The British Orthodontic Society Conference (BOC) 2025 has closed following three days of clinical insights, research-based future-gazing and business-building knowledge-sharing, leaving the UK’s orthodontic community well placed to face any coming challenges armed with insider information and refreshed confidence.
Raising the bar for orthodontic events, and this year hosted at the state-of-the-art venue ICC Wales, BOC 2025 brought together the entire orthodontic community and a unique line-up of world-class speakers – many presenting in the UK for the first time. Lectures covered a broad spectrum of progressive topics, including Digital Systems, AI, Skeletal Anchorage, Aligners and Early Treatment Planning.
BOC 2025 Committee Chair, Dr. Guy Deeming said: “What an exhilarating, insightful three days. The fantastic, campus-based setting of the ICC in Wales – a first-time venue for BOC, meant we could bring together the entire delegate population both for the Conference itself, and importantly, the social events. This made it so much more collaborative, with more opportunities for networking.
“Of course, I also worked closely with our Conference scientific advisor Professor Martyn Cobourne to bring together our fantastic speaker line-up. Dr. Jay Bowman from the United States, Dr. Dietmar Zuran, Dr. Marie Cornelis, Dr. Eugene Chan and Dr. Paulo Cattaneo – all flying in from Australia, Dr. Thor Henrikson who join digitally from Sweden, and the UK’s Drs. Simon Littlewood, and Richard Cousley, to name but a few. The sheer knowledge and experience shared throughout the three days will undoubtedly left delegates with much to take back to their own practices in the coming days and months.”
Three days of masterclasses
BOC 2025, day one [Wednesday] included Dr. Jay Bowman and Dr. Sunil Hirani on the main stage. Dr. Bowman, a firm favourite on the international speaker circuit, drew on his extensive experience of practicing orthodontics in North America, with his talk You Can’t Always Get What You Want, blending clinical truth telling with practical takeaways for everyday practice. Dr Hirani leaned into his two decades of practice with his talk entitled Invisible Orthodontics and TADs-Atomic Habits. A mix of personal philosophy built around his belief in the power of small, consistent improvements, his presentation explored how to manage complex cases using invisible systems, such as clear aligners and lingual appliances, supported by temporary anchorage devices (TADs).
BOC 2025, day two [Thursday], introduced sessions running in parallel with the main Conference. Dr. Claire Nightingale, a highly experienced and multiple prize-winning orthodontist who combines private practice with NHS consultancy, took delegates though her experience in Practice Development, as did dentist-turned coach,
Dr. Sophie Acker whose session explored the complex, emotional and practical transitions orthodontists experience at key moments in their careers and lives. Her talk addressed the human side of progress and how professional and personal lives overlap. “There is no such thing as the work-you and the home-you. You’re the same person, carrying the same values and anxieties across both spaces,” she told delegates.
On the main stage, Dr. Dietmar Zuran and Dr. Thor Henrikson’s talks both concentrated on the complexities and possibilities of incorporating clear aligners into treatment plans. Dr. Zuran’s Optimising Aligner Efficiency: High Trimline, Minimal Attachments & DM Integration was followed later in the day by Dr. Thor Henrikson’s who joined via a live link from Sweden with his presentation – Open Bite Treatment with Clear Aligners, the Art of the Possible. Dr. Jay Bowman took to the stage for the second time with More than Lip Service for Amaranthine Orthodontic Controversies, which explored interrupting Class II compensation.
Their talks were punctuated by one of two topics addressed during the Conference by Dr. Marie Cornelis – Retention and stability: an evidence-based update. She believes that post-retention stability is becoming an increasingly popular issue now that around half of the Western world’s population now undergoes orthodontic treatment.
BOC 2025, day three [Friday], included Dr. Bjorn Ludwig taking to the main stage to deliver his talk – High Tech, Low Tech, and the Road in Between: Enthusiasm, Frustration, and Pragmatism in Orthodontics, which covered combining skeletal anchorage with aligners, particularly for more complex cases. His clinical lecture included plenty of video, practical tips, and real-life workflows to give delegates a realistic flavour of his subject. Orthodontic therapist Sara Jalloul presented Behind the Smile: Addressing Burnout in Orthodontics to an audience of Nurses & Orthodontic Therapists as part of a joint programme.
Dr. Marie Cornelis closed the main proceedings when she returned for her second presentation of the Conference – Bone anchored maxillary protraction: burden vs outcome. She opined that skeletal anchorage and digital workflows have reshaped the way orthodontists think and plan, with her talk delving into her subject’s complexities with her real-world experience.
More Conversations
What made this year’s programme especially interesting was that beyond the main lecture hall sessions, delegates had the opportunity to attend Studio Sessions, which offered the chance of informal Q&As with headline speakers, enabling them to ask follow-up questions or dig deeper into presentations. There were also several focused streams throughout the Conference, including a full-day cleft programme for clinicians working in joint clinics, or who wanted to strengthen their understanding of interdisciplinary care, hands-on workshops and exam preparation guidance for trainees.
The event was also the setting for the UK’s largest-ever orthodontic exhibition featuring next-generation treatments, practice workflow technologies and techniques, offering delegates a unique opportunity to see latest and up-coming innovations all in one place. This year’s in-exhibition Trade Theatre played host to commercial presentations, demonstrations, product previews and clinical hints and tips.
The incoming BOC 2026 Chair Dr. Simon Watkinson concluded “I’d like to thank Guy and the wider team for putting on such an insightful and engaging event. The sheer range of expertise and forward-thinking over the three days left delegates in no doubt that possibilities continue to grow for orthodontics.”
Alongside the educational and insightful aspect of BOC 2025, the Conference’s social highlights included welcome drinks for all delegates and speakers on the opening day. A BOS party, complete with street food-style catering on the Thursday evening, brought everyone together to really let their hair down and get to know each, plus share ideas and insights in an informal setting.
BOC 2026 will again take place 24th-26th September, this time in Brighton. Keep up to date with Conference planning at Home – British Orthodontic Society (BOS)
