Orthodontic Qualifications for Dr. Keith Allain

Patients always question why is Dr. Allain, who is a General Dentist, doing so much advanced orthodontic treatment. Don’t most patients see an Orthodontic specialist for braces? This is often the question asked.

Dr. Allain is not a licensed orthodontic specialist but has advanced orthodontic training by board certified orthodontists and multiple hours of continuing training yearly. His dental license allows him to practice all phases of dentistry, including orthodontics, that he is trained and qualified for.

Unfortunately most Dentists do not receive adequate training in orthodontics in Dental School. Most Dentists come out of school and have had many experience doing filling, crowns, bridges, dentures and most other phases of dentistry. But the orthodontic curriculum often doesn’t include any actual patient centered orthodontic treatment.

In order for a General Dentist to become proficient in Orthodontics they must seek out advanced postgraduate training on their own. The other option is to attend a university based orthodontic training/residency program. The problem with doing the orthodontic programs is that once you become a specialist you can’t do any other phase of dentistry. Dr. Allain enjoys almost all phases of dentistry and couldn’t just do orthodontics. That is why he sought out advanced training on his own.

In order to be effective in achieving ideal results, the modern dental practitioner must be knowledgeable and experienced in the details of differential diagnosis, prognosis, treatment planning, treatment options, and biomechanics design. Experienced dental clinicians such as Dr. Allain realize that attainment of ideal orthodontic results is neither easy nor simple. Therefore, intensive study is essential and qualified educational leadership critical.

The first program was through the United States Dental Institute in 1995 where he accumulated over 110 hours worth of comprehensive orthodontic treatment taught by a national faculty of orthodontist, pediatric dentists and general dentists. This was an excellent program that gave an all around training for orthodontics.

In 1999 Dr. Allain realized that his training was far from complete. He had the opportunity to start training with Dr. Gerald Samson of (g)nathos, inc. (http://www.gnathosconted.com). In 1982, Dr. Gerald S. Samson founded (g)nathos, inc. to provide continuing orthodontic education to health professionals who are seeking an increased level of sophistication in the delivery of orthodontic care for their patients. Considering the large scope encompassed by the specialty of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics, the specific attention in the (g)nathos organization is on the growing patient.

Dr. Samson is a 1975 graduate of Marquette University Dental School. He completed pediatric dental residency in 1979 at Emory University under the direction of Dr. Ed. Hibbard. He went on to complete an orthodontic residency in 1981 under the direction of Dr. Harold T. Perry at Northwestern University in Chicago, Illinois.

From 1981 until 1987, Dr. Samson was an Assistant Professor at Emory University in Atlanta. His teaching responsibilities in the Division of Craniofacial Development - Department of Orthodontics included post-doctoral seminars in craniofacial osteology and physiology; craniofacial growth and development; historical and contemporary literature review; and the clinical application of Ricketts Analysis, diagnosis, prognosis, treatment planning and clinical biomechanics design.

In 1987, Dr. Samson was named Director of the Institute for Bioprogressive Education, The Ricketts School of the Southeastern United States by Dr. Robert M. Ricketts. Dr. Samson has lectured extensively and is a Diplomate of The American Board of Orthodontics. He has been the featured speaker for numerous regional, national and international meetings including the annual meetings of The Foundation for Orthodontic Research (F.O.R.); The American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry; The Australian Orthodontic Society - Queensland Branch; The Parana Orthodontic Society of Brazil, The Bioprogressive Orthodontic Societies of France and Italy; and The Venezuelan Orthodontic Society. Currently, Dr. Samson is an Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee, Memphis; The University of Alabama at Birmingham and The University of Texas at San Antonio and is visiting lecturer for orthodontic post-graduate programs at The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia and at Otago University in Dunedin, New Zealand as well as multiple U.S. ortho programs.

Since 1981 he has been in the full-time private practice of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics in Marietta, Georgia. Because of his special interest in the clinical modification of dentofacial development, Dr. Samson's private practice is essentially limited to "growing" patients.

In 2005 Dr. Samson received his Fellowship with the American College of Dentists (F.A.C.D.).

The American College of Dentists is the oldest national honorary organization for dentists. The College has a long and distinguished association with leaders and leadership. The College was founded by the leaders of dentistry in 1920, selects new Fellows primarily based on leadership, exhibits leadership in areas related to its mission, includes leadership as a key mission element, and has long offered educational opportunities related to leadership.

As you can see Dr. Samson is an internationally known orthodontic lecturer/teacher who also happens to have advanced dual training residencies in both Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry. This is a rare combination that provides for the best of both worlds. Dr. Allain feels privileged training with Dr. Samson.

Dr. Allain has over 300 hours of training with Dr. Samson’s group let alone over 50 hours of advanced orthodontic biomechanics courses with Dr. Samson’s partner, Dr. Eric Lowenhaupt. Dr. Lowenhaupt is also a licensed Board Certified orthodontist practicing in Jupiter Florida.

Dr. Allain feels very comfortable dealing with almost all orthodontic situations and it is rare that he refers patients out for orthodontic treatment. The advantages to our patients are numerous including less running around for the parents, timely treatment due to advanced diagnostics and more frequent visits to our office and advanced biomechanical techniques to get cases done quicker.

Two years of advanced esthetic training from the University of Minnesota esthetics continum allows Dr. Allain to combine orthodontics with advanced cosmetic dentistry to get outstanding esthetic results with various combinations of treatment that couldn’t be done only at an orthodontic office. For all these reasons please feel comfortable in the knowledge of Dr. Allain’s training!

Please feel free asking any pertinent questions about orthodontic care for your child or yourself.

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