Turvey, Blakey Honored by University of Valparaiso, Speak Internationally

Dr. George Blakey III, the Raymond P. White Distinguished Associate Professor of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dr. Timothy Turvey, Professor and Chairman of the UNC School of Dentistry Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, were recently honored by the University of Valparaiso at the 20th Congress of the International Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (IAMOS) in Santiago, Chile.

The awards from the University of Valparaiso recognized Drs. Blakey and Turvey for their outstanding support of the training of oral and maxillofacial surgeons from the University of Valparaiso. For the past 10 years, 12 faculty and residents from the University of Valparaiso have visited the UNC School of Dentistry for several months each year to study surgical treatment of patients with facial deformities.

The awards were presented by University of Valparaiso officials: Dr. Edwin Valencia, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, and Dr. Gaston Zamoraa, Dean of the School of Dentistry. During their comments, both Drs. Valencia and Zamorra noted how positive the experience has been for the participants. They emphasized that the training broadens the professional and cultural perspectives at both institutions, and that the participants gain tremendously from participating in the rotation.

While at IAOMS, both Drs. Blakey and Turvey also presented lectures. Dr. Blakey presented a summary lecture called “The Efficacy of Third Molar Removal.” His lecture discussed the ongoing research at the UNC School of Dentistry and the experience that researchers have had while conducting the study over the last 10 years. Dr. Turvey spoke about the surgical correction of congenital craniofacial conditions.

Additionally, Dr. Turvey recently spoke at two other international locations: the Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital in Melbourne, Australia, and The Orbit 2011 in Ferrara, Italy.

In Melbourne, Dr. Turvey’s topics included midfacial advancement for cleft lip and palate, the surgical treatment of other types of facial clefts, including hemifacial microsomia and Treacher Collins Syndrome, as well as the treatment of mandibular ankylosis (lock jaw).

At The Orbit 2011, Dr. Turvey spoke about a procedure that he modified for improvement of exorbitism (bulging eyes) in patients with underdeveloped faces. He also discussed the importance of involving an orthodontist in the planning of treatment to improve birth defects for children and teen-agers with underdeveloped middle faces. The Orbit 2011 was sponsored by the European Association of Craniomaxillofacial Surgeons and was a tribute to Dr. Paul Tessier, the “Father of Craniofacial Surgery.”