The World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO) has created its first World Orthodontic Health Day
The first World Orthodontic Health Day will be held on 15th May 2017. The news has been welcomed by the British Orthodontic Society. The date was chosen for the first worldwide celebration because this is the anniversary of the formation of the WFO in 1995.
The announcement of WOHD takes place during the meeting of the American Association of Orthodontists meeting in San Diego this month. It will be made by the President, Dr Allan Thom of the UK, who will address all the Presidents of the WFO’s member organisations.
Richard George, Director of External Relations for the BOS, said: ‘We are delighted to support World Orthodontic Health Day. The emphasis being placed by the WFO on the health benefits that orthodontics can bring to patients is welcomed by the BOS. This ties in neatly with a similar initiative in the UK and the launch of a new document from the BOS called Better Teeth for Life in early May.’
‘We are delighted that the inaugural celebration takes place during the year when Dr Allan Thom of the UK is President of WFO. We wish Allan and colleagues (the WFO affiliate organisation presidents gathered for the WFO’s annual breakfast reception at the American Association of Orthodontists meeting) a successful launch of this important new global event celebrating orthodontics.’
Special logo
The WFO has created a special logo that will establish the brand identity of this annual celebration going forward The WFO Promotions Committee Dr Nikhilesh Vaid, chair, Dr. Ricardo Machado Cruz of Brazil and Dr Yanheng Zhou of China evaluated more than 25 designs to zero in on a logo that symbolically represents World Orthodontic Health Day.
The artist, Ananth Shankar said: ‘The World Orthodontic Health Day is celebrated by a logo that aims to become an easily recognised icon of orthodontic care across the globe.
At the core of the logo is a wide smile, bright white teeth space within healthy pink gums that have braces on them. These braces represent the kinship between orthodontists and a world that unites when people smile. This symbol of harmony also represents the coming together of a legendary spirit, thus in Olympic colours, signifying people of every race and colour coming together for orthodontic health.’
