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...

Greeting GLAO Family,

What an amazing year we have had thus far! This is my final virtual message to you as GLAO President and I would like to begin by thanking each of you for the many things you have done to support the realization of the organization's mission and vision. We have taken some significant steps towards promoting and protecting the profession and should all be very proud of our great constituency and the impact that we have been able to make together!

We are now less than 60 days away from the 2024 GLAO/MASO Annual Session and an incredible time for us as an organization to Reflect, Refresh, and Renew. I am pleased to share that registration for the 2024 GLAO/MASO Annual Session at the Westin Frenchman's Reef in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands on October 18-20, 2024, continues to proceed well. As of August 15, we have approximately 380 registrants from all over the country. We remain very excited about the 2024 annual session and the wonderful opportunity it will provide for you and your team to both grow and relax. While we are logging some great numbers, we still have some work to do. I would love to see the number of registrants eclipse 500 individuals, but we need your help to reach this goal. I hope that as you read this message that you are already registered to attend the meeting. If you have not made your plans to join us in St. Thomas, I encourage you to go to our 2024 GLAO/MASO annual session website and register today! Moreover, I challenge you to identify two colleagues and invite them and their staff to the meeting. If they have not thought about attending or have not found the time to register, your invitation could be just the thing that motivates them to take the next step and complete the registration process. We have planned a great program, in a wonderful venue, with the two best AAO constituencies in the US…. what more could you ask for in a meeting. So, I hope that you will take a few minutes today to pick up the phone and contact two of your colleagues about the awesome meeting we will have this October.

About a month before the 2024 GLAO/MASO Annual Session, we will hold our next scheduled GLAO Coffee Chat on Saturday, September 21. The September Coffee Chat will feature Dr. Jashleen Bedi, who will be sharing updates about the 2024 National Orthodontic Health Month and AAO National Anti-bullying Initiative. It will be another informative session and will include some helpful tips on how you and your practices can help take a bite out of bullying! This will be the last GLAO Virtual Coffee Chat under my leadership as President and I hope that you will commit a small portion of your weekend to join us for this wonderful opportunity to engage in dialogue about how we, as a profession, can promote better quality of life for our patients. Information about the September 21 Virtual Coffee Chat has already been disseminated but please contact me, Debbie, or Karla if you need any assistance with registering for the session.

As I close, I would like to again express my gratitude to each of you for your many invaluable contributions. We are the AAO, the GLAO, and the lift that helps our profession soar. Through our compassion, dedication, and selfless actions we enhance our communities, elevate the profession, and shape our world for the better. We are all a part of the fantastic story that is orthodontics, and I hope that you continue to strengthen the tremendous legacy that our profession has created. Be well and I look forward to the opportunity to Reflect, Refresh, and Renew with all of you in St. Thomas in a few short weeks.

Respectfully submitted,

Kelton T. Stewart, DDS, MS, FACD
GLAO President