Orthodontics began for me in love

The brilliant Dr. Walter Doyle was the first dentist in the world to have taken and passed the boards in both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics.

Teaching orthodontics (like at this seminar near Washington, D.C.) is a big part of my life.

Abu Dhabi's Advanced American Dental Clinic is one place where I pursue my love of practicing orthodontics. 

Orthodontics began for me in love.

After dental school, I loved the idea of learning about treating the poor growth and bites which can affect a child’s function, face and beauty. I wanted to help the child grow into his or her greatest beauty. 

Before going off to the University of Connecticut for pediatric specialty training, while still at University of Kentucky College of Dentistry (as a faculty member), I visited the office of Dr. Walter Doyle, the world’s first dentist to have taken and passed boards in both pediatric dentistry and orthodontics. Wow!  It was a privilege.

I was thrilled to see Dr. Doyle's cranio-facial orthopedic approach to young children with adverse growth, though I didn’t understand much then.  He was teaching seminars for dentists, particularly pediatric dentists at that time, sharing his knowledge, wisdom and techniques. 

Later, in my pediatric residency, I would get Dr. Doyle’s brochures for his seminars and read them longingly, wanting to take the seminars and learn more orthodontics. It had to wait. Connecticut was a “fur piece” from Kentucky.

But, God intervened with manifestation of my dreams!

After my pediatric residency, Orthodontic Faculty member Dr. Sam Weinstein offered me the opportunity to do a fellowship in Orthodontics there, at U of Connecticut. I jumped at the opportunity. Still I looked at the Doyle Seminar brochures and planned when I would be able to take those seminars.

Well, God again stepped in. Manifestations again, only better than I could have imagined.

One day I found myself talking to Dr. Walter Doyle about practicing with him in his Lexington, Kentucky, practice!!! He said, “Of course I would ask that you take my seminars.”  OMG as we say!  

The word co-incidence comes from a Latin word, congruens, “to come together perfectly.”  (Shepherd, HE, The History of Coincide and Coincidence, Am J of Philology 1:3. 271-280)

To come together perfectly. Yes! (The rest is history, as they say.)  As the Universe met my yearning to learn orthodontics, also, Walter and I fell in love and became partners in orthodontics and in life.

And in time, after the way-too-soon loss of Walter, the Doyle Seminars, now known as Dr. Chris Baker Seminars, represent my  love and passion. They have continued to grip and guide me in my life of learning and teaching of orthodontics. 

Coincidences in love and orthodontics - to come together perfectly!