Dr. Oakley Attends SAO Leadership Conference

I was nominated, and subsequently elected, to join the board of the Virginia Association of Orthodontists in March 2021. I spoke to my good friend, and the present-elect of the VAO at the time, Dr. Danielle Robb about the role, and she assured me that serving the VAO would have tremendous benefits. The VAO works with the Board of Dentistry and the Virginia State Legislature to develop regulations and guidelines to protect our patients and the general public. At organization meetings, I network with other orthodontists around the state. We are able to share ideas around new technology and treatment philosophies.

Last year, I was selected to participate in a Leadership Development class, sponsored by the Southern Association of Orthodontists. I was honored and thrilled to be able to further expand on my leadership skills. The current boards of the Southern and Southwest Associations were present at all the seminars. I valued the opportunity to meet them, hear about their experiences, and learn about ways I can support the profession and our patients in the future.

SAO Leadership Conference and 2022 Annual Meeting

The final seminar of the SAO Leadership Conference was held in Austin, TX the day before the SAO Annual Meeting began. I brought my family with me for an extended trip to Texas. My husband and I lived in Dallas, TX before I went to dental school at VCU. For those of you who don’t know, I got my undergraduate degree in Industrial and Systems Engineering from Georgia Tech and worked as an engineer for 7 years before attending dental school.

The SAO Annual Meeting was 2 full days of business meetings, continuing education classes, and learning about new technology. I enjoyed listening to lectures about mini-screw assisted rapid palatal expansion (or MARPE). This amazing appliance allows orthodontists to expand narrow palates (narrow upper jaws) in older teens and young adults without the need of surgery. Several other speakers at the conference talked about advances in orthodontic treatment with clear aligners.

At Christenson Family Orthodontics, we have seen a dramatic increase in adults seeking orthodontic treatment. And most of these adults are requesting clear/invisible treatment options. We have been using clear braces and clear aligners (like Invisalign) for years. I am always seeking opportunities to learn new ways to apply these technologies.

Family Time in Texas

We kicked off our Texas trip in Dallas at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science and Dallas Arboretum. My children could have spent days wandering around the Perot Museum checking out the exhibits. The life sized dinosaur skeletons and “Dancing Dinos” were two of their favorites.

Next we went to the Waco Mammoth National Monument to see the active mammoth excavation site. Since my son is actively collecting National Park Junior Ranger badges, he was excited to add another to his collection. The children’s dig area was a hit! We stopped at the Waco Zoo to see the abundance of vultures and other animals native to Texas.

While I was attending meetings, my husband and children wandered the parks of Austin. I got to join them at the Austin Nature and Science Center. We enjoyed the children’s activities, wildlife, and another dinosaur dig site.