Thanks To AAO Members!

Your AAO Advocacy/AAOPAC team continues to celebrate valuable grassroots engagement with lawmakers, including policy wins at the state level and continued growth in both grassroots action and AAOPAC contributions in the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2024-25.
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The AAO currently has lobbying representation in 11 states and Ontario, Canada during the 2025 state legislative sessions, now underway at peak intensity. Lobbyists are secured via the Component Legal Support Fund, thanks to support from the AAO House of Delegates and Board of Trustees.

AAO Advocacy is or will be engaged on issues in over 20 states, the District of Columbia and Ontario, including defense on specialty advertisement laws, securing orthodontist eligibility and appropriations for state dental student loan repayment programs, and addressing workforce shortage issues and the barriers to becoming a dental auxiliary, such as an orthodontic or dental assistant. Teledentistry legislation requiring an in-person examination for patient health and safety continues to be a top priority.

At the federal level, the 118th Congress ended in January 2025, and the 119th Congress is now in session. Within this session, AAO members can expect to build relationships with their federal lawmakers and governmental agencies on a wide range of priority issues, including the Resident Education Deferred Interest (REDI) Act, the petition to the FDA for class 2 medical devices including clear aligners, and other issues including H.R. 1521, the Dental and Optometric Care (DOC) Access Act. This bipartisan legislation helps improve health care coverage under vision and dental plans. 

Record-Breaking Member Grassroots Actions
The FY25 3rd quarter also brought the update that the enforcement of Corporate Transparency Act Filing Deadline has been canceled, and at this time there is no longer a required CTA filing by March 21 or any other published deadline. The AAO will continue to monitor CTA legal developments closely and will keep our members informed of any changes that may affect their obligations.

Largely due to these issues and others, grassroots action numbers continued to shatter records: 1,266 actions were taken by AAO members throughout the United States and Canada to support AAO evidence-based priorities in Q3. 

The National Advocacy Network continues to grow, and in fact expanded its roster to include Dr. Sheetal Patil, California Component Advocacy Liaison, Dr. Hap Dougherty, California State Legislative Captain, Dr. Paul Kasrovi, California AAOPAC Captain, Dr. John Kharouf, Colorado Opposition Research & Innovation Captain, Dr. Elizabeth Eakes, South Carolina AAOPAC Captain, and Dr. Kyla Swearingen, Tennessee Component Advocacy Liaison. Don’t forget, if you would like to set up a time to discuss joining the NAN in your state or province, it is as easy as texting “NAN” to 52886!

Last, the AAO Advocacy team celebrates the December births of Gianna Nawrocki, AAO Advocacy Manager’s daughter Nora Nawrocki, as well as AAO General Council Adam Braundmeier’s twin boys, Oliver and Atticus. Moms, dads, and babies are doing well!