Dr. KyungMin Clara Lee DDS, MSD, PhD

Dr. KyungMin Clara Lee is a Professor and Chair of the Department of Orthodontics at Chonnam National University School of Dentistry in Gwangju, Korea. She earned her DDS, MS, and PhD degrees from Chonnam National University, where she also completed her orthodontic residency and fellowship training. Dr. Lee previously served as a visiting professor at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Dentistry (2022–2023), fostering academic and research collaborations between Korea and the United States. Her current research interests encompass 3D imaging applications in orthodontics, geometric morphometrics, surgery-first orthognathic treatment, and the integration of deep learning for clinical decision support in orthodontic practice. She has developed an AI-based software program capable of automated 3D skull analysis and continues to collaborate closely with engineering experts to enhance model performance and clinical applicability. In recent years, Dr. Lee has focused extensively on airway research, utilizing 3D-printed airway modeling for morphological evaluation, computational fluid dynamics (CFD) for airflow simulation, and systematic and meta-analytic approaches for evidence-based assessment of post-orthognathic airway changes. Dr. Lee has been recognized for her contributions to the field, receiving multiple honors, including the 2022 Scientific Research Award from the Korean Association of Orthodontists and the 2025 MINEC Scientific Research Award from the Korean Dental Association.