A Biographical Portrait of Edward Hartley Angle, the First Specialist in Orthodontics, Part 1

Abstract

Abstract Much of what is known about Edward Hartley Angle, MD, DDS (1855–1930), the acknowledged “father” of modern orthodontics, has been derived from secondary sources, accounts written by his contemporaries and others. New historical research using primary sources, largely the recently published four-volume sourcebook of Angle's correspondence and business transactions from 1899 to 1910, gives a broad view of the personality, interests, and activities of this prime mover in the evolution of orthodontics. This three-part article highlights aspects of Edward H. Angle's life and persona, based on new findings culled from his letters and other personal documents. Part 3 presents a biographical chronology of Angle's remarkable life.