John Valentine Mershon Memorial Past Lecturers and Lecture Titles
Mrs. Harriett Worrall Mershon established the John Valentine Mershon Memorial Lecture in honor of her husband Dr. John V. Mershon. This lecture has been part of the AAO Annual Session program since 1960. Dr. Mershon was a professor of orthodontics at the University of Pennsylvania and developed the removable lingual arch appliance. He was also a pioneer in the application of biological principles in orthodontics. The lecture is administered by the AAO.
Created: July 14, 2008
Updated: January 24, 2025
* Awarded posthumously
| YEAR | AWARD RECIPIENT(S) | TITLE OF LECTURE |
| 2025 | Chris Chang | Six key applications of miniscrews |
| 2024 | Neal Kravitz | Pearls of appreciation |
| 2023 | Mark Hans | Two score and two years – lessons learned |
| 2022 | Hugo De Clerck | More chin |
| 2021 | Eugene Roberts | New technologies for controlling white spot lesions |
| 2020 | David Musich | What is the story behind your smile? Patient treatment stories that inspire specialty education |
| 2019 | Greg Huang | Results from the National Dental PBRN adult anterior openbite study |
| 2018 | James Vaden | Challenges are opportunities |
| 2017 | Thomas Cangialosi | Treatment of the broken or distorted face |
| 2016 | Sheldon Peck | New discoveries to improve orthodontic diagnosis and treatment |
| 2015 | Gerald Nelson | Target approach to treatment planning |
| 2014 | Patrick Turley | The latest on early Class III treatment: where we’ve been and where we’re going |
| 2013 | Richard Kulbersh Valmy Pangrazio Kulbersh | Romancing orthodontics: lessons learned during a 60 year journey |
| 2012 | Thomas Mulligan | Common sense mechanics: fifty years – fact vs. myths |
| 2011 | Katherine Vig | Evolving concepts in orthodontics: from craniofacial biology to clinical assumptions |
| 2010 | Orhan C. Tuncay | The clear and not-so-clear in the crystal ball of orthodontics |
| 2009 | Ravindra Nanda | Achieving treatment goals with predictable mechanics: a 40-year perspective |
| 2008 | Rolf G. Behrents | Opportunities and consequences of growth |
| 2007 | Vincent Kokich; David Matthews; Frank Spear | Controversies in interdisciplinary dentistry: is your team making the correct decisions |
| 2006 | David M. Sarver | Enhancement of orthodontic outcomes; putting a new face on an old concept |
| 2005 | Donald R. Joondeph | Making treatment decisions to maximize facial esthetics |
| 2004 | P. Lionel Sadowsky | Solutions for common orthodontic problems |
| 2003 | Robert J. Isaacson | Growth and biomechanics – who gets the credit |
| 2002 | James A. McNamara | Vertical dementia |
| 2001 | Vincent G. Kokich | Adult orthodontics in the 21st century: how will you choreograph treatment of the debilitated dentition |
| 2000 | Harold C. Slavkin | The language and meanings of DNA, craniofacial growth and development |
| 1999 | Robert L. Boyd | Enhancing the value of orthodontic treatment: integrating effective preventive dentistry into treatment |
| 1998 | Bjorn A. Zachrisson | Research based improvements of clinical orthodontics procedures part 1 and 2 |
| 1997 | William R. Proffit | Open bite: current concepts |
| 1996 | Anthony A. Gianelly | Successes and challenges |
| 1995 | Jack G. Dale | WBO – World board of orthodontics |
| 1994 | Ronald H. Roth | A reassessment of orthodontic treatment goals |
| 1993 | Ane Ten Hoeve Norman M. Cetlin | Non-extraction – long term results |
| 1992 | Robert L. Vanarsdall, Jr. | Diagnosis and treatment of transverse discrepancy |
1991 | Lloyd E. Pearson | Treatment to achieve non-surgical closure of anterior open bites, and reduction of excessive lower facial height |
| 1990 | Lysle E. Johnston, Jr. | Back to the future: drifting toward the turn of the wrong century |
| 1989 | T. M. Graber | Extraction versus nonextraction: has the pendulum swung too far? |
| 1988 | Donald G. Woodside | Dual bite |
| 1987 | John T. Lindquist | A new look at functional appliances |
| 1986 | Charles J. Burstone | The correction of occlusal asymmetries – principles and practice of asymmetric biomechanics |
| 1985 | Jose S. Dahan | Bioactivator: another way to apply Andresen’s, Balter’s and Frankel’s myofunctional principles |
| 1984 | James P. Moss | Functional therapy in the light of 30 years’ experience |
| 1983 | Arthur A. Dugoni | Directions in orthodontic education and practice |
| 1982 | Paul W. Stockli Ullrich Teuscher | The activator-headgear combination in skeletal Class II treatment |
| 1981 | Samuel Pruzansky | Genetics: the fifth dimension in biology |
| 1980 | I. Lawrence Kerr | The challenge of the eighties |
| 1979 | W. J. Tulley | Time and tide |
| 1978 | B. Darryle Bowden | The influence of biological age on the development of craniofacial morphology |
| 1977 | C. Philip Adams | Quality and quantity in orthodontic treatment |
| 1976 | Robert M. Ricketts | The role of the orthodontist in contemporary society |
| 1975 | Alton W. Moore | Orthodontic education – past, present and future |
| 1974 | J. P. Moss | Function – fact or fiction? |
| 1973 | Frank G. Edwards | The anatomy of a professionally managed orthodontic practice |
| 1972 | E. Storey | Growth and remodeling of bone and bones |
| 1971 | J. A. Salzmann | Effect of molecular genetics and genetic engineering on the practice of orthodontics |
| 1970 | Edward V. Zegarelli | The role of the orthodontist in the diagnosis and treatment of cystic and cystic-like diseases of the jaws |
| 1969 | C. Jan Dryer | The stability of the dentition and the integrity of its supporting structures |
| 1968 | Donald H. Enlow | Wolff’s law and the factor of architectonic circumstance |
| 1967 | Kalevi Koskl | Cranial growth centers: facts or fallacies? |
| 1966 | Kaare Reitan | Clinical and histologic observations in tooth movement during and after orthodontic treatment |
| 1965 | Hamilton B. G. Robinson | The orthodontist’s responsibility for oral diagnosis |
| 1964 | Harold Hillenbrand | Specialism in a modern world |
| 1963 | Lester W. Burket | The effects of orthodontic treatment on the periodontal soft tissues |
| 1962 | John R. Abel | Socio-economic trends relating to orthodontics |