Awards
- IU Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Award - 2010
About Dr. Charles J. Burstone
Dr. Charles J. Burstone, Professor Emeritus of Orthodontics at the School of Dental Medicine of the University of Connecticut, died at age 86 on Feb. 11 in Seoul, South Korea. An internationally acclaimed researcher, teacher, and pioneer in the field of orthodontic biomechanics research, he had delivered his last lecture on that topic just a few hours before experiencing cardiac arrest.
Dr. Burstone was born in Kansas City, Missouri. After completing his dental training at Washington University in St. Louis, he served as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force from 1951 to 1953. While stationed at the K-9 Air Base in the Suyeong district of Busan, South Korea, he provided dental care to the troops and the local villagers. A lifelong photographer, Dr. Burstone explored the area near the base and filmed and photographed Korean villagers going about their daily tasks in a time of war. The National Folk Museum in Seoul developed an exhibit and documentary film featuring his images in 2011.
Upon completion of his military service, Dr. Burstone enrolled in the orthodontic program at Indiana University. Immediately after his graduation in 1955, he joined the Department of Orthodontics as a faculty member, becoming Acting Chairman in 1956 and Chairman in 1961. He headed the department until 1970, developing over that time a department that became internationally known for its research, particularly in Biomechanics and for the quality of its graduates, who went on to become outstanding clinicians and teachers throughout the world. In association with Dr. Sam Weinstein, Dr. Burstone then founded the Department of Orthodontics at the University of Connecticut School of Dental Medicine in Farmington. From 1970 to 1992, he served as Professor and Head of the department. He was named Professor Emeritus in 1994, but he continued to teach and conduct research at the university. He led a course in biomechanics for the incoming orthodontic residents every summer, eventually teaching more than 44 classes of residents at the university.
Dr. Burstone was a brilliant leader in the field of Orthodontics, conducting significant research in the field of clinical orthodontics. He was well-known for the development of the field of orthodontic biomechanics. He was the co-developer of many new orthodontic wires; he had numerous patents related to Orthodontics, Biomechanics and Material Sciences. His work was also been recognized by the Federal Government. In addition to his research in Physics and Engineering, he was also well-known for his Soft-tissue Analysis of the face and his pioneering efforts in Facial Esthetics. He published many books and book chapters and over 150 articles.
Dr. Burstone was a member of Omicron Kappa Upsilon and Sigma Xi Fraternities. He was awarded the American Association of Orthodontists First Research Award in 1956, the Tokyo Medical-Dental School Award in 1983, the Connecticut Society of Orthodontics Strang Award in 1983, the Canadian Dental Association Grieve Memorial Award in 1987, the John Valentine Mershon Memorial Lecture Award in 1987, and the Jarabak Award from the University of Michigan in 1991, to name a few. Based on his contributions, he was awarded an honorary Ph.D degree from The Royal Dental College, Aarhus, Denmark in 1989. He was an honorary member in many Societies in the United States and Abroad. He received the most prestigious American Association of Orthodontics Ketcham award in 1999. He was inducted into the Royal College of Surgeons in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1994. The Association of University Technology Managers listed his research developments in Fiber Reinforced Composites as one of the 25 most important innovations that changed the world. Dr. Burstone was the President of the Great Lake Society of Orthodontists in 1969. He was appointed to the Dental Study Section of the US Public Health Service from 1965 to 1969. He was a Director of the American Board of Orthodontics from 1979 to 1986 and was its President in 1986. He has trained over 200 Orthodontists at Indiana University and the University of Connecticut. He lectured widely in the United States and on almost every continent internationally. He was one of the first orthodontists to help educate Chinese dentists in Orthodontics when China was opened up after the death of Mao.
To thank Dr. Burstone for his loyalty and commitment to Indiana University, the School of Dentistry established the Charles J. Burstone Orthodontics Biomechanics Initiative, creating an international symposium to further advance the study of biomechanics in the specialty of orthodontics.