[1] Dr. Bell's groundbreaking research provided a biologic basis for the Le Fort I osteotomy and other orthognathic surgical procedures used to reposition the facial skeleton.
Active throughout his life, his later work provided a biologic rationale for distraction osteogenesis of the facial skeleton, a technique used to gradually lengthen bone at a rate of 1mm a day.
He received his Oral Surgery training from Metropolitan Hospital in New York and University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston.
In 1970, he was recruited to the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center/Parkland Memorial Hospital where he continued his NIH-funded research focused on the wound healing and blood flow that is associated with surgery of the upper and lower jaw.
After more than 20 years at UT Southwestern, Dr. Bell moved across town and became Professor of Surgery at Texas A&M University Baylor College of Dentistry from where he retired in 2002.