Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2017 - 40

Faculty Files

Dr. Ji Hyun Ahn

Dr. Ji Hyun Ahn
Roseman University
of Health Sciences, Henderson, NV

Dr. Ji Hyun Ahn is currently a full-time faculty
member at the Roseman University of Health
Sciences, Henderson, NV. Born and raised in
Daegu, South Korea, Dr. Ahn graduated with a
D.D.S. degree from the esteemed Kyung-pook
National University Dental School in 1995. She
then pursued postgraduate training and
received her Master's degree in orthodontics
in 1998. Soon after, she joined private practice
and gained a decade of clinical experience in
temporary anchorage devices (TADs) and lingual
orthodontic appliances in addition to conventional orthodontics.
In 2009, Dr. Ahn was invited to visit the University of the Pacific (UOP) as a visiting scholar. The
pursuit of excellence and desire for lifelong education enabled her to enjoy orthodontics in full
scope again. During her time at UOP, she devoted
herself to cone-beam computed tomography
(CBCT) research and studied the frame of reference in usage of 3-D CBCT. She was also actively
involved with UOP's mixed dentition studies,
comparing incisor root resorption between twophase and one-phase orthodontic treatment. Dr.
Ahn feels privileged for the life-changing learning experiences with her mentors and colleagues
at UOP.
During this time, Dr. Ahn was also exposed to
complex Invisalign cases, and she gained expertise in the field of clear aligner therapy. Before

coming to the U.S., Invisalign was not something
she ever considered using for orthodontic treatment. Though the chasm between fixed appliances and Invisalign was large, her transition
to clear aligner treatment was smooth due to indepth educational courses and years of clinical
experience at UOP. With a flexible and open
mindset, she stepped out of her comfort zone
and explored new orthodontic practices with ease.
The Importance of Critical Thinking
As part of her previous orthodontic training in
South Korea, Dr. Ahn was exposed to various
functional appliances and used Frankel appliances, activators, and headgear to correct
skeletal discrepancies. Unique philosophies of
mixed dentition treatment at UOP, including
comprehensive Phase I treatment, encouraged
her to maximize headgear use to avoid lower
incisor proclination. That led her to be a critic of
procedures she had previously used, and more
generally, of common beliefs in orthodontics.
Critical thinking is now one of her key skills. All
of these experiences inspired Dr. Ahn to pursue
another orthodontic training in the U.S. She
graduated from the UOP Orthodontics Residency
program in 2013, having completed a Master's
thesis entitled Evaluation of the Midsagittal
Plane in CBCT: Comparison of Midline Structures
and Midpoints of Bilateral Structures in Growing
Class II Patients. Since then, her interest in CBCTrelated research has further expanded.

Professor Kyung's visit to Roseman University for a hands-on TAD course, 2015
40

PCSO Bulletin  Fall 2017

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists Bulletin Fall 2017