Findlay orthodontist represents industry

Dr. Chris Roberts, of Findlay, recently completed a term as president of the American Association of Orthodontists. Roberts said he decided to serve in the role because orthodontics has been a wonderful profession and he wanted to give something back. He served for a 10-year term in total, which also included time as the trustee for the Great Lakes region, then president-elect, then a year as president. Roberts said serving as president meant serving as spokesperson for the organization. He would have done "a lot of traveling, in normal times," but didn't, because of the coronavirus pandemic. It was an unusual time for the profession in general, he said, as orthodontists' offices shut down across the country, in some places for months. And orthodontists, like other medical professionals, faced a shortage of personal protective equipment during the pandemic. Roberts' role also included advocating for patients. The American Association of Orthodontists, for example, has been lobbying Congress to increase the limits on flexible spending accounts to make orthodontics treatment more affordable, Roberts said. The association includes about 19,000 orthodontists, both within the United States and internationally. Roberts practiced as an orthodontist in Findlay for 30 years, beginning in 1987. He eventually sold his practice to his partner, Dr. T.J. Robinson, and continues to teach part time at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Roberts said he became interested in the field as a youth in Lima. A dentist served as a church group leader when Roberts was young and inspired his interest in dentistry. Roberts chose orthodontics specifically because "I love building things and I like seeing things change." He said patients, too, see the change in themselves. And by giving them a beautiful smile, patients often become more confident, he said. Roberts said there's an artistic element to orthodontics in that he's not just straightening teeth, but creating a beautiful smile. Becoming an orthodontist involves four years of college, then four years of dental school, then another two or three years of schooling after that. Michigan is a three-year program, so the residents Roberts is teaching have graduated dental school and are "so smart," he said. A challenge in the field is that technology keeps changing. While it used to be the norm to take "goopy" impressions of teeth, for example, this has been replaced with digital images, Roberts said. And the use of clear aligner treatments, as opposed to metal braces and wires, is now more common. "Orthodontics is not what it used to be," he said. This is true of the makeup of the profession as well. Roberts said when he was in school, his graduating class was all men. Now at the University of Michigan, he has more women than men among his students. The American Association of Orthodontists has formed its own insurance company offering professional liability insurance, and Roberts serves on this organization's board, as well. He said stepping down as president of the organization means he will now have more time to serve this board, to teach and to spend with grandchildren. Arthurs: 419-427-8494