Allan Gibson Brodie (October 31, 1897 in New York City – January 2, 1976) was an American
dentist
A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry (the diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the mouth, oral cavity and other aspects of the craniofaci ...
and orthodonist.
An orthodontics teacher, writer, and researcher, Brodie served in a variety of professional positions, such as President of the Chicago Association of Orthodontics, served on advisory boards, achieved a number of professional awards, and was a member of the
American Association of Orthodontists Founded in 1900, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) is the world's oldest and largest dental specialty organization. It represents nearly 19,000 orthodontist members throughout the United States, Canada and abroad. All orthodontists are ...
(AAO), where he established the Prize Essay Award to promote research.
University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine
The University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine (often referred to as Penn Dental Medicine or simply Penn Dental) is the dental school of the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), an Ivy League university located in Philadelphia. It is one ...
in 1919, he began practicing dentistry in
Newark, NJ
Newark ( , ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Jersey and the seat of Essex County and the second largest city within the New York metropolitan area.Edward Angle, the "father of orthodontics," at the Angle School of Orthodontia in
Pasadena, California
Pasadena ( ) is a city in Los Angeles County, California, northeast of downtown Los Angeles. It is the most populous city and the primary cultural center of the San Gabriel Valley. Old Pasadena is the city's original commercial district.
I ...
, in 1925 and 1926, and matriculated in the school's final graduating class. Brodie, in turn, often referred to the Angles as his foster parents.
In 1923, he married Vera Elizabeth Smock. They had three children.
Professional life
Brodie returned to practice in Newark, but in 1929 he was invited by Dean
Frederick Bogue Noyes
Frederick Bogue Noyes (1872–1961) was an American dentist. His dental career began before the age of ten when he worked as an assistant to his dentist father. Noyes began dental practice before entering dental school (legal at the time), an ...
came to the University of Illinois College of Dentistry to organize its Department of Orthodontics—one of the first graduate orthodontics departments established in the United States. The Journal of the
Charles H. Tweed
Charles Henry Tweed (June 24, 1895 – January 11, 1970) was an American orthodontist known for many of his contributions to the field of orthodontics. He was a founder of the Charles H. Tweed Foundation for Orthodontic Research. Tweed a student ...
International Foundation called Noyes' hiring of Brodie the beginning of "the golden age of orthodontics," and considered the department under Brodie "the West Point of orthodontics." The Journal also noted that the establishment of the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Illinois College of Dentistry "marked the fulfillment of Dr. Edward Angle lifelong ambition—to provide a broader and more scientific foundation for the practitioners of his specialty." Brodie ran the department until 1966, and was Dean of the College from 1944 to 1956, while also maintaining a private practice.
Brodie received his MS (
Master of Science
A Master of Science ( la, Magisterii Scientiae; abbreviated MS, M.S., MSc, M.Sc., SM, S.M., ScM or Sc.M.) is a master's degree in the field of science awarded by universities in many countries or a person holding such a degree. In contrast to ...
) degree in anatomy and histology from the University in 1934, and his PhD in anatomy in 1940.
At the time of his death on January 2, 1976, Brodie was writing his own book on orthodontics. In 2004, ''The Dentofacial Complex'' (UIC College of Dentistry Press) was published after being completed by alumni, faculty, and staff of the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry.