Results of the questionnaire on orthodontic boards

There has been a proliferation of Orthodontic Boards across the world but there is no uniformity in standards, purposes or in the type of examination. In order to promote discussion at the International Orthodontic Congress in Paris in September 2005 a questionnaire was sent out to 80 Orthodontic Societies on the World Federation of Orthodontists list. There was a limited response to the questionnaire but the results are described in this paper. It illustrated that there were mainly two types of Board, mandatory ones that acted to license the Orthodontist in that country on the Specialist register and voluntary ones where the orthodontist demonstrates his excellence. The paper describes the answers to the various questions asked on the purpose, eligibility and type of examination of the Boards. They were also asked about the feasibility of an International Board. This was rejected as an option but an affiliation of Boards was recommended.