Dr. Sandy Ira Allan Bigman
San Ramon, CA President,
College of Diplomates of the American Board of Orthodontics
Dr. Patrick Turley
Manhattan Beach, CA
PCSO Bulletin Editor-in-Chief
Patrick Turley (PT): What is CDABO?
Sandy Bigman (SB): CDABO stands for the College of Diplomates of the ABO. Founded in 1979, it is an organization that promotes and helps members maintain Board certification through annual meetings and Board exam prep courses, hosts resident case displays at the AAO, and more. Once a person becomes ABO certified, he or she is asked to join the College. We are separate organizations, but CDABO consists of only Board-certified members.
PT: How do your Annual Meetings differ from other meetings?
SB: The CDABO meets annually, usually in July, for a family-oriented scientific meeting. What makes our organization special is that we are an intimate group of colleagues, and we juxtapose high-quality lectures with plenty of family time. Our meetings consist of three half-day sessions (morning lectures), so the afternoons are free for fun. Locations are usually high-end resorts in locations that you might not otherwise visit. Examples include Halifax (Nova Scotia, Canada), Whistler (British Columbia, Canada), Half Moon Bay (California), Coeur D’Alene (Idaho), Kohler (Wisconsin), Sonoma (California), Sun Valley (Idaho), Asheville (North Carolina), and Southampton (New York). CDABO meetings offer a unique opportunity to network and learn from orthodontists at the top of our field. Our speakers are not tied to sponsorships but present on their own merit about their latest research, articles, or textbook chapters. They are heads of departments or leaders in our field, some of whom travel halfway around the world to speak to us. Because our meetings attract a smaller, more intimate group of orthodontists, we have more opportunities to talk or socialize one-on-one with these colleagues. It’s a more personal experience than some of the larger orthodontic meetings.
PT: What days of the week is the Annual Meeting usually held?
SB: Our summer meetings are usually held over a long weekend. The opening reception is on a Friday evening, and classes end by noon on Monday. We try to minimize time out of the office, but many families extend their vacation for a few days at the beginning or end of the meeting (which I do almost every year!).
PT: How do you respond to doctors who say “Summer is a busy time for us but …”
SB: It goes without saying that summer is a busy time in orthodontic practices. However, the lectures and experiences from the CDABO Annual Meeting will be memories that last forever. Even Major League Baseball has an all-star break during the summer. Patients will be there when you get back, and in my opinion these family experiences are treasures of time well spent. I’ve been in orthodontic practice for 36 years, yet I still remember my first CDABO meeting in Sun Valley, Idaho, ice skating with my daughter. We also had a blast in Big Sky, Montana, white water rafting for the first time and then extending our trip to visit Yellowstone National Park. These are memories that I will have forever.
PT: The future is bright. Why?
SB: Board certification is now up to more than 60% of all orthodontists, and I am proud of the College and our part in this success. Growth is on the horizon, and we welcome new members to join and experience this amazing organization and what we offer for a nominal annual fee.
Speaking of the future, our next meeting will be held at the world-famous five-star Broadmoor Resort in Colorado Springs, Colorado, with a “Back to the Future” theme. Our Sunday President’s Dinner will be a themed “Enchantment Under the Sea” dance. Where we are going, we don’t need roads. The CDABO is about more than just the Annual Meeting. We support and encourage orthodontists to become Board certified and maintain their ABO status. CDABO hosts a course for residents and orthodontists preparing to take the ABO exam and recently launched a recertification prep course for orthodontists who are due to recertify. These courses are usually held two or three times each year at the AAO CDABO meeting and at a constituent meeting. Our Annual Meeting is open to Board-eligible orthodontists who register for the Board exam prep course that we host on site. The course is free to those attending the meeting, or a person can come just to the prep course.
PT: With the increase in numbers of Board-certified orthodontists, have you also experienced increasing numbers joining COABO?
SB: Thank you for asking that question. We have not seen a large increase in member numbers yet, but the wave is coming. First, we need to clarify what CDABO is, why it was formed, and how we are separate from the ABO. There seems to be some confusion; some ABO members think they are automatically joining the College when they pay ABO dues, but we are separate organizations. When you join the CDABO and pay the rather small annual membership fee, it helps us fulfill our mission as previously described. We cannot do all that we do (resident case displays, prep courses, high-quality meetings, etc.) without the support of our members. CDABO membership helps hold orthodontic professional standards high. We are excited about our future and invite all Board-certified orthodontists to join the College at info@cdabo.org.
PT: Can you explain the differences between Diplomate and Diplomat?
SB: When an orthodontist passes the ABO exam, they become a Diplomate of the ABO. The title “Diplomate” is for someone who has earned a title or degree such as Board certification, whereas the title “Diplomat” is for an ambassador, such as a governmental official representing their country.
PT: Why join CDABO?
SB: Joining CDABO and maintaining ABO certification is good for our patients, for us as practitioners, and for the specialty. We must hold ourselves to the highest level of excellence, and that standard of excellence is based on current scientific literature. CDABO is here to support you through education and social networking with prep courses, resident case displays, and the CDABO Annual Meeting. From my many years in practice, I can’t stress enough the valuable family time at these magical meetings. The memories will be with me forever. Join CDABO to find out for yourself! To join or renew your membership, email info@cdabo.org or visit our website at www.cdabo.org.
Thank you!