The AAO House of Delegates (HOD), the association’s primary governance body, held its 2023 meetings in Chicago on April 21 and April 24 in conjunction with the 2023 Annual Session. The HOD took action on numerous resolutions that will impact the association and the specialty.

HOD Sets 2023-24 Member Dues
The HOD set full member dues for U.S. active members at $817 for Fiscal Year 2023-24, which is unchanged from 2022-23.* Reduced amounts apply for Active Members in their first four years, Canadian Active Members and Active Academic Members.

* View International Membership Tiered Dues Based on Current World Bank Information

*U.S. and Canadian active members’ 2023-24 dues statements will include a required payment of $600 for the Consumer Awareness Program (CAP) Assessment as approved by the 2022 House of Delegates. This is an increase from $500 in 2022-23 and returns to the pre-COVID-19 amount. Reduced amounts apply for Active Members in their first four years and Canadian Active Members. Active Academic Members are exempt from this assessment. CAP campaigns drive millions of consumers to the AAO consumer website each year, where they learn about the importance of receiving orthodontic treatment from an orthodontist and access the Find An Orthodontist locator.

Financial Reserves Policy Updated to Align with AAO Strategic Goals
The HOD approved policy updates regarding how AAO financial reserves are to be built, maintained, and accessed. The AAO is in strong financial health and maintains financial reserves fed by investment income and surplus budgetary funds after all expenses for a given fiscal year are met. Reserve fund management and spending – when deemed necessary – are governed by the House of Delegates.

Liquid assets from the reserve fund may potentially be used for emergency purposes such as financial needs that arose in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when the AAO delayed dues invoicing. Spending may be approved for purposes such as supporting innovation of high interest to the specialty, contributing toward programs such as the Consumer Awareness Program and the Component Legal Support Fund, or addressing infrastructure needs at the headquarters facility.

The reserve fund policy updates were developed with input from a financial consulting firm. Key goals included alignment with the AAO Strategic Plan for 2023-27 – in particular, ensuring that a data-driven approach determines what level of reserves is optimal to protect against risk to the AAO and to leverage opportunities of high interest.
View the Updated Reserves Policy

HOD Updates Clinical Practice Guidelines
● A new version of the AAO Clinical Practice Guidelines approved by the 2023 HOD includes adjustments to certain language in order to eliminate misinterpretation by opposition to AAO advocacy efforts.

COGA Name, ADA-Specific Membership Language Updated
● The name of the AAO Council on Governmental Affairs (COGA) will be changed to the Council on Government Advocacy (COGA). The new name is designed to more specifically identify COGA’s leadership role in AAO political and regulatory advocacy efforts at the federal and state levels.

● In addition to the existing requirement for members to have American Dental Association membership at the time of application for AAO membership, AAO Bylaws will now also state: “Continued membership in the ADA is strongly encouraged,” for all U.S. based Active Members, Student Members, Active Duty Military and Life Active Members.

New Procedures Approved for HOD Leadership, Membership Disciplinary Processes
● The House of Delegates Speaker will continue to be elected every three (3) years by the HOD for a term of three years and can now serve a maximum of two non-consecutive three-year terms. Selection of the Speaker transitioned during the past year to an attribute-based system open to the entire membership, based on selection criteria, rather than resulting from a constituent-based rotation.

● AAO executive staff will receive, review, and preliminarily evaluate any formally submitted complaint alleging that a member violated the AAO Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct. Members are governed by this document and must adhere to its stipulations. Staff will either request subsequent review, investigation and potential disciplinary proceedings by the Council on Membership, Ethics and Judicial Concerns (COME-JC), or issue a preliminary rejection if the complaint is viewed as being without merit.

If the COME-JC agrees with a preliminary rejection, the complaint will be dismissed.

View the Complete 2023 HOD Resolutions Report