Dentistry in focus: Dr. Rolf Elling Berg is 90 years old!

Dentistry in focus: Dr. Rolf Elling Berg is 90 years old!

Dr. odont. Rolf Elling Berg, an outstanding dentist and professor emeritus, celebrates his 90th birthday on April 19 in Sandefjord, Norway. Born in 1935 in Hadsel, Vesterålen, he enjoys an outstanding reputation in dentistry, particularly in orthodontics, not only in Norway but also internationally.

Berg began studying dentistry at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität in Bonn and graduated with the state examination in 1958. After returning to Norway, he worked as a dentist in the Navy and in various practices and school dental clinics. The crucial phase of his further training took place at the University Hospital in Bern, where he studied between 1962 and 1964 under the guidance of Prof. Dr. Paul Herren learned orthodontics.

Professional milestones

Between 1965 and 1984 he ran a successful orthodontic practice in Trondheim. In 1972 he co-founded the Angle Society of Europe and served as president from 1980 to 1982. Berg was also president of the Norwegian Society of Orthodontics from 1974 to 1978. His academic career reached another high point in 1984 with his habilitation at the University of Oslo, followed by his appointment as director of the department of orthodontics and professor at Saarland University.

During his 16 years in Homburg, Berg played a key role in increasing the number of treatments; these increased tenfold under his leadership. He supervised 18 dissertations and one habilitation and was actively involved in European research projects on quality assurance in orthodontics. His organization of the annual meeting of the German Society for Orthodontics, which took place in Saarbrücken in 1993, remains another remarkable legacy.

Commitment and awards

In 1999, Berg became an honorary member of the German Society for Orthodontics, a recognition of his many years of expertise and achievements in this field. Another milestone was the initiation of the transformation of the “Advances in Maxillofacial Surgery” into a bilingual journal, now known as the “Journal of Orofacial Orthopedics.” Even after his retirement in 2001, he remained committed to continuing education at the University of Oslo.

His scientific work includes over 50 publications. These include significant articles on orthodontic treatment outcomes as well as untreated tooth and jaw misalignments. He carried out a remarkable study on 69 people born in 1942 who had not undergone orthodontic treatment.

Graduates of the orthodontic training that Berg shaped not only receive a final certificate, but also the authorization to hold the academic degree Master of Science (Continuing Education) – MSc (CE). This training complies with the requirements of the Dentists Act and meets the minimum requirements for specialist dental training. It offers a solid foundation for aspiring orthodontists and contributes to the high quality of dental care in Europe.

Rolf Elling Berg not only crowned his own career, but also had a decisive influence on the field of dentistry. His membership in the dental community and his tireless commitment to orthodontics will continue to inspire generations of dentists in the future.

You can find more information here: Saarland University, Wikipedia, University of Vienna.