The AAO has partnered with the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School, a top U.S. business school, to design a specially tailored program for orthodontists. The Wharton-AAO Mastering the Business of Orthodontics (MBO) certificate program is exclusively for AAO members.

“The vision of the MBO program is to help members accelerate the growth of their practices by building essential business and leadership skills,” says Dr. J. Kendall Dillehay, AAO president. “As so many of us have experienced as new practice owners, when all of your training is in dentistry and orthodontics it is a big challenge to learn how to operate a business. The AAO wanted to offer members training, motivation and support to help them significantly grow their practices. 

“In today’s world, business practices are increasingly sophisticated and results-driven,” Dr. Dillehay continues. “Learning how to apply the most advanced and contemporary business concepts to orthodontic practice leadership and management can help put an orthodontic practice owner on track for sustained growth.”

Registration for the Fall 2021 cohort is at capacity. Registration for the Winter and Spring cohorts is now open!

AAO-Wharton Program Offers Orthodontic-Specific Content and Expert Coaching
The eight-week, asynchronous online course provides growth strategies that are internally focused (the practice), externally focused (the patient), techniques for strategic discipline and leadership methods.

The Wharton School’s world-class faculty worked with AAO member volunteers and AAO Growth and Transformation staff to create the program to address the challenges of orthodontic practice operations.

Program Key Dates and Features
The registration fee of $995 offers an excellent member benefit value.

● (SOLD OUT) The first course cohort will begin October 27, 2021 and run through December 21, 2021. The registration fee of $995 offers an excellent member benefit value.

● Registration is open for the Winter 2022 cohort scheduled to run January 12 through March 8, 2022. As we were going to press, this cohort was filling quickly.

● Registration is also open for the Spring 2022 cohort that will run from March 9 through May 10, 2022.

● The course is online and asynchronous with material released each week for participants to complete course work at times convenient for them. A three-hour time commitment per week is expected (content plus assignments).

● There will be AAO Business Coaches to support each class cohort and peer-to-peer support/discussion opportunities will also be available.  

● The eight-week program is comprised of eight modules featuring Wharton faculty presenters along with AAO instructors and guest speakers who are all orthodontic experts.

● At the successful completion of the course, the participant will earn an AAO-Wharton MBO certificate and badge that may be used online (LinkedIn, website, etc.). ADA CERP CE can also be earned.

Dr. Paul Helpard, an AAO member from Vancouver, British Columbia and CEO of CORUS Orthodontists, worked with Wharton faculty members and the AAO Growth and Transformation staff on development of the program.

“The great thing about the Wharton program is that it will provide a foundation of business expertise that will be an excellent jumping-off point to build a business and life plan customized to each participant,” says Dr. Helpard. “By the time they complete the Wharton program, students will know a lot more about the potential of their practices than they did at the beginning. They will be ready to start building a roadmap to reach their practice’s potential – and to live the life they want while practicing within this great specialty.”

View the program class schedule and faculty and access registration.