Resolve a way forward for the CAP (Consumer Awareness Program

Message from your AAO President Gary O. Inman, DMD

The AAO Board of Trustees has a strong “Southern” look to it for 2019/20. I consider it an honor and privilege to be serving as President and to be able to work alongside our SAO Trustee, Richard Williams and the Speaker of the House, Jeff Rickabaugh. Additionally, the SWSO Trustee, Ken Dillehay, was born and raised in Gordonsville, Tennessee and AAO CEO, Lynne Thomas Gordon, is from NC. Every member of the Board of Trustees is committed to making the AAO the best it can be. I am indeed fortunate to be included in this group.

We are currently in the second year of the Strategic Plan that was adopted during the 2018 HOD. Lynne Thomas Gordon has worked diligently to reorganize and restructure the AAO staff in St. Louis. Lynne has extraordinary organizational skills and has put together a team that will move us forward.

This year we are doing the planning and preparation necessary as we move into 2020. I know you have noticed the improvement in the Consumer Advertising Program that the AAO Marketing Director, Katie Maassen, in conjunction with the Council on communications (SAO COC Rep. Herb Hughes), has put together. The CAP has been wildly successful with over 1.4 billion ad views that have reached over 170 million individual consumers. There have been 7 million visits to the consumer website, AAortho.org. Be on the look out for videos featuring member interviews along with a wealth of information that can be found on the member website. Login to see how many times your name has been given by the Find an Orthodontist locator.

Advocacy continues to be a priority for our members. Direct to Consumer aligner companies’ business practices are on our minds and we are working to inform and educate consumers and patients on the potential harm of DIY Orthodontics. Again, I direct you to the member website where you can find all that the AAO is doing in regards to Direct to Consumer companies, Teledentistry, individual state specialty and advertising regulations, and more. I hope each of you received and read the Sept. 12 letter regarding SDC I sent to the membership. Our expanded legal team, lead by Sean Murphy, is and will continue to be diligent in advocating for our patients and our AAO members. At the AAO, we have long held the position that orthodontic treatment is a complex medical process and that it is in the best and safest interest of the public to have that treatment performed under the direct supervision of a licensed orthodontist. Disruptive companies will come. Some will fail and some will succeed. They are not to be feared. They will provide orthodontists with opportunities to excel.

As President, I have formed several task forces to study and make

recommendations in areas of need. Business and Development TF, Innovation TF, House and Annual Session TF, How We work TF, CAP Assessment TF and Global Advocacy TF are some of these. Additionally, this Board is committed to addressing diversity and in particular, gender diversity. Kudos to the SAO for taking the lead as the SAO Executive Committee is 50% female. This year the HOD directed me to form a special committee on Women Orthodontists (SCWO). The SAO representative on this committee is Jeri Stull. The committee has been charged with developing and encouraging female leaders as well as addressing issues unique to female orthodontists. The Board of Trustees is submitting a Resolution to the 2020 House of Delegates asking for 3 ‘At Large’ Trustee positions. This will allow the BOT to address diversity and other areas needed to make the Board operate more effectively. I encourage all SAO members to support this initiative. It will make us better. 4