American Orthodontics

School is out for the summer! That means it's time for our first AO Resident Event of 2024. We entertained 38 residents from 10 different programs: University of Southern California Ohio State University University of Iowa University of Pacific Oregon Health & Science University University of British Columbia Temple University University of Florida Georgia School of Orthodontics University of Oklahoma The future of orthodontics spent a beautiful summer weekend with lectures, plant tours, and, of course, some Sheboygan hospitality.

Thank you to all who visited us at AAO. For some Louisiana lagniappe--a Cajun term which translates to "a little something extra"--we were honored to present Dr. Grace Huang of Harvard University with the 2024 Journal of Clinical Orthodontics Student of the Year Award, presented by American Orthodontics. “I am deeply moved and humbled to receive the 2024 JCO Student of the Year Award, especially considering how many exceptional peers I have come to know,” said Dr. Huang. “This honor reflects not just my personal journey but also the collective support and inspiration from my family, mentors, and colleagues. Orthodontics has the profound ability to not only perfect smiles but also transform lives by affecting how people feel about themselves and interact with the world. As I look to the future, I hope to contribute to the ongoing advancement of the field and to continually learn from every patient and clinician I encounter.” Dr. Huang was selected over 19 other students from schools around the United States and Canada in a two-stage, months-long competition judged for clinical excellence by members of the JCO editorial board. Her prize includes more than $8,000 worth of products and services.

American Orthodontics corporate office will be closed on Friday, March 29 in observance of the Easter holiday in the US. We will reopen and shipping will resume on Monday, April 1.

Congratulations to Dr. Grace Huang from Harvard University for her selection as the 2024 Eugene L. Gottlieb Journal of Clinical Orthodontics (JCO) Student of the Year Award, presented by American Orthodontics. Dedicated to supporting orthodontic education and the future of the profession, AO has been the title sponsor of the award since its inception. Dr. Huang was selected over 19 other students from schools around the United States and Canada in a two-stage, months-long competition judged for clinical excellence by members of the JCO editorial board. Her prize includes more than $8,000 worth of products and services. The competition is held in two stages. Every school in the United States and Canada could nominate one current student. Nominees submit two letters of recommendation and a personal essay. Nominees are supplied with materials from an unpublished case and then write a complete treatment plan, including all possible alternatives, within a two-week time frame. Three JCO board members select 12 finalists in December. Finalists then submit a complete report for a case he or she had worked on. A wider panel of JCO board members then vote for the winner. Born in China, Dr. Huang moved to the United States at age 6. Her mother worked as an orthodontic assistant while her father attended dental school, providing Dr. Huang not only access to orthodontic treatment but a career in which to aspire. She attended the University of Pennsylvania prior to Harvard. “I am deeply moved and humbled to receive the 2024 JCO Student of the Year Award, especially considering how many exceptional peers I have come to know,” said Dr. Huang. “This honor reflects not just my personal journey but also the collective support and inspiration from my family, mentors, and colleagues. Orthodontics has the profound ability to not only perfect smiles but also transform lives by affecting how people feel about themselves and interact with the world. As I look to the future, I hope to contribute to the ongoing advancement of the field and to continually learn from every patient and clinician I encounter.” Dr. Huang is the ninth Student of the Year award winner, and Harvard University is the eighth different school to be recognized with the award. The JCO was founded in 1967 by Dr. Eugene L. Gottlieb, after whom the Student of the Year Award is named. Dr. Gottlieb died in 2018 at age 99.

Our latest Ultimate CE Event over the weekend blended brackets and birdies at the prestigious Titleist Performance Institute in sun-soaked Oceanside, CA. Attendees experienced a professional custom club fitting with the latest driver, iron, and putter technology on the market, but also received the tutelage and watchful eye of the club designers on the state-of-the-art range on the grounds of the Titleist Performance Institute. Plus, Dr. Patrick Briscoe teed up a strategic swing through decoding patient desires and mastering the art of storytelling, raising the level of the orthodontic game for patients. The weekend ended after a round on the lush greens of the Aviara Golf Club. Interested in learning more about these unforgettable experiences combined with earning CE credits? Contact your AO Sales Representative for details!

Three American Orthodontics Brackets Judged Best in Class with Orthotown® Townie Choice Awards With Seven Awards Overall   American Orthodontics is the winner of seven 2023 Orthotown Townie Choice Awards, highlighted by again winning the Metal Twin bracket category, the Self-Ligating Ceramic and the Self-Ligating Metal bracket category. This is the 11th year in a row the company has been recognized for best-in-class products, and it has increased its total number of awards to 63 in the 11-year history of the competition, more than any other orthodontic manufacturer. Orthodontic professionals vote based on their experiences with products and services across several categories.   In 2023, American Orthodontics’ MiniMaster Series brackets earned top honors in the Metal Twin category for the fifth consecutive year. Empower, which features the Dual Activation system, was voted as the best Self-Ligating metal bracket for the 8th time in 11 years, while Empower Clear was judged best in class for the first time in the Self-Ligating Cosmetic bracket category. Tanzo was once again the winner for Archwires, marking nine consecutive years of top honors. For the 11th consecutive year, AO won the Direct Bond Molar Tube competition, featuring the ifit buccal tubes. For the 8th time, Wildlife Series Elastics was judged best in class for Elastics and Elastomerics.   AO has also swept the categories of Bondable Buccal Tubes, and Elastics categories since their inception.  

Radiance Plus delivers exceptional results with features other cosmetic brackets just can't match. Radiance Plus is the clearest ceramic twin bracket available, proven to be much clearer than other monocrystalline or polycrystalline ceramic systems. Each Radiance Plus bracket is created from a single crystal of pure grown sapphire – one of the hardest materials in nature, second only to diamond. The crystal is honed and heat polished into a remarkably strong and beautiful bracket that's nearly invisible on the teeth.

The Thanksgiving holiday in the USA is this Thursday . That means AO treats its employees on all three shifts to a feast! It also means the corporate office of AO will be closed Thursday and Friday, November 23 and 24. However, we will be shipping on the 24th. Happy Thanksgiving!