Stanley M. Sokolow, DDS, went to UCLA School of Dentistry for his dental degree, graduating in 1970, after which he studied orthodontics at UCSF (University of California, San Francisco) School of Dentistry for 2 years, receiving his certification in 1972. At that time, direct bonding was just coming out of the product development stage into field testing in a few orthodontic offices. He was convinced that direct bonding was the future, so he tinkered with home-made mesh-backed brackets, since the only bondable brackets sold then were soft plastic brackets from a little plastic molding company called "G.A.C.", now a large division of a major dental company. He never purchased anterior bands, although full-mouth banding was done by
everyone back then. Bonding of brackets eventually became the widespread standard method. He established two orthodontic offices, in Redwood City and Santa Clara, California, where he practiced solo and later with associates. After 25 years of practice, he sold the offices and semi-retired, moving to Santa Cruz, California, where he continues to practice as an associate orthodontist, averaging 10 hours per week. In spite of living in Santa Cruz, arguably "Surf City, U.S.A.", he has never surfed the ocean waves; he only surfs the Internet.
Ever since he was bit by the computer science bug at the
Summer Science Program during his high-school years, he has been captivated by computers and programming. He learned about the world's first personal computer (the MITS Altair) advertised as a kit on the cover of Popular Mechanics in the mid-1970's, being sold at Byte Shop in Palo Alto, California, near his home. He eventually bought a computer kit (the
Processor Technology Sol computer) and had his first personal computer in 1976. He hasn't quit them yet, and hopes to make a scientific contribution to the field of dental informatics in the future.
