Objectives: Aozora Seminar was founded by six Japanese orthodontists five years ago, to provide a 3-day camp for graduate orthodontic residents mostly in Asian Pacific region. Purpose of the seminar is to provide an opportunity for those who wish to improve their orthodontic ideas to discuss freely with other orthodontists, regardless of their ages, universities and nationalities. This presentation is to report its five years activities with the participation of five invited speakers.
Programs: The first seminar was held in Aichi, November 2005, the second in Tokyo, November 2006, the third in Osaka, December 2007, the forth in Tokyo, November 2008, and the fifth in Osaka, November 2009. The seminar included proposals and messages from senior orthodontists, introduction of educational systems that invited speakers received previously and give presently in their universities, research activities of invited speakers, and case presentation by the participants and senior orthodontists. In each seminar, about 30 orthodontic residents participated from Japan, China, Taiwan, Mexico, Thailand and Italy. According to a questionnaire, they appreciated the programs of the seminar. The seminar news are presented on http://www.aozora-nakanuki.com/
Conclusion: Orthodontic graduate residents wish for exchange of information, active discussions, and friendship with other orthodontists beyond generations, universities, and nationalities. “Aozora” means the blue sky without any boundary. In this sense, Aozora Seminar will offer a chance of direct communication to meet a great variety of vision for the future orthodontics. Young orthodontic residents are welcomed from not only the Asian Pacific but also other part of the world.