VIGNETTE

Joseph R. Jarabak—A Living Legend

Dr J. R. Jarabak (1901 to 1989) was a living legend. His

was a life marked with intense passion, hard work, dedica-
tion, and an ambition to achieve something new. His parents
migrated from Czechoslovakia and settled in Chicago. He
was 1 of 5 children who worked their way through school and
college. He often reminisced about the hard times he had
while he practiced and studied for his specialty and then for
his PhD from Northwestern University Dental School,
Chicago, where he was also on the faculty.
He developed a lucrative practice in Indiana while devel-
oping the orthodontic department at Loyola University,
Chicago, in 1952. Starting from scratch, Dr Jarabak devel-
oped an outstanding graduate program, where his success is
easily measured by the number of outstanding graduates.
After retirement, he served on the orthodontic faculty at the
University of Chicago for 8 years, with Dr T. M. Graber as
chairman.
Early in 1960, he wanted Dr P. R. Begg to visit Loyola
University to teach a course on the Begg technique. When Dr
Begg refused, Dr Jarabak set upon developing a light-wire
technique of his own, first with standard edgewise brackets,
then brackets preadjusted for torque and angulation. By early
1961, he designed his own Jarabak brackets with an 0.018
inch slot and vertical slot in the distal of incisor brackets.
The transition in the development of his light-wire technique
was innovative and rapid. During the 2 years that I was his
student, 1959-1961, he went from standard edgewise 0.022
inch brackets to his own design light-wire 0.018 inch
bracket. Early on, Dr Jarabak was interested in biomechan-
ics and teamed with Mr James A. Fizzell to develop the prin-
ciples governing tooth movement, particularly during the
light-wire technique. He was among the first to develop
preadjusted brackets. The current preadjusted brackets are
slight variations of tip and torque. He did not incorporate the
third dimension. Rocky Mountain Orthodontics was at that
time one of the premium manufacturers of orthodontic mate-
rials and helped in designing his brackets.
Dr Jarabak was a showman. He played his part with the
utmost confidence. He delighted in overwhelming his audience
with 5 projection screens operating simultaneously to show the
progress and finish of a variety of treatment modalities. He had
literally hundreds of superbly treated patients. Being a part-
time instructor, he worked 3 days in the college and 3 days in
his private practice in Hammond, Ind. While I worked in his
office, I would watch him complete 5 strap ups starting with
pinching bands, cementation, and full records with just 1 assis-
tant, all in a single day. He was just as hard-working on his
days in the Orthodontic Department. I have never seen a more
dedicated teacher. He would always arrive at 6 AM and stay
Joseph R. Jarabak
with us until 10 PM. During that time, he would help diagnose
cases, supervise and develop treatment plans, and conduct
research. His interests in research largely lay in muscle physi-
ology and electromyography. Experimentally, he used to talk
about proprioceptive responses to occlusion and malocclusion
and the effect of orthodontic treatment on occlusion. He
expected quality research from his students and excellent clin-
ical performance. He was a strict taskmaster and required the
students to work to their fullest potential. He often mentioned
the phrase “put back on the table.” For receiving excellent
training in orthodontics, Dr Jarabak wanted his students to
contribute to the specialty through teaching, research, and
financial support. At Loyola University in Chicago, a private
institution, finances were always a problem. He continuously
supported the department with patient income and donations of
his own time and money. He did the same at the University of
Chicago’s vaunted orthodontic department. Dr Jarabak was
truly a selfless and dedicated teacher.
His profession was his vocation and avocation. He gave
a number of courses in light-wire technique with the assis-
tance of his graduate students. In the early ‘60s, he was one
of the most sought after speakers at scientific meetings,
nationally and internationally. Together with Loyola Univer-
sity orthodontic alumni, Dr Jarabak established the Loyola
Jarabak Foundation. He was also interested in time-motion
studies in how to make practices efficient and productive in
the period of solo practices with 1 or 2 assistants. He wrote
a book titled “The Management of Orthodontic Practice.” In
addition to this book, his other books are among the classics
in our literature.

472 American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics/October 1999

American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics Vignette 473
Volume 116, Number 4

Dr Jarabak won many awards and achieved much recog- Dr Jarabak’s early struggles, his life, and his achieve-
nition. Admired by his peers, he was an outstanding person- ments will always inspire ambitious young professionals.
ality of his time. He was a generous donor to several ortho- What a role model! Needless to say, among many others, my
dontic departments as well as to the American Association of life was touched by his spark.
Orthodontists (AAO). The prestigious Jarabak International Ram S. Nanda, DDS, MS, PhD
Teaching and Research Award given annually by the AAO Professor and Chairman
Foundation is only one of many examples of the honor and Department of Orthodontics
respect bestowed on him by his peers. The University of Oklahoma