[1] Most important contributions were related to his development of Ricketts' Cephalometric Analysis [2] and an .018-inch slot in an orthodontic bracket.
He then joined the U.S. Navy as a dentist for two years and eventually went to the University of Illinois to study orthodontics under Dr. Allan G. Brodie.
During that era, doctors Alan Brodie and Holly Broadbent Sr. believed in using cephalometric radiographs for longitudinal studies rather than clinical applications.
[6] Ricketts developed the bioprogressive philosophy which stated that a face should be treated as a whole, rather than focusing one's attention on just teeth and occlusion.
[7][8] Some of the principles of this philosophy includes: In the 1950s, Ricketts was the first person in United States to prescribe nutritional supplements in his orthodontic and orthopedic practice.