2 minute read
No dues increase
SAO Goes Hollywood Well, almost ;)
We enjoyed a great view of the Hollywood sign from the AAO 119th Annual Session headquarter hotel. While we had some free time to check out the Hollywood hills, your SAO Delegation worked hard to address all the issues that confronted the 2019 House of Delegates.
When we left, the AAO was in good hands; our AAO leadership includes Gary Inman, President, Jeff Rickabaughcontinuing his great work as Speaker of the House, and Richard Williams beginning his second year as our Trustee. The SAO is well-represented.
The SAO delegation had six primary objectives as we went into the 119th Annual Session House of Delegates meeting:
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Resolve a way forward for the CAP (Consumer Awareness Program)
Stop the annual effort to have CONYM (Council on New/Younger Members) representatives on other councils and be a voting member of the BOT
Increase the funding for the CLSF (Component Legal Support Fund)
Approve an innovation fund to explore/implement non-dues revenue opportunities The outcomes of the House suited us very well.
Dues did not increase despite an effort to increase them by $20. CONYM withdrew its resolutions. There will be further thought on how to best increase our new and younger member voices. Both CLSF and the innovation fund passed easily. Working to achieve a balance between holding the assessment down, increasing the allocation to Council on Communications (COC) for the CAP, addressing concerns about payment out of dues, and keeping the excess liquid reserves partially in place all created the largest debate of 2019. In the end, some reserve funds were used, and dues were not increased. The assessment increased from $600 to $800. COC will have approximately $1.5M more to enhance the CAP than last year. The President received direction to appoint a task force to evaluate the best way forward for CAP funding. A task force evaluated this same topic for the 2014 HOD, but their recommendation to move funding to dues failed. So, that leaves stopping Medically Necessary Orthodontic Care auto qualifiers. After a couple of last-minute amendments, the HOD voted to adopt new language for our AAO medically necessary orthodontic policy.
I would like to thank all the Delegates for their preparation and the time taken from their practices and personal lives to serve the SAO and AAO. Also, thanks to Heather Hunt and Lissette Zuknick, our SAO staff, for all they do to prepare the Delegation for this annual adventure. There is so much that happens “behind the scenes”. It all starts months before the Annual Session! In closing, a special thanks to Brian Jacobus, who served the SAO as a Delegate or Alternate Delegate for almost 20 years. Brian, as you retire from the Delegation, please take our heartfelt thanks with you. You will be missed!
Dr Robert Moss
SAO Delegation Chair
