The AAO Distinguished Service Awards Committee is requesting nominations for the James E. Brophy AAO Distinguished Service Award for 2026. The Committee is composed of the eight most recent past presidents, each representing one of the eight constituent organizations. Nominations may come from the following sources:
- Each constituent organization or WFO-affiliated organization may submit one nomination per year.
- Any group of five or more American Association of Orthodontists’ members may submit a nomination.
Please follow these guidelines during your selection and nomination process:
- The complete nomination must be submitted by March 31, 2025. No nomination will be considered if it is received after March 31.
- The letter of nomination is to include a description of the particular achievements of the nominee, a brief background statement supporting the nomination along with appropriate credentials and curriculum vitae.
- Each organization shall determine how its nominee is to be selected and need not limit itself to choosing only from its own membership.
- A formerly nominated individual may be re-nominated. Only current nominees or re-nominations will be among those considered for the 2026 award.
- Who may be nominated? Any person who has rendered distinguished service to the American Association of Orthodontists and to the specialty of orthodontics.
All nominations must remain confidential. Any announcement, disclosure or campaign on behalf of a nominee may disqualify that candidate for the year in which he or she is nominated.
The person may be an orthodontist, come from an allied health field, from the corporate environment or be a private individual.
A monetary award of $1,500 will be given to the recipient. In addition, recipients receive Round trip economy airfare for two plus basic ground transportation (i.e. taxi, UBERX, Lyft, etc.) between home/hotel/airports; Three nights for one hotel room at an AAO designated leadership hotel (direct billed to AAO); A total of $75 per diem (per individual) for three days to cover meals and incidental expenses and an invitation to the Awards Presentation.
Should the award recipient be deceased or disabled at the time of the Annual Session at which the award is to be presented, his/her spouse or next-of-kin will be entitled to and offered full remuneration as outlined above. The spouse or next-of-kin will also be offered the opportunity to accept the award on the recipient’s behalf.
An AAO committee of past presidents will select the recipient in 2025 for recognition at the 2026 Annual Session. The 2026 Annual Session will be held in Orlando, FL.
Nominations should be submitted online. If you have questions, please contact
Lisa Chandler, [email protected] — verification of submissions