From Bonds to Braces: Pivoting into Private Practice, Prototypes, and Pedagogy

Dr. Bonebreak Jackson’s first professional pivot occurred when she traded her mechanical engineering degree for a career trading bonds on Wall Street. Her second pivot happened five years later, when she was inspired to become an Orthodontist after experiencing the latest technologies at the AAO. She will describe her transition to dental school as a working professional and discuss how she spends her time in three distinct Orthodontic modalities: private practice, research, and instruction in a residency program. Additionally, she will describe the process by which she was awarded a grant from the National Science Foundation to conduct research on 3D metal printed orthodontic systems.

Learning Objectives:

• Outline the path to dental school for non-dental professionals.
• Identify opportunities for non-clinical orthodontic research.
• Evaluate the commitments and responsibilities of part-time faculty in an Orthodontic residency.