The AAO, which stands for the American Association of Orthodontists, is the world’s longest-standing dental specialty organization. It includes about 19,000 members all over the world and was founded in 1900. A majority of the members are in American and Canada, but there are also many international members.
This group is very important to orthodontists everywhere. It upholds a standard of orthodontic care and ensures that you receive the best possible oral treatments available to you. The group does a lot of work in funding orthodontic research, among other things.
This is everything that you need to know about the AAO and why it is important to you as a patient:
What is the AAO?
The AAO is a group made up of professional orthodontists who want to provide the best quality of care to their patients and seek to also provide education on orthodontics to the public. We will further explain what the AAO is below through who they allow to join and their various dedications.
What is an Orthodontist?
Only a professional orthodontist may join the AAO. An orthodontist is a type of dentist who specializes in fixing irregularities in the teeth and jaws. By correcting them, they can provide their patients with a better quality of life and improve their overall health and well-being.
They are required to attend dental school, then complete an orthodontic residency program that lasts two or three years before obtaining their final degree. The AAO only accepts members who have completed this process, although they allow orthodontic students to join under a different type of membership.
Overall, you can be sure that any orthodontist who is a member of the AAO has a thorough education and background in the field.
What are they Dedicated to?
The group has stated that they are dedicated to advancing the art and science of orthodontic services, and do so in an ethical manner. They want to improve the levels of oral care available to us and educate the public on how to take good care of their teeth.
The association is also dedicated to supporting the members as they practice the various orthodontic services. If your specialist is a member of the AAO, you can be sure that they are going to make your oral health their priority.
What is the AAO’s Mission?
The American Association of Orthodontics seeks to further its members’ success. They do this by providing the research and education that lead to a better quality of treatment the patients receive.
The group always puts their members first, is inclusive, ethical, and driven by research and data. They work to promote and give their members reason to seek out high educational goals and will often sponsor their research. In other words, they want to ensure their members achieve professional success within their orthodontic field.
In short, the AAO’s mission is to educate and sponsor their orthodontist members, so that they may provide their patients with the best possible orthodontic care.
What is their Vision Statement?
The AAO has a short and sweet vision statement, it goes: “All orthodontic care is provided by qualified specialists who successfully address patient needs.”
We think that this is very to the point and lets you know exactly what the group is up to- they want to create orthodontists who are successful at helping patients. Since this is their main goal, you can be sure that any orthodontist certified by them is going to do their best to provide you with care.
Why is the AAO Important?
Not only does the AAO seek to give you access to effective orthodontic services, but they also educate many people on the importance of having healthy teeth. For example, they often provide information to families on why their child must have an orthodontics appointment early in their life.
Without the group, there would be much less information available. This means that many people would miss out on getting the care that they need for their teeth, simply because they were not aware of the problems they have with their teeth.
The AAO has many useful pages of information on their blog, including explaining how braces work and the “purpose of orthodontics”. If you want to learn more on the subject, we recommend that you check it out.
They Aid Students
Students that are enrolled in an accepted orthodontics program can gain the extra support that they need to be successful. The AAO has many benefits for students that apply for a membership- including student loan refinancing and consolidation, a mentoring program, and access to information on many career opportunities.
The American Association of Orthodontists is a helpful way for students to continue their education and gain valuable resources and insight into the field. This group is important because they are helping future orthodontists enter into their special fields, backed by a strong education.
Every orthodontist was once a student- the AAO understands that. They know that a student will one day become a professional providing their patients with care and want to give them every opportunity to succeed.
Without this group, many orthodontic students might have trouble finding their place in the professional field- another huge reason why this group is so important.
Conclusion
The American Association of Orthodontics, abbreviated as the AAO, is a group of qualified professionals who want to provide patients with amazing care and orthodontic services. Without this group in place, there would be a lot less research in the field and students would have a harder time finding assistance.
Overall, this is an amazing group full of well-educated people. They work hard to spread information about orthodontic treatment to the public and encourage successful people in the field. This group is important to anyone who has ever been a part of orthodontics- both as a patient or as a caregiver. If your orthodontist is a member of the AAO, you should know that you will receive the best possible levels of care.
