American Board of Orthodontics

The American Board of Orthodontics was founded in 1929, and is the oldest specialty board in dentistry. The American Board of Orthodontics was initiated by Dr. Albert Ketcham and several colleagues, who believed that the specialty of orthodontics should have a certifying body. The certificate issued by the Board was then and has continued to signify a certification of attainment.

The mission of The American Board of Orthodontics is to establish and maintain the highest standards of clinical excellence in orthodontics. In its mission statement, the Board clearly defines four objectives: 

1. to evaluate the knowledge and clinical competency of graduates of accredited orthodontic programs
    
2. to re-evaluate clinical competency throughout a Diplomate's career through recertification
    
3. to contribute to the development of quality graduate, postgraduate, and continuing education programs in orthodontics
    
4. to contribute to certification expertise throughout the world