Professor John Mew graduated in dentistry at University College London and then trained in Orthognathic surgery at the Royal Victoria Hospital, East Grinstead where he developed an interest in the science of facial growth. Seeking alternatives to facial surgery he returned in 1965 to University College to specialise in orthodontics. Since then he has been developing non-surgical methods of correcting unattractive vertical growth in children’s faces. In the 1970s he wrote several papers on the new sub-specialty of ‘Orthotropics’ which aims to encourage horizontal growth by changing oral posture. He has written a textbook and published many articles internationally on this subject. John has recently been described both as “a maverick” and “the brightest orthodontist who has ever lived”. You might be intrigued to find out which is closer to the truth?
