The doctors and staff of Orthodontic Arts recently attended the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) annual meeting, held this year in Orlando, Florida at the Orange County Convention Center, with events at some of the local theme parks. The AAO is the oldest and largest dental specialty organization in the world, and its yearly event allows orthodontic practitioners from around the globe to mingle, have fun, and learn more about our wonderful profession.

We had a whale of a good time at the Opening Ceremonies at SeaWorld’s® Shamu Stadium. We sat up front in the “splash zone,” so when those majestic orcas used their mighty tails to kick up a playful tsunami onto the audience, those of us who were brave enough not to run away got the full force of it. Did we leave the stadium soggy? Yes, but also refreshed and happy. Other SeaWorld® favorites we enjoyed were the Kraken® and the Journey to Atlantis®
rides. There was plenty of lively music throughout the park, too, which prompted Dr. Sterne to show off his…ummm…interesting…dancing skills!

The AAO Gala was held at Universal Studios, where we had the whole park to ourselves! We could have used a little wizardry from The Wizarding World of Harry Potter™ to stop the torrents of rain that fell that night, but we still had a blast indoors on the thrilling Revenge of the Mummy® rollercoaster.

Back at the convention center, exhibit booths showcased the latest advances in orthodontic tools and equipment. And classes covered a wide range of topics, including delivering top-notch customer service, utilizing technology and social media in the orthodontic practice, improving clinical skills, mastering communication, and living a balanced life. There was even one called “Naked in Paradise,” in which Gary Zelesky, a truly gifted motivational speaker, imparted pearls of wisdom about the power of innovation and a positive attitude that
he gleaned when he unexpectedly–and alarmingly–found himself quite literally naked in a paradise vacation resort!
The conference provided a great chance for team building and unwinding, but it also highlighted our dedication to educating and motivating ourselves in order to offer our patients the most cutting-edge technology with the highest quality personal touch. We’re keeping our skills sharp so we can not only be our best, but give our best to you!

by Karen Allard