Dr P Raymond Begg AO
Dr P Raymond Begg beside his portrait, which is now housed in the Begg Museum on King William St, Adelaide.
Dr P Raymond Begg AO was an Orthodontic pioneer and Australia’s most celebrated dentist. He opened the first orthodontic practice in Adelaide, was the University's first lecturer in orthodontics, and remains one of the great names of 20th century orthodontic treatment. Ideas pioneered by Begg in the 1950s and '60s underpin modern treatments globally to this day.
The legacy of Dr Begg is that of innovation, progressive ideals, and the pursuit of treatment excellence. This legacy is perpetuated today by the Australasian Begg Society of Orthodontists.
This profile was kindly supplied by Dr Helen McLean AM, Dr Donald Wilson, and the portrait by Robert Hannaford is on display in the PR Begg Museum, with special thanks to The Australasian Begg Society of Orthodontists (ABSO).
Percy Raymond Begg AO was born in Coolgardie, Western Australia on 13 October 1898. His parents were well-acquainted with a young mining manager Herbert Hoover who, became Begg’s godfather and later became the 31st President of the USA. Begg was educated in Adelaide at Pulteney Grammar School and St Peter’s College. He then attended the University of Melbourne where he studied dentistry as the University of Adelaide dental course was not available at the time.
Dr Begg was awarded his Bachelor of Dental Science in 1923 and immediately set sail for the United States of America to study Orthodontics under Edward Angle, then considered the pre-eminent practitioner and teacher in the field. He returned to Adelaide in 1925 and was appointed Lecturer in Orthodontics at the University of Adelaide, Honorary Dental Surgeon at the Adelaide Dental Hospital and later commenced his private orthodontic practice.
In 1935 Dr Begg was awarded the Doctor of Dental Science degree at the University of Adelaide and during the next twenty years he continued researching and developing new methods of orthodontics. His research resulted in the development of new techniques to move teeth, which produced spectacular and very predictable results. This involved new metallurgy with the selection of brackets (tooth attachments) and wires (connecting brackets) as well as targeted extraction of teeth in crowded mouths to make space for better alignment of the teeth. His technique was unique and efficient and become known as the Light-wire Differential Force Technique.
In 1956 he published his technique of using light wires, which attracted worldwide attention. In 1960 he presented his Begg treatment to the American Association of Orthodontists and it caused a sensation. The technique rapidly developed and the ‘stage’ system he advocated was introduced for teaching worldwide. The Begg philosophy of tooth movement still underpins orthodontic treatment planning today.
In 1963 at the age of sixty-five, he retired from the University of Adelaide as Senior Lecturer. He continued working in his private practice and travelled to teach the Begg technique and treatment philosophy around the world. Begg Societies were formed in America, Europe, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom and the Begg Journal of orthodontics was published until 1969.
He was appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in 1981 for Services to Humanity. The Begg Chair of Orthodontics at the University of Adelaide was named in his honour.
Dr Begg died on the 18 January 1983. His light-wire appliance has been made a permanent exhibit at the Smithsonian Institution In Washington, DC., and a display is maintained at the Library of the American Dental Association in Chicago. In 2007 he was honoured as the 17th (and the first Australian) Inductee to the International Hall of Fame of the Pierre Fauchard Academy. In 1986 the South Australian Jubilee 150 Board recognised Percy Raymond Begg with one of the 150 plaques along North Terrace Adelaide, for his significant contribution and national and international recognition of his work.
Participants of the first Begg course - 1963
The pursuit of the study of orthodontics continues to attract many post-graduate students to The University of Adelaide and Dr Begg’s legacy is largely responsible for the prestige of this program.
The P. R. Begg Museum was opened on 30th September 2022 by the Governor of South Australia, Her Excellency the Honourable Frances Adamson AC.
The P. R. Begg Museum has now been permanently established with the help and support of Australasian Begg Society of Orthodontists (ABSO) and the Australian Society of Orthodontists (ASO) SA Branch at 89 King William Street, Adelaide. It is open on the first Friday of each month between 11am and 4pm, during the South Australia History Festival in May, and by appointment. Displays include Dr Begg’s operatory, along with his many publications and copies of his patents. The collection is owned and maintained by the www.beggsociety.org/museum.