The AAO congratulates the winners of the 2023 American Association of Orthodontists Supplier of the Year Awards:  SPEED System Orthodontics (Gold), Reliance Orthodontic Products (Silver) and Large Practice Sales (Bronze).

Supplier of the Year honors are awarded based on a priority points system, earned by AAO meeting exhibits, event sponsorships at meetings, publication advertising and sponsorship of online learning opportunities.*

“The Supplier of the Year program is intended to recognize and thank companies and organizations that support the AAO through activities such as exhibiting at our meetings and advertising in our publications,” said AAO Chief Executive Officer Lynne Thomas Gordon. “We are delighted to have so much interest from the corporate community that provides our members with products and services. The three 2023 award winners provided extraordinary support to the AAO during the 2022-23 fiscal year and are loyal exhibitors every year, helping our members learn about options for patient treatment and practice management.” 

2023 AAO Gold Supplier:  SPEED System Orthodontics
The Gold Sponsor supplier award goes to the company that earned 11 or more priority points during the last fiscal year and has the highest overall point balance. The company must have exhibited at the AAO Annual Session every year for the last five years.

An industry leader in self-ligation for more than 40 years, SPEED System Orthodontics manufactures and markets the self-ligating SPEED Appliance and Trillium Compression Hooks, SPEED Convertible Tubes, along with a complete line of SPEED auxiliary products including SPEED Buccal Tubes, Supercable and Hills Wire.

2022 AAO Silver Supplier:  Reliance Orthodontics Products, Inc.
The Silver Sponsor supplier award goes to the company that earned between 6 and 10 priority points during the last fiscal year and has the highest overall point balance among suppliers in that group. The company must have exhibited at the AAO Annual Session every year for the last five years.

Reliance Orthodontic Products, Inc. specializes in orthodontic adhesive for all bonding needs, with all types of appliances, to any surface. Since the company’s conception in 1981, Reliance has achieved the reputation of providing consistent, quality adhesives in a variety of delivery systems at a low cost. Before Reliance sells a product commercially, it is clinically field tested for two years. Evaluation and feedback ensure that each product performs to customer satisfaction and is chemically safe for doctors, staff, and patients. As an added service to customers, any bonding questions can be answered by calling Reliance toll-free at (800) 323-4348.

2022 AAO Bronze Supplier:  Large Practice Sales (LPS)
The Bronze Sponsor supplier award goes to a company that has joined the AAO exhibiting community within the last three years; has exhibited at Annual Session all three years; and has the highest priority point balance of all companies that have come on board as AAO exhibitors during the last three years.

LPS specializes in monetizing portions of larger U.S. dental practices of all specialties with IDSOs (Invisible Dental Support Organizations), a term coined by LPS that describes a Dental Support Organization in which the doctor remains as an owner in either the practice or the parent company for years or decades. Doctors continue to lead their practices with their brand, team and strategy, but benefit from the resources of a larger, silent partner.

Suppliers: Reach AAO Members during the Coming Year
Online resources can help suppliers begin to identify ways to reach AAO members that will best meet their needs. For more information, visit:

● 2024 Winter Conference Exhibitor Prospectus and 2024 Winter Conference Sponsorship Activations
● 2024 Annual Session Exhibitor Prospectus (coming this fall at the Annual Session site) and 2024 Annual Session Sponsorship Activations

For more information about sponsorships, contact Holly Kiel at [email protected].

Advertising information for 2024 will be updated later this year; however, options will be similar to those listed in the 2023 Advertising Media Kit. For more information, contact ad sales representative Jim Shavel at [email protected].

* The Supplier of the Year awards program is not intended as an endorsement of any company’s products or services. It is simply a recognition of support provided to the AAO by the companies, which helps the AAO maintain, update and add to programs, resources and services for members without frequent increases in dues.