific Orthodontic Congress (APOC) and the TAO APOC Joint Residents Forum on December 2. The APOC is the official conference of the Asian Pacific Orthodontic Society and is held every two years. The theme of the 2024 meeting was Embrace 3C: Connection, Communication & Creation. In addition to the main sessions, a “Rising Stars of APOS” program took place and provided an opportunity for young clinicians and outstanding researchers to become better-known.
The WFO Executive Committee was photographed at the Taiwan Association of
Orthodontists meeting and 14th Asian Pacific Orthodontic Congress (APOC).
The meeting was attended by members of the WFO Executive Committee, several of whom presented lectures. Dr. Bryce Lee, EC representative for southeast Asia and Oceania, presented “APOS and Orthodontics – Our Past and Our Future.” Other EC speakers included Immediate WFO Past President Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid, Vice President Dr. Panagiotis Skoularikis, incoming President Dr. Letizia Perillo, and Drs. Khaled Samir AboulAzm, Flavia Artese, Takashi Ono and Valmy Pangrazio-Kulbersh. Other outstanding guest speakers included Drs. Chris Chang, Johnny Liaw, Simon Littlewood, Keiji Moriyama and Jae Hyun Park.
Attendees at the Taiwan Association of Orthodontists meeting and 14th Asian Pacific
Orthodontic Congress (APOC) gathered for a photo.
SAUDI ORTHODONTIC SOCIETY
The 18th Annual Conference of the Saudi Orthodontic Society took place December 12-14, 2024 in Riyadh. The meeting drew 1,000 orthodontists and also included the 15th Orthodontic Implants Conference and the 4th Clear Aligner Conference.
The more than 30 lecturers included Dr. Khaled AboulAzm, WFO Executive Committee member for Africa and the Middle East, and Drs. Joseph Bouserhal, David Sarver, Sandra Tai and Abbas Zaher.
During the meeting Dr. AboulAzm joined fellow WFO Executive Committee members, Dr. Eric Liou and Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid, in presenting a recognition gift from the WFO to the Saudi Orthodontic Society Board of Directors.
Drs. Eric Liou and Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid, 5th and 6th from left, and Dr. Khaled AboulAzm, 8th from left, all of the WFO Executive Committee, presented a recognition gift honoring the outgoing Saudi Orthodontic Society Board of Directors.
HONG KONG SOCIETY OF ORTHODONTISTS
Immediate WFO Past President Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid recently attended a one-day clinical symposium with the Hong Kong Society of Orthodontists and the Hong Kong University orthodontic program. He was photographed with faculty member Dr. Yanqi Yang, and Dr. Yooh An Kook of Korea (all in the back row behind the residents).
MACAO ASSOCIATION OF ORTHODONTISTS
Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid participated in the Congress of the Macao Association of Orthodontists in December 2024 in Macau, China, where he was photographed with Macau Association President, Dr. Wei Lin (left) and Dr. Samuel Lei.
ASSOCIATION OF PHILIPPINE ORTHODONTISTS
Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid is pictured with Dr. Joy Maranon, President of the Association of Philippine Orthodontists, at the 12th APO Regional Conference, March 3-4, 2025.
PORTUGUESE ORTHODONTIC SOCIETY
During the November 2024 meeting of the Portuguese Dental Association, Former WFO President Dr. Nikhillesh Vaiid met with officers of the Portuguese Orthodontic Society, sDr. Rui Pereira, left, and Dr. Pedro Mariano Periera at right.
