SAO President’s Message

Dr. Debbie Sema

While our Amelia Island Meeting won’t be in the heat of summer, our Committee on Annual Meeting Planning (CAMP) is excitedly finishing up the details for a fun and restful getaway for all of us. Online registration is officially open for our October Annual Session at Amelia Island! As always, our meeting promises engaging CE and a wonderful exhibit hall with time to visit our favorite vendors and their team members.

Since this year’s meeting will be on the beautiful Florida coast, we have planned additional “down time” for us to relax, unwind, and enjoy our friends, family and office teams. With CE in the mornings and early afternoons, we will have time in the late afternoons to relax together at the pool or the beach, visit the spa, shop, play golf, play putt-putt golf, rent bikes, go kayaking, or take advantage of any other great resort activities that are offered. We are so excited to welcome Tim Tebow as our keynote speaker. He will inspire us on Thursday morning. Josh Mancuso will entertain and motivate us with his Friday keynote. We are looking forward to having meals together and having a fabulous luau party on Friday night. More details available in the meeting brochure.

We are excited to share our annual session with our SWSO friends and colleagues as we work through the details of our pending merger. Our goal is to have our merger finalized next year. Our respective Boards and several committees are working diligently to help us cover every detail so that our merger can be a success and an example for the other constituents that are watching us as we lead the way to offer more benefits to constituent members and volunteer leaders. Our merger can also serve as a template for the possible merger of other AAO constituents.

It is my pleasure to introduce you to the SWSO President, Dr. Joe Moon, and welcome him to be a part of our SAO News. Dr. Moon lives and practices in Overland Park, Kansas and has served many years as a volunteer leader for the SWSO. I am blessed to know Joe and am honored to work with him as we strive to get our merger over the finish line.

– Debbie Sema

Dear SAO Colleagues,

First, I express my gratitude to Dr. Debbie Sema for her warm introduction and for her invaluable support throughout this merger process. Her dedication and leadership have been instrumental in bringing us closer to our goal of finalizing the merger next year. As we approach the midway point of the year, I am thrilled to share some thoughts about the impending merger between the Southern Association of Orthodontists (SAO) and the Southwestern Society of Orthodontists (SWSO).

Our SWSO Board of Directors and various committees have been diligently working alongside our SAO counterparts to ensure a smooth and successful merger. We understand the importance of addressing every detail in order to guarantee the success of this union.

In the spirit of collaboration and inclusivity, I encourage all of you to stay informed and engaged in the merger process. Your input and feedback are vital as we navigate through this transformative period. Together, we have the opportunity to shape the future of our specialty and lay the groundwork for a unified orthodontic community!

Wishing you a fantastic summer filled with joy, relaxation, and professional growth!

Warm regards,

Dr. Joe Moon President Southwestern Society of Orthodontists (SWSO)