American Association of Orthodontists Winter Conference 2025

AAO WINTER CONFERENCE 2025: ORTHO + PEDO SYNERGY
“From Small to Tall: Nurturing the Growth of Pediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics”

Conference Dates: January 24 – 26, 2025 Location: Marco Island, Florida (JW Marriott Marco Island Beach Resort) Academic Hosts: American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) & American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD)

General Information
Welcome to the most significant interdisciplinary meeting of the year. The AAO Winter Conference 2025 breaks down the walls between the two most closely aligned dental specialties: Orthodontics and Pediatric Dentistry.
This unique curriculum acknowledges a clinical reality: the “Ortho-Pedo” relationship is the lifeblood of a successful practice. This conference moves beyond simple referral patterns to explore collaborative clinical management. From managing the behavior of a difficult 7-year-old to the complex biomechanics of ectopic eruptions, this course provides a unified roadmap for treating the growing child.

Format: Joint Scientific Sessions + Interdisciplinary Panels.

Focus: Early Intervention, Airway, and Pathology Management.

Target Audience
This syllabus is designed for the “Growth & Development” team:

Orthodontists: Who need to master Phase I timing and effectively communicate with referring pediatric dentists.

Pediatric Dentists: Who want to understand the why behind orthodontic requests and how to manage space maintenance more effectively.

Dual-Specialty Providers: For whom this is the definitive annual update.

Clinical Teams: Staff members involved in the “handoff” of patients between specialties.

Learning Objectives
By the end of the Marco Island summit, participants will be able to:

Master Eruption Anomalies: Implement the 2025 protocols for managing Ectopic Eruption (canines/premolars) and Transposition cases before they become surgical nightmares.

Treat Enamel Defects: Differentiate and treat Molar Hypomineralization (MIH) and White Spot Lesions using the latest remineralization agents and resin infiltration techniques.

Navigate Mental Health: Identify “Red Flags” in child and adolescent mental health that affect compliance and chairside behavior.

Revive Serial Extraction: Re-evaluate the indications for Serial Extraction in severe crowding cases—knowing when to pull the trigger to shorten Phase II treatment.

Course Topics & Tracks
Highlights from the Joint Scientific Program.
TOPIC 1: Pathology & The Developing Dentition

Molar Incisor Hypomineralization (MIH): Current knowledge on etiology and restoring these “chalky” teeth to withstand orthodontic forces.

White Spot Lesions: Moving from “watch and wait” to aggressive microbiome management and clinical intervention.

TOPIC 2: Clinical Orthodontics in the Mixed Dentition

The “Missing Tooth” Dilemma: Early management solutions for multiple congenitally missing teeth.

Short Root Anomaly: How to screen for it and adjust mechanics to prevent root resorption.

Serial Extraction: A deep dive into the guidance of eruption to solve crowding without expansion.

TOPIC 3: Behavioral Science & Patient Management

The Anxious Child: Advanced behavior guidance techniques for the young and behaviorally challenging patient.

The Mental Health Crisis: Understanding the psychological burden on today’s adolescents and how it impacts clinical outcomes.

TOPIC 4: The Business of Collaboration

Referral Systems: Optimizing the communication loop between the Pedo office and the Ortho office to prevent patients from “falling through the cracks.”

Marketing Synergy: How to co-market your practices to parents seeking comprehensive care.