Athanasios Athanasiou

Biography

Dr. Athanasios E. Athanasiou is the Acting Dean and Professor of Orthodontics at the School of Dentistry, European University Cyprus. He is Honorary Professor of Orthodontics, Mohammed Bin Rashid University of Medicine and Health Sciences (MBRU), UAE. He is the President of the Institute of Scientific Affairs of the Hellenic Dental Association. He graduated from the School of Dentistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece, and completed his Orthodontic Residency at Temple University, USA. He earned an MSD from Temple University and a PhD from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. He was President of the World Federation of Orthodontists, the European Federation of Orthodontics, the Greek Orthodontic Society and the Hellenic NARIC. He was President of the School of Dentistry and Professor and Chair of Orthodontics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece, Dean and Professor of Orthodontics at MBRU, and Coordinator of Postgraduate Orthodontic Education at Aarhus University, Denmark. He has co-supervised 67 Ph.D. and Master’s theses, has published more than 200 scientific articles and chapters, has made more than 470 scientific presentations in 49 countries, and has edited 5 textbooks. He serves as referee in many scientific journals and international institutions, and is honorary member of several national orthodontic societies. He has received the Edward Cherkas Memorial Award by Temple University, the Zendium Prize by Aarhus University, the Louise Ada Jarabak Memorial Award by the American Association of Orthodontists, the Award of the European Federation of Orthodontics, and the Award for Excellence in Research, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. In November 2022 the Executive Committee of the World Federation of Orthodontists launched the “Athanasios E. Athanasiou Best Orthodontic Master’s Thesis Award”. He maintains a private practice limited to Orthodontics in Athens, Greece since 1992.  

Lecture Title

Risk Management in Orthodontics

Abstract

During the last decades the formation of a newly introduced entity, namely litigation and malpractice, has evolved to encompass the width and complexity of a scientific discipline. This unlikely blend of principles, derived from the broader health and law sciences, is man-made. It cannot be defined by natural rules and its implications vary greatly, even among the places where it exists. In orthodontics, where the risk of harm is considerably reduced, compared to surgical or other invasive dental acts, malpractice has taken on noticeable dimensions, thus stimulating the orthodontic scientific and professional community to rise attention on avoiding the unfortunate incidents. The aims of the lecture are (a) to explore the etiopathology of various conditions which could or have been described to emanate from orthodontic treatment, and (b) to define the risk factors associated with the induction of pathologies, in an effort to isolate and eliminate them from the standard practice. Topics to be presented in the potential iatrogenic / litigation / malpractice cases will include enamel effects during bonding - debonding and treatment with fixed appliances, impacted canines and root resorption, damage to tooth-supporting tissues, tooth color changes associated with orthodontic therapy, root resorption, and iatrogenic problems related to retention. Although there is no consensus established on the direct association between many procedures or materials and potential harmful situation, the lecture will provide information why orthodontic malpractice may happen, and how important is the communication and informed consent with the patients regarding diagnosis, treatment and retention.

Learning Objectives

At the completion of the lecture, participants of the session will be able to:

• Understand why orthodontic therapy is not a risk-free dental procedure.
• How orthodontic treatment can be associated with undesirable outcomes with regard to dental, periodontal and dentoalveolar structures.
• Which knowledge is evidence-based and what is scientifically unclear regarding harmful situations associated with procedures and materials used in the orthodontic practice.
• What is usually the most common causes of malpractice and how to minimize the risk.