Welcome to The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists!
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists (GLAO) is a constituent of the American Association of Orthodontists. The GLAO advocates on behalf of its members and promotes the value and advancement of the Specialty of Orthodontics. Component organizations of the GLAO include: Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario (Canada), and Pennsylvania (west of the Alleghenies).
A Message from The GLAO President...
It is a privilege and an honor to serve as the GLAO
president. I am deeply grateful to those
who have supported me, and to those who have served as role models showing me
how to lead during constantly changing times.
I would like to recognize Debbie Nunner, our executive director, and
Karla Dunbar, our coordinator, who as a team are the core of our society,
always providing the support and the behind-the-scenes work that is essential
for the multitasking lives that we have.
I have been part of the GLAO leadership for many
years now, and what I am most grateful for is the diversity of backgrounds and
thoughts that we have in our group. The
discussions and opinions shared are often very different than the microcosm
we live in. As the director of an orthodontic
residency, when asked what I expect from graduates of our program I say that I
would consider their training a failure if in the future all they do is go from
office to home and home to office, without being part of something bigger. Something bigger could be as simple as part
of a study club, but hopefully, organized dentistry. We all know that we help ourselves by helping
our profession, and that we have strength in numbers, but there is more. Being part of a regional or national
organization exposes one to a diversity of thoughts, situations, and it opens
our minds, forcing us to grow. I
consider that a clear win-win situation.
Our constituency is focusing on this message, with
special attention on the orthodontic residents, who are the future of our
specialty. We are creating ways to keep a
strong presence from all our schools, by providing engagement, and giving
residents an opportunity to contribute and discuss the direction of our
specialty.
Please plan on attending our joint Annual Session
with MASO at the Gaylord Hotel in National Harbor, Maryland, on September
22-23, 2023. This is a particularly
special meeting for me, since the MASO president, David Harmon, in addition to
being a good friend, was my co-resident during training. We have put a great team together, and at the
GLAO, Fatima Ahmed and Tasha Hall are already working hard on a great
program. I hope to see you in Maryland!
Respectfully submitted,
Dr. Juan Martin Palomo ([email protected])
2022-23 GLAO President
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