The Asian Pacific Orthodontic Society (APOS) was inaugurated on October 10, 2001, in Tokyo, Japan, by its nine founding members (alphabetically listed):
- APO (Association of Philippine Orthodontists)
- AOS (Association of Orthodontists, Singapore)
- COS (Chinese Orthodontic Society)
- HKSO (Hong Kong Society of Orthodontists)
- IAO (Indonesian Association of Orthodontists, formerly Indonesian Orthodontic Society)
- IOS (Indian Orthodontic Society)
- JOS (Japanese Orthodontic Society)
- KAO (Korean Association of Orthodontists)
- ThaAO (Thai Association of Orthodontists)
Today the APOS has grown to 22 Affiliate members with the addition of the following:
- ASO (Australian Society of Orthodontists)
- BOS (Bangladesh Orthodontic Society)
- IrAO (Iranian Association of Orthodontists)
- MAO (Malaysian Association of Orthodontists)
- MacAO (Macao Association of Orthodontists)
- MoAO (Mongolian Association of Orthodontists)
- PAO (Pakistan Association of Orthodontists)
- NZAO (New Zealand Association of Orthodontists)
- ODOAN (Orthodontic & Dentofacial Orthopedic Association of Nepal
- TAO (Taiwan Association of Orthodontists)
- SLOS (Sri Lankan Orthodontic Society)
- VAO (Vietnamese Association of Orthodontists)
- CAO (Cambodian Association of Orthodontists)
The APOS was officially registered as a Society in Singapore with effect in 2011. APOS is an affiliated member of the World Federation of Orthodontists (WFO).
The purpose for which the APOS has been formed is to assist Affiliated Societies/Associations in promoting excellence in orthodontics through education and research in the Asian Pacific region. Moreover, the activities of the APOS are to disseminate scientific and artistic information relating to orthodontics, particularly through its biennial congress, the Asian Pacific Orthodontic Congress (APOC), and the Journal of the Society (APOS Trends in Orthodontics).
With the establishment of the Asia Pacific Foundation for Orthodontic Research and Education (APFORE) most recently, The APOS plans to use this additional arm to augment its goal to improve the development of orthodontics in the Asia Pacific region and beyond.
Past APOS Presidents include:
- Prof. Gakuji Ito
- Prof. Hideo Mitani
- Dr. Jae Chan Kim
- Dr. Somchai Satravaha
- Dr. Loh Kai Woh
- Dr. Kazuo Tanne
- Dr. Nikhilesh Vaid
- Dr. Bryce Lee
- Dr. Zhou Yanheng
- Dr. Eric Liou
- Dr. Roberto Tan
and past Secretary Generals were:
- Dr. Jae Chan Kim
- Dr. Ian Watson
- Dr. Crissie Camara Santayana
- Dr. Tanan Jaruprakon
- Dr. Bryce Lee
- Dr. Roberto Tan
- Dr. Kieran O’Neill
The Current APOS President is Dr. Kieran O’Neill, and the Secretary General is Dr. Takashi Ono
