Education
My family has been part of the Peabody community for over 100 years. I was fortunate to attend the Alternative School and then the Magnet School Program (now the Phoenix School) in Salem, MA before moving back to Peabody in third grade. I attended Center School and Higgins Middle School in Peabody, graduating from St. John’s Preparatory High School in Danvers in 1990.
I then went on to spend 10 incredible years at Tufts University, during which time I received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Child Psychology, a Doctor of Dental Medicine Degree Summa Cum Laude, and a specialty certificate in the study of Orthodontics. This orthodontic specialty program at Tufts University consisted of two additional years of full-time training in the art and science of orthodontics.
Professional Association
- American Dental Association
- Massachusetts Dental Society
- Massachusetts Association of Orthodontists
(Past President and Current Board Member) - New England Damon Study Club
- Key Opinion Leader for Henry Schein HSO Inner Circle
- American Association of Orthodontists
- Northeastern Society of Orthodontists
- American Academy of Oral Medicine
- Omicron Kappa Upsilon National Dental Honor Society
- Theta Delta Chi Fraternity Tufts University (past president)
Continuing Education
I am a proud partner of Smiles Change Lives, which is a national non-profit organization that helps kids from low-income families get braces.
I spend over 50 hours each year taking continuing education courses to ensure that I am up to date on the latest technology. I am also a member of the elite Schulman Study Group (now called SG Inc.). The 125 doctors in this group represent the top 1% of all orthodontic practices in the United States. In 2009, I was nominated to become a member of the ORMCO Insiders Group, which is a worldwide orthodontic research and development team. This is a very high honor and allows me to work with and advise this orthodontic company to bring about the latest technological advances in the profession. Being part of the ORMCO Insiders Group assures you that our office continually exceeds the highest standards and latest advancements in orthodontic treatment. I was recently invited to join the Henry Schein Inner Circle to advise this company on improvements in orthodontic products.
Dr. Donald B. Nelson, D.M.D.
Dr. Nelson grew up in New Jersey and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Dental Medicine where he received the Matthew H. Cryer Award for academic excellence. He then attended the Harvard Orthodontic program and has been practicing on the North Shore for over 30 years. Dr. Nelson is an Assistant Clinical Professor of Orthodontics at Harvard University and is past president of the Massachusetts Association of Orthodontists.
He is an active participant in many local and national associations including the Massachusetts Dental Society, the Northeastern Society of Orthodontists, and the World Federation of Orthodontists. In addition, Dr. Nelson has completed the highest level of the rigorous requirements for board certification and is a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Nelson has two children, a son who is a recent graduate of Harvard University and a daughter who lives in New York City. He also plays the drums in a jazz group that has performed in clubs in and around Boston, and he holds a black belt in martial arts.