About Our Doctor
Meet Dr. Christopher J. Edelen
Dr. Edelen graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Notre Dame in 1979 after completing four years of study in their Department of Preprofessional Studies. He then returned home to study dentistry at the University of Louisville where he was elected into several honor societies for various academic and clinical achievements. He graduated with honors in 1983 with a Doctorate in Dental Medicine and a Master of Science degree in Oral Biology. Upon graduation he was awarded the L.D. Pankey Scholarship Award for continued studies of dental occlusion at the Pankey Institute in Key Biscayne, Florida. He completed his 2-year residency in Orthodontics at the University of Louisville and graduated in 1985.
Soon after his graduation, he was appointed an Assistant Professor at the University of Louisville in the Department of Orthodontics. His research works have been published in the American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics. In 1988 he was awarded the prestigious Harold Kesling Award for orthodontic achievement as a junior faculty member, a national award given annually to a single recipient who demonstrates excellence in academic and clinical teachings.
He was promoted to Clinical Associate Professor in 1992 and taught in the orthodontic department at the University of Louisville until 2021. In 1988 Dr. Edelen was appointed to the Kentucky Commission for Children with Special Health Care Needs and served as their Orthodontic Consultant for the Cleft Palate and Craniofacial Anomaly Team for 32 years.
Dr. Edelen's dedication and expertise have been recognized by multiple honors, including being named one of America's Best Dentists by the National Consumer Advisory Board in 2021 and being celebrated as a Distinguished Alumni by the University of Louisville Department of Orthodontics in 2018. Additionally, he has received accolades from the Consumer Research Council of America as a top orthodontist in the country. He was featured in the magazine TOPS Louisville as a healthcare hero and listed many times as a top dentist in Louisville Magazine.
Dr. Edelen was also 1 of only 20 dentists to be included in Marquis Who's Who in America in 2024, a registry of 5200 of the top professionals in the country, and was named in the Top 100 Doctors Registry in 2025. All such honors throughout his career have been by nomination only after peer review, an accomplishment that he is most proud of.
Education Excellence
- •University of Notre Dame - Bachelor of Science (1979)
- •University of Louisville - DMD & Master of Science in Oral Biology (1983)
- •University of Louisville - Orthodontics Residency (1985)
Honors & Awards
- •Harold Kesling Award for Orthodontic Achievement (1988)
- •Distinguished Alumni of the Year - UofL Orthodontics (2018)
- •America's Best Dentist - National Consumer Advisory Board (2021)
Professional Service
- •35 years as Clinical Associate Professor at UofL
- •President, Kentucky Association of Orthodontists (2002)
- •32 years as Orthodontic Consultant for Cleft Palate Team
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