Kevin O’Brien

Kevin O’Brien Emeritus Professor of Orthodontics at the University of Manchester UK.

Kevin was appointed as a professor of orthodontics at the University of Manchester in 1996. He has held positions in the USA, served as Dean of Manchester Dental School from 2004 to 2007, and was Associate Dean of the Faculty of Medical and Human Sciences from 2007 to 2010. He also served as chair of the General Dental Council between 2011 and 2013. He has published over 100 scientific papers, primarily in the American Journal of Orthodontics. He has delivered the Northcroft Memorial and Ballard Lectures for the British Orthodontic Society and has received the Turpin, Dewel, and Jarabak awards from the American Association of Orthodontists. Currently, he writes a surprisingly successful orthodontic blog (www.kevinobrienorthoblog.com).

Course Details

What have I learnt from Trials, tribulations, snake oil and blogs?

In this presentation, I will give a retrospective on my career and what I have learnt from conducting several clinical trials. I will revisit some of my studies from a contemporary clinical perspective. Then, I will reflect on the influence of social media and blogs on clinical practice. Finally, I will attempt to outline a way forward through the’ white noise” of information we receive.

Learning outcomes

By the end of this lecture, delegates will

• Understand the development of clinical trials.
• Analyse trial results from the patients point of view.
• Evaluate alternative methods of gaining research information.