SAO History

On June 3, 2024, the Southern Association of Orthodontists and the Southwestern Society of Orthodontists combined operations to form the Southern Society of Orthodontists. The two organizations maintain their separate delegations to the AAO, but operate together for management and meetings.

Founded in 1921, the SAO has approximately 2,500 members in all categories, and is the second largest of the regional (constituent) associations of the American Association of Orthodontists. It is the only AAO regional association with its own office building and full-time staff.

Originally incorporated in Tennessee as the Southern Society of Orthodontists in 1950, the association became the Southern Association of Orthodontists in Georgia on September 12, 1990. Included in its geographic area are the states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana (east of the Mississippi), Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.