The AAO has transitioned management, administrative and fund-raising responsibilities for the members’ Disaster Relief Fund and the Donated Orthodontic Services program to the AAO Foundation.
The Foundation accepted its new responsibilities following a recent AAOF Board decision to expand its mission statement to read: “The mission of the AAO Foundation is to advance the orthodontic specialty by supporting quality education and research that leads to excellence in patient care, and by promoting orthodontic charitable giving.”
“The Foundation helps ensure the future viability of the specialty by investing in the next generation of educators and researchers,” said Dr. Orhan C. Tuncay, president of the AAOF. “Our strength in that area will continue to grow as it has for the past 27 years.
“We are now delighted to take on a new role in delivering valuable services that also serve the specialty in significant ways,” added Dr. Tuncay. “This change will mean a positive expansion of the Foundation’s identity as the charitable arm of the AAO. We hope that the many AAO members who have generously supported our education and research awards over the years will continue to do so, and also add support to the programs that are new to us.”
“Transitioning the Disaster Relief Fund and the Donated Orthodontic Services program to the Foundation will bring to these important programs the AAOF’s expertise in fund-raising, as well as management and communication efficiencies,” said Dr. Christopher A. Roberts, AAO president. “The AAO Board very much appreciates the Foundation’s willingness to take on these new duties.”
All contributions to the AAO Foundation will continue to be allocated according to the preferences designated by the donors.
Support the AAO Foundation
About the Donated Orthodontic Services Program
Established in 2009, the Donated Orthodontic Services Program currently has 225 children being treated by AAO member volunteers. In 2020, the program received applications from more than 300 families. Wait lists are growing in communities nationwide, especially in Arizona, California, Louisiana and Texas.
AAO member volunteers focus on patient treatment only. The DOS program provides all front-end assessments including the family’s financial eligibility for pro bono services, and the patient’s readiness to comply with treatment requirements.
Assessment processes for DOS patient applicants will now be managed by a dedicated team member of the AAO Foundation. The DOS Board of Directors will continue to oversee the program and is being transitioned to become an AAO Foundation committee.
Click here to learn more about the DOS program and how you can make a positive difference in the lives of children who lack access to orthodontic treatment.
About the Disaster Relief Fund
AAO members whose practices have been impacted by natural disasters may apply to see what assistance the Disaster Relief Fund can provide to help address recovery expenses not covered by insurance. The fund is supported by donations and by budgetary allocations from the AAO.
Please click here to learn more, including how to apply for assistance OR make a contribution to help your colleagues whose offices are damaged or destroyed as a result of a disaster.
About the AAO Foundation
Since 1994, the AAO Foundation Awards Program has provided just over $13.8 million in funding, primarily in support of junior orthodontic faculty, including:
- 255 Fellowship Awards
- 279 Research Awards
The AAO Foundation is incorporated as a 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation in the state of Missouri. Additional Foundation initiatives have included:
● The Craniofacial Growth Legacy Collection. The AAOF brought nine of the eleven known collections of longitudinal craniofacial growth records in the United States and Canada together to create a website and numerical database. The collection, which represents the work of hundreds of investigators, offers materials from the participating collections for viewing and further investigation by clinicians, craniofacial researchers, students of human growth, and interested members of the public.
● The Rapid Assessment of Evidence Panel. The Foundation offers any AAO member the opportunity to question a panel of orthodontic researchers about manufacturers’ product claims. The AAOF Rapid Assessment of Evidence panel will review evidence related to orthodontic supplier product claims and assess the validity of the claims. Since the program’s inception in 2018, two papers reporting findings of RAE evidence reviews have been published in the AJO-DO.
