By Matthew Johnson
The Nigerian Association of Orthodontists (NAO) has marked its 20th anniversary with calls for greater adoption of artificial intelligence (AI), digital technology and locally generated research to expand access to quality orthodontic care in Nigeria.
Speaking at the association’s 20th anniversary conference, themed “360-Degree Excellence, Ethics and Experience, National President of Nigerian Association of Orthodontists, NAO , and Chief Medical Director, University of Benin Teaching Hospital, Professor Idia Izayi-Iyamu said the association’s 20th anniversary provided an opportunity to assess its progress and prepare for the next phase of orthodontic practice.
Izayi-Iyamu said the theme of the conference was designed to encourage practitioners to examine orthodontics from a holistic perspective, covering ethics, excellence, mentorship, technological development and professional practice.
Izayi-Iyamu explained that orthodontics had evolved significantly, particularly with the introduction of digitalisation, artificial intelligence, modern appliances and new treatment techniques.
She added that the 20th anniversary aimed at strengthening mentorship and collaboration between older practitioners and younger orthodontists.
She said: “When we started 20 years ago, we were looking at it straight on, which is what we call one dimension. But if you look at life and the world we live in now, it is round. That is a 360-degree perspective with inclusion of Artificial Intelligence.
“Younger orthodontists need a new version of lecture compare to what we had then because the world is digitally Evolved.
“We said, let’s look at orthodontics holistically in 360 degrees. Let’s look at it from the ethical point of view. What are we doing right? What do we need to do right to get it right?” Izayi-Iyamu said
Delivering the keynote address , Professor Carlos Flores-Mir of the University of Alberta, Canada, said AI and other technologies should support, rather than replace, the clinical judgment of orthodontists.
He said the future of orthodontics would increasingly involve artificial intelligence, digital imaging, intraoral scanning, 3D printing, remote monitoring and data-driven treatment planning.
According to him, AI could assist orthodontists in areas including diagnosis, cephalometric analysis, growth assessment, treatment planning, image segmentation and patient monitoring.
However, He cautioned practitioners against relying solely on technology, stressing that orthodontics remained a clinical profession requiring human judgment.
He noted that AI could also help improve early detection and referral, particularly in communities where access to orthodontic specialists remained limited.
Flores-Mir also highlighted concerns around patient privacy, cybersecurity, informed consent, data ownership and professional accountability, urging practitioners to ensure adequate regulation and validation of AI technologies.
Flores-Mir urged orthodontists to rethink conventional assumptions about craniofacial growth, saying new longitudinal studies indicate that changes in the face and jaws continue well beyond adolescence.
He explained that skeletal changes could continue into adulthood, while soft tissue changes could persist into the 50s and 60s, with implications for treatment planning and long-term retention.
He said orthodontists should therefore consider the long-term growth and development of patients rather than assuming that treatment outcomes would remain unchanged after adolescence.
“AI should not replace the orthodontist. It should reduce the amount of mechanical work that prevents the orthodontist from doing what humans do best,” Flores-Mir said.
“Properly validated digital systems could assist general dental practitioners in identifying patients who require specialist orthodontic assessment, thereby improving access to care.
“Nigerian orthodontic institutions to develop locally generated and ethically governed datasets to ensure that AI systems used in the country adequately reflect Nigerian and African populations.
“An AI system is only as good as the data in which it is fed into it. If the data predominantly represents populations from other parts of the world, we should not automatically assume that the resulting algorithms will perform equally well with Nigerian patients, future orthodontist would need clinical judgment, knowledge of craniofacial growth, biomechanics and communication skills, alongside digital and data literacy.”Flores-Mir said.
Professor Michael Chukwudi Isekwu, described as the “grandfather of orthodontics” in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, said the country had grown from having only a handful of orthodontists to more than 70 specialists.
Isekwu, who was the first professor of orthodontics in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa, said the standard of orthodontic training in the country could compete internationally.
He encouraged younger practitioners to embrace the opportunities emerging in the profession, saying the future of orthodontics in Nigeria remained promising.
“When you hear somebody is an orthodontist in this country, it equals orthodontists anywhere because I go to examine in England and America and I am a visiting professor.” he said
A pioneer of orthodontic training in Nigeria, Department of Child Dental Health, College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL). and Consultant Orthodontist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba Professor Oluwatosin Sanu , recalled that he was among the first three locally trained orthodontists in the country.
She attributed the development of orthodontics in Nigeria to the mentorship and vision of Professor Michael Chukwudi Isikwe, whom he described as a pioneer of the specialty in the country.
Sanu said the growth of orthodontic training had enabled several generations of specialists to emerge, with many institutions now offering residency programmes.
Meanwhile, Professor Wasiu Adeyemo, Chief Medical Director of Lagos University Teaching Hospital, LUTH, idi-araba Lagos said Nigeria had made progress in healthcare delivery despite persistent challenges.
Adeyemo stressed the need for professionals to contribute to the development of the country’s health system, while acknowledging the impact of migration of healthcare workers.
“Increased investment in healthcare infrastructure, training and public-private partnerships would be necessary to strengthen the sector. Nigerian specialists could deliver quality services despite limitations in equipment and infrastructure.”Adeyemo said
