Orthotown April 2018 - 10

embrace progress

Too Big to Act?

It's time to re-examine how the AAO and
the ADA really benefit their members
by Dan Grob, DDS, MS, editorial director, Orthotown magazine

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This year I received notification of my lifetime membership for both the American Association
of Orthodontists and the American Dental Association. Finally, after more than 30 years in
the profession, these organizations think that I either should retire or deserve a financial break!
When I first got my AAO membership, I wasn't considered a full or complete member because
I had additional training in prosthodontics, which at the time meant that I couldn't possibly devote
all my time to orthodontics. That changed over the years, and so has the AAO.
Like many of you, I'm sure, I pay my dues with apprehension. Does the AAO address
all of our needs? Some of the association's changes have been progressive while others-or
lack thereof-exist as opportunities for the organization to improve. To answer
the question, we must first agree on what the AAO is designed to do. From there,
the answers emerge, albeit not in the clear-cut and definite form of a final result.
In a profession that strives for treatment perfections, sometimes it's hard to accept
anything but perfection from the organization that represents us. So, we must
manage our expectations accordingly and accept that needs vary even among
specialized peers.
Reflecting on the past few decades, I reflect on what my $100,000 in
dues and assessments has returned to me and the profession. The goals of any
professional association should include these shared ones:
* Advance the profession.
* Serve those engaged in the profession.
* Serve the public interest.

Are the associations advancing the profession?
Yes and no. I think we would agree that the ADA and AAO have defended
the professions, but would we also agree that they sometimes do so from behind? Arguably,
campaigns aimed at educating the public have been too little and too late. Realistically, though,
how many public campaigns are ever anything but reactionary in nature?
We want this symbiotic relationship with the general dental community, yet we wish to hold
ourselves out as "better trained" than those same dentists. This is not the fault of the AAO,
though it has become its burden to carry.
I've witnessed the rise of denturists, expanded-function hygienists, and attempts at a new
licensed professional that advocates say is like a physician's assistant being promoted by the
public. We've seen the arrival of at-home whitening and tooth straightening, and watched as
more insurance claims were submitted for orthodontics by non-orthodontists than we submitted
ourselves. We can't blame the AAO for these things or the new circumstances they've created,
but we might be right to question how proactive the association should be about them.
Thankfully, the American Board of Orthodontics has seen its membership and certification
levels increase, which I believe was at the heart of the problem for years. Let's hope the campaign
to have the majority of orthodontists board certified will reap rewards down the road, especially
in the realm of insurance.

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APRIL 2018 // orthotown.com
http://www.orthotown.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Orthotown April 2018
