Robert Moyers

Robert Edison Moyers (November 12, 1919 - January 8, 1996) was an American Orthodontist who was the founder of the Center of Human Growth and Development (CHGD) at University of Michigan and Chair of its Orthodontic Program for 28 years. He made significant contributions towards orthodontics by through the development of CHGD and interdisciplinary research involving craniofacial biology.

Life
He was born in Sydney, Iowa among the three other siblings and spent majority of his early childhood there. He moved to Iowa City in 1937 to start his college education at State University of Iowa. He also went to University of Iowa College of Dentistry and received his dental degree from there. During his time in college and dental school, he spent time at a small church by being a pastor in these eight years. After his graduation from dental school in 1942, Moyers joined the army in WWII. He was the senior allied medical liaison officer at the resistance movement happening in Greece at that time. In 1945, he was discharged from Army and he received many accolades. Among them were Bronze Star, Legion of Merit, Purple Heart, Order of the British Empire and Order of Phoenix. He returned after the war and received his Orthodontic Certificate from University of Iowa. He also earned his Doctorate in physiology from the University also.

He was married to Barbara Quick Moyers and had two daughters.

Career
He started his career with becoming Chairman of Department of Orthodontics at the University of Toronto in 1948. In 1952, he became the Chair of Michigan Orthodontic Program. In 1964 he founded the Center of Human Growth and Development at University of Michigan. This center was established after the initiative taken by University of Michigan to develop a research unit which involved many disciplines. In 1980 he stepped down as the director of the Center and in the year 1990, he retired and became Professor Emeritus of Dentistry and also a Fellow Emeritus of the Center. In 1974, University of Michigan decided to establish Moyers Symposium in honor of Dr. Moyers. This symposium was designed to discuss recent evidence in new approaches in the field of Orthodontics.

He's known to author the textbook Handbook of Orthodontics and has participated in co-authoring or editing in another 15 books. He died at the age of 75 in 1996.

Awards

 * Albert H. Ketcham Award - Highest Award given in speciality of Orthodontics, 1988
 * Member of Royal College of Surgeons of England, 1955