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Mission & History

Mission:

The mission of the American Association of Orthodontists is to advance our members’ success through education, advocacy, and research that drive excellence in patient care.

Purposes:

  1. To promote the highest standards of excellence in orthodontic education and practice.
  2. To encourage and sponsor research to advance the science and art of orthodontics.
  3. To educate the public about the benefits of orthodontic treatment.
  4. To provide advocacy and services that benefit the members’ pursuit of professional success.

Vision Statement:

All orthodontic care is provided by qualified specialists who successfully address patient needs.

Core Values:

  • Our members come first.
  • We are inclusive.
  • We are data-driven.
  • We seek active engagement.
  • We are ethical.

History:

Read these articles on the history of orthodontics and the dental specialty of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics
Orthodontics In 3 Millennia.
Reproduced from American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Vol. 127, Number 2, Wahl, Norman, “Orthodontics in 3 millennia. Chapter 1: Antiquity to the mid-19th century,” pages 255-259, © 2005 with permission from The American Association of Orthodontists.
Reproduced from American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Vol. 127, Number 4, Wahl, Norman, “Orthodontics in 3 millennia. Chapter 2: Entering the modern era,” pages 510-515, © 2005 with permission from The American Association of Orthodontists.
Reproduced from American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Vol. 127, Number 6, Wahl, Norman, “Orthodontics in 3 millennia. Chapter 3: The professionalization of orthodontics,” pages 749-753, © 2005 with permission from The American Association of Orthodontists.
Reproduced from American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, Vol. 128, Number 2, Wahl, Norman, “Orthodontics in 3 millennia. Chapter 4: The professionalization of orthodontics (concluded),” pages 252-257, © 2005 with permission from The American Association of Orthodontists.
Reproduced from The American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics; Milton B. Asbell, D.D.S., M.Sc., M.A.; “A Brief History of Orthodontics,” August 1990, Vol. 98, Number 2, pp. 176-183 and September 1990 Vol. 98, Number 3, pp. 206-213, with permission from Mosby-Year Book, Inc.