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Society of Educators

Connect with educators across the country to move orthodontics forward.

The AAO is proud to stand with orthodontic educators to advance the specialty. Any AAO member who is a faculty member at an accredited U.S./Canadian educational institution; or student member pursuing an orthodontic academic career, or non-orthodontist member of the orthodontic teaching team as verified by the Program Director or Department Chair, automatically qualifies for SOE membership.

Membership includes the opportunity to attend the annual meeting as well as other events that may be planned throughout the year.

The mission of the Society of Educators is to:

  • Foster improvements in orthodontic education and research.
  • Monitor changes and make recommendations to the AAO Council on Education (COE) relating to issues of orthodontic education, including, but not limited to, training, program accreditation, and financing.
  • Encourage orthodontists to seek positions of leadership in academic and research institutions.
  • Provide a forum for the interchange of ideas between educators and others with interests and/or expertise in education.

Join your fellow educators in the SOE today.

Memberships in the SOE are available for institutions and individuals. Institutional memberships cover all educators in a department. Individual memberships are available in lieu of institutional membership.

We hope to see you at the SOE Dr. James A. McNamara Educational Leadership Conference in Philadelphia!

Dr. James A. McNamara is the 2025 Honoree and Keynote Speaker. He will present Evolution of Contemporary Orthodontic Treatment Options: A 60-year personal Perspective.

Your SOE 2024-25 Officers

President, Dr. Anil Ardeshna, DMD, MDS (Rutgers University) — [email protected]
President-Elect, Dr. Po-Jung Chen, DDS, MDS, MDentSc, (University of Nebraska Medical Center) — [email protected]
Secretary-Treasurer, Dr. Dimitrios Michelogiannakis, DDS, MS, (University of Rochester) — [email protected]
Editor & Program Coordinator, Dr. Andre Weissheimer, DDS, PhD, (Harvard University) — [email protected]
COE Liaison to SOE: Dr. Paul Armbruster, MS, DDS, (LSU Health New Orleans) — [email protected]
AAO Staff Liaison, Michelle Ritterskamp, [email protected]

The AAO & AAOF provide opportunities for Educators & Residents to apply for Fellowships, Grants, and Awards

AAO COE Opportunities

  • The Full-time Faculty Teaching Fellowship
  • Craniofacial Anomalies & Special Care Training Award
  • Institute for Teaching & Learning (ITL) Fellowships
  • Chairs & Academic Administrators Management Program (CAAMP) Fellowships

AAO Library Awards

  • Hellman, Sicher, & Graber Awards
  • Oral Research, Table Clinic & e-Posters
  • Dr. William R. Proffit Resident Scholar Award

The forms and information for the Hellman, Sicher, Graber Awards can be found at: https://www2.aaoinfo.org/library/hellman-sicher-graber-research-awards/

AAOF Awards

  • AAOF Seven Award Program Priority Areas:
    • Biomedical Research Awards
    • Orthodontic Faculty Development Fellowship Awards
    • Center Awards
    • Postdoctoral Fellowship Award
    • Educational Innovation Awards
    • Program Awards
    • Research Aid Awards
  • Jarabak/Salzmann/Blair Awards
2023 ITL Fellowship Recipients


Past SOE Programs