Orthodontics

1. Discipline Overview

In its early years, the Orthodontics specialty of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University was attached to the former Department of Stomatology, whose predecessor was the Department of Dentistry, established in 1914. In 1945, the hospital was renamed “The Affiliated Hospital of National Shandong University,” and the Department of Dentistry was renamed the Department of Dental Medicine. In 1956, the Department of Dental Medicine was renamed the Department of Stomatology and undertook the teaching of stomatology for the medical and pediatric medicine programs of the medical school and the affiliated nursing school. In 1997, the Department of Orthodontics became an independently established secondary discipline separated from the Department of Stomatology (a primary discipline). It is a key discipline in medicine and health in Shandong Province and has a certain reputation in China.

In 1996, with the approval of the State Council, the Stomatological Clinical Medicine program of Qingdao University became an authorized master’s graduate program and began enrolling master’s students. Beginning in 1999, the Orthodontics specialty began enrolling master’s students in this specialty. In 2000, the Department of Stomatology of Qingdao University was established; in 2001, it began enrolling five-year undergraduate students and offered undergraduate courses in orthodontics. In 2006, it was designated a key laboratory of Stomatological Clinical Medicine in Shandong Province’s “11th Five-Year Plan” for higher education institutions and a national continuing education base for stomatology of the Ministry of Health. In 2013, it was approved as a provincial standardized resident training center.

After years of unremitting effort, the Department of Orthodontics has achieved leapfrog development in scale, medical services, specialty structure, academic level, and talent training, and has made remarkable achievements in medical care, teaching, scientific research, and other areas.

2. Talent Echelon

The Department of Orthodontics has a rational talent echelon and strong personnel capabilities. It has developed into a high-level medical, teaching, and research group headed by master’s supervisors and supported by a large number of highly qualified young and middle-aged technical professionals. The discipline currently has 10 full-time physicians, including 3 with doctoral degrees and 6 with master’s degrees; the proportion of personnel with master’s or higher degrees is 90%. There are 2 with senior professional titles and 2 with associate senior professional titles, accounting for 40% of the total. There are 4 master’s supervisors, 1 standing committee member of the Chinese Society of Orthodontics, and 1 editorial board member of the Chinese Journal of Orthodontics. The department also has several physicians serving concurrently in academic organizations at the national, provincial, and municipal levels, and several physicians undertake peer review for multiple professional journals in China and abroad.

3. Medical Technology and Professional Features

In clinical work, in addition to treating common malocclusions, the department’s new medical technologies have consistently been at the forefront in China. In recent years, it has continuously introduced high-level, high-quality treatment technologies at the internationally advanced level, such as: (1) temporary anchorage device technology (2) self-ligating orthodontic technology (3) bracketless clear aligner therapy (4) lingual orthodontic technology (5) treatment of impacted and unerupted teeth (6) sequential treatment of cleft lip and palate (7) combined orthodontic-orthognathic treatment, etc.

By implementing dynamic scientific management and putting into practice the medical service philosophy of “patient-centered care and medical quality as the core,” the department has achieved success in both quality and efficiency. It now sees more than 2,000 new cases annually. Patients who come because of its reputation are not only from surrounding areas, but also from outside the province and even from abroad.

The Department of Orthodontics of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University is a young department with strong technical capabilities. Years of diligent effort have earned it high praise from peers and countless commendations from patients. Its strong talent and technological influence have greatly promoted the improvement of orthodontic care in the province and region.

4. Scientific Research and Teaching

In recent years, the department has undertaken more than 10 research projects of provincial and municipal governments at all levels and has received nearly 10 provincial- and municipal-level research awards; it has participated in the compilation of nearly 10 monographs; and it has published more than 200 academic papers in publicly available academic journals in China and abroad, many of which have been indexed by SCI, EI, MEDLINE, and other databases. More than 10 person-times have gone abroad for study, visiting study, and academic exchanges. Department members have made conference presentations many times at professional conferences in China and abroad, expanding the influence of the discipline.

The department adheres to development and innovation in teaching practice. Relying on the Key Laboratory of Stomatological Clinical Medicine of Shandong Province’s higher education institutions and the national continuing education base for stomatology of the Ministry of Health, it has successively introduced multimedia teaching and bilingual teaching on campus, achieving significant results. Taking advantage of its provincial key discipline and master’s program, the Department of Orthodontics has worked diligently and persistently, training a total of 550 undergraduate students, more than 100 master’s students, and more than 40 visiting physicians, who are distributed throughout China. The department has held medical continuing education courses and academic exchange activities at various levels year after year, contributing to the popularization and improvement of orthodontic technology.

5. Guide to Medical Visits

Department location and consultation telephone numbers

Shinan Campus: 5th floor, Outpatient Building 82911225

Laoshan Campus: 2nd floor, Building B, Inpatient Building 82913180

West Coast Campus: 4th floor, Outpatient Building 82919167