The American Association of Orthodontists Foundation will be providing a new service in response to requests from AAO members. This will be your opportunity to ask a panel of orthodontic researchers questions regarding the validity of manufacturers' claims about their products.
Have you ever been attracted to a product based on claims of a manufacturer only to discover that it does not live up to the expectations? The purpose of this new service is to provide access to experts who will review research the manufacturer provides that the manufacturer believes substantiates their claim. When the review process is complete, the panel will conclude if the manufacturer's claims are supported by the information provided.
The review panel is made up of: Dr. Sath Allareddy, Professor and Head, Department of Orthodontics, University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry; Dr. Jae Hyun Park, Professor and Director, Postgraduate Orthodontic Program, Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health; and Dr. Sylvia A. Frazier Bowers, Assistant Dean, Inclusive Excellence + Equity Initiatives, and Associate Professor, Department of Orthodontics, University of North Carolina School of Dentistry.
It is our hope that through the review process AAO membership will gain research-based knowledge about products, and that manufacturers will be motivated to be consistently accurate about their claims. AAO members will have access to reports from the expert panel via multiple communication channels. If more in-depth research into a claim is needed, the topic will be forwarded to AAOF's Planning and Awards Review Committee (PARC) for consideration of further study.
Starting the review process is simple! Click here to access the form. Once you have completed the form, follow the instructions to submit it to the AAO Foundation office and the process will begin.
If you have questions, please contact the AAO Foundation Office at 314-292-6605 or email Brett Schott, AAOF Vice President, at bschott@aaortho.org.