Council on Communications Advances Social Media, Membership, and Consumer Awareness Initiatives
Dr. Meg Dombroski
The Council on Communications (COC) met virtually in June and August to advance priorities across AAO’s marketing and outreach efforts. Chaired by Dr. Alex Thomas, the meetings highlighted strong growth in social media, renewed focus on member engagement, and continued momentum for the Consumer Awareness Program (CAP).
Social Media Momentum and Strategy
The council welcomed Max Oldani, AAO’s new Social Media Strategist. Under his leadership, AAO’s social presence has experienced significant growth, including increases in engagement, impressions, and social media followers. Looking ahead, AAO will expand its use of short-form video, prioritize member collaborations, and refine platform-specific content. A recent influencer partnership with Charlotte Ann Tucker underscored the potential of this strategy, generating over 400,000 views and significantly boosting brand visibility among family-focused audiences.
Bullying Bites Campaign Enhancements
Each October the AAO is proud to help practices take a stand against bullying with the Bullying Bites campaign. This year, the Bullying Bites initiative is being refreshed with updated digital resources, expanded t-shirt options, and an earlier launch of the online store. Advocacy collaborations will bring visibility to Congressional supporters, alongside expanded media coverage and landmark lightings in select markets.
To order Bullying Bites marketing material for your team, view Practice Marketing Tools and the Store for merchandise.
Strengthening Membership Engagement
Membership communications continue to be a key part of AAO’s outreach strategy. The weekly eBulletin, which consistently has open rates above 60%, is now repurposed into Instagram Stories to expand its reach. Broader omnichannel outreach, including targeted emails, texts, and leadership updates through the In the Know newsletter, helps ensure members stay informed across multiple platforms. The Member Minute video series continues to foster engagement by enabling members to hear directly from their colleagues about upcoming events, advocacy initiatives, and AAO benefits. In addition, quarterly communications aimed at orthodontic staff keep office teams aligned with AAO campaigns and resources, recognizing their essential role in practice success.
Consumer Awareness Program Growth
AAO’s Consumer Awareness Program continues to exceed expectations, drawing 15.4 million website visitors last fiscal year, a 40.8% increase from the prior year. Paid campaigns and optimized search strategies fueled consistent growth, while organic users exceeded monthly goals in most months.
The program expanded with the launch of a new campaign in September 2025, featuring 18 animated videos that address common patient questions. These resources are designed to help members build trust, grow their practices, and save time. Additionally, a joint public service announcement with AAOMS and AAPD aired over 6,300 times from January to July 2025, reaching 3.7 million viewers and generating more than $467,000 in media value.
Through these initiatives, the COC is ensuring members remain informed, engaged, and well-equipped to advance both their practices and the profession.