The AAO Board of Trustees met April 26-27 in Orlando prior to the 2016 Annual Session, considering a variety of issues of concern to the specialty, to the AAO and to AAO members.

One key item was review of a proposal that the American Dental Association (ADA) and the American Dental Education Association (ADEA) sent to dental boards in 22 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, which restrict license portability. The national organizations are requesting that the boards accept all five national licensure tests in an effort to reduce obstacles to licensure portability. ADA research indicates Generation X and Generation Y (Millennial) dentists will change practice locations five times over the course of their careers.

The AAO Board directed the Council on Education (COE), The Council on New and Younger Members (CONYM), the Council on Membership, Ethics and Judicial Concerns (COMEJC) and the Council on Orthodontic Practice (COOP) to review the ADA/ADEA proposal. Upon recommendation from the AAO councils, the House of Delegates will be asked to consider AAO endorsement of the licensure test/portability proposal.

Other items addressed by the Board included:

Strategic Approach to Council Diversity to be Developed
The Board directed AAO staff and constituent executive directors to develop a protocol to give constituent organizations demographic information to help them incorporate diversity into their AAO council representative selection processes. The long-term objective is to have council membership more closely reflect the demographics of the association membership.

New Lobbyist Appointed
The Board recently conducted a request-for-proposal process for lobbying services to ensure that the AAO is well-represented in Washington, DC. The legislative team at Arnold & Porter LLP, including several staff members who previously supported the AAO while at Squire Patton Boggs, was selected as the AAO’s new federal lobbyist.

Consumer Awareness Program Market Share Tracking Study Vendor Retained
As of May 1, 2016, the Loyalty Research Group (LRC) has been retained as the provider of market share tracking study services for the AAO Consumer Awareness Program (CAP).  Funded by a member assessment, the CAP includes national advertising and public relations outreach. Paid AAO ads have been appearing nationally on cable television channels and on numerous digital media advertising platforms. Independent tracking research assesses consumer perceptions of orthodontics as it relates to the CAP.

Consumer Awareness Program Media Plan Approved
The Board approved the 2016-17 media plan for Consumer Awareness Program advertising. The media plan will be published in The Bulletin in coming months.

COGA to Provide Input on Legal Support Fund Applications
The Board will integrate the Council on Governmental Affairs (COGA) into the approval process for funding applications to the AAO Component Legal Support Fund. The fund supports AAO-affiliated component (state) organizations that are in need of assistance with state-based legislative issues.

Board Approves Insurance Funding Formula, Proposed Long-Term Care Endorsed Program
The Board approved a request from the Committee on Insurance (COI) to change the formula for funding the life and health program’s cost stabilization reserve fund (CSR), underwritten by New York Life. The Board approved full funding of the CSR to its maximum level with funds from the Dividend on Deposit Account (not part of the AAO’s budget) to stabilize insurance premiums for members participating in certain AAO endorsed programs. This is not a cost to the AAO and will come out of the actual insurance program.

The Board also approved, pending final negotiations, a new long term care endorsed insurance program for AAO members. Additional information will be available this summer.

In addition, the Board approved an actuarial reserve audit by Milliman for AAO endorsed insurance programs excluding the AAO Insurance Company, which conducts its own audit annually.

Request for Proposal Policy Updated
The Board updated the policy on requests for proposals (RFP’s) for ongoing vendors such as auditors, financial advisors, etc. The policy mandates a review or full RFP every three years.

First Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient Selected
The first recipient of the new Lifetime Achievement Awards in Research, Dr. William Proffitt, will be honored at the 2017 AAO Annual Session, April 21-25 in San Diego.

Annual Session Programming Task Force Presents Ideas for Lecture Program Innovation
A Board task force examined Annual Session programs to ensure timeliness of speakers, content and to ensure a cutting edge program that includes profitability programs in addition to relevant clinical sessions. The Board directed AAO staff to study ideas presented by the task force and present a plan at the August Board meeting.

Communications Audit Follow-Up Work to get Underway
The Board engaged a consultant to conduct a comprehensive communications audit that resulted in recommendations intended to better engage members and to focus on a common message to consumers. A task force will work with AAO staff to study the recommendations and report to the Board with an action plan.

AAO Forms to be Incorporated into Electronic Health Records (EHR) System
The Board approved the AAO transfer form for active and retention patients, and the consultation and response (to the consultation) forms for incorporation into the Electronic Health Records system being developed by the American Dental Association Standards Committee on Dental Informatics (SCDI). AAO representatives affiliated with various sub-committees of the ADA SCDI have worked to ensure orthodontic inclusion in development of Electronic Health Records (EHRs).