Advocacy
Under the leadership of Ms. Catherine French (Assistant Executive Director for Advocacy and Professional Relations) and her resolute staff, the AAE continued its strong advocacy efforts emphasizing the value and relevance of endodontic therapy and the importance of oral health. Through communication and collaboration with other partner dental organizations, legislative bodies, educational outlets, and the public, the association has positioned itself well in not only advocating for endodontic therapy, but also for the expertise of endodontists and their ability to perform superior therapy and better serve the public.
Our advocacy year was busy and our efforts meaningful and fruitful. It all began with a meeting with the Dental Insurance directors which included a frank discussion on key endodontic procedures and the value of endodontists in producing enhanced outcomes in endodontic therapy. Also discussed was the use of CBCT, resorption surgery, the use of orifice barriers, and regenerative/vital pulp therapy procedures. The discussion focused on how the insurance industry could support endodontists as they perform advanced therapies which help preserve the natural dentition.
The AAE was also able to be involved with and support several initiatives which will help increase awareness of the relationship between oral and systemic health, health equity, and access to care. Included in these initiatives were those supporting legislative measures acknowledging comprehensive adult dental care as a component of state Medicaid programs, water fluoridation, student debt reform, expanded Medicare coverage for dental procedures, dental workforce diversity, and medical loss ratios for dentistry. Our Practice Affairs Committee skillfully provided input on newly proposed quality metrics and proposed legislation covering patient safety during the use of anesthesia. The AAE also positioned itself as a resource for state components as they dealt with issues such as insurance company reimbursement reductions, access to care, and the response to other public campaigns disseminating misinformation and posing potential existential threats to endodontics.
As President of the AAE I was able to meet with many key individuals in dental leadership and industry to advocate for the expertise and skill or our members, and to better understand the current trends in dentistry. My message was loud and clear; saving the natural dentition through endodontic therapy (when possible) is the best choice for the health of our patients, and that endodontics performed by endodontists provides the best and most predictable treatment to ensure the function and longevity of endodontically treated teeth.

Education
Our surveys still indicate that education and educational opportunities are still the number one valued benefit for our members. To this end, the AAE continued to provide quality endodontic education and continues to expand its educational offerings.
The year was highlighted by several in-person, well attended meetings offering diverse subject matter and serving the diverse segments of our association. In-person meetings such as APICES, Insight Track, Corporate Community Forum, the Educator Forum and the Leadership Development Program all provided the most current information to our members and drew them closer as they collaborated and socialized with other colleagues and friends.
Online education has grown and become a significant part of the AAE educational portfolio. Our beloved Dr. Marcus Johnson continues to produce his amazing “Endo Voices” online seminars which informally discuss current topics important to our residents and our members. Our “To-The-Point” webinars feature notable experts in the field of endodontics. Offerings and participation in “Endo on Demand” reached all-time highs and allowed members to explore presentations which fulfill personal interests on their own time.
The Journal of Endodontics, helmed by Dr. Kenneth Hargreaves, continued to be the world leader in endodontic research and literature. It is now ranked six out of 109 dental journals, with a CiteScore of 7.8 (up from 7.1). Submissions of quality articles and research also reached record levels. Thanks to the journal, our members and the endodontic community can keep pace with the rapid and significant changes affecting endodontics.
And of course, AAE23 in Chicago was a resounding success under the leadership of General Chair Dr. Garry Myers and all the members of the Annual Meeting Planning Committee. Thanks to all of them and our meeting team headed by Ms. Tanya Kinsman (Assistant Executive Director, Meetings and Continuing Education), the annual meeting netted an all-time high attendance record, presented quality educational sessions, and was a meeting which allowed our members to come together safely in a return to normalcy.

Public Outreach
Outreach to the public to create awareness of who endodontists are and what they do continued to expand and become even more successful and effective. The Board of Directors has and continued to provide substantial financial support for the strategic initiatives which enabled the association to partake in an effective public awareness campaign. Thanks to Ms. Kim FitzSimmons (Chief Marketing and Communications Officer) and her staff, the AAE continued to upgrade and employ its extraordinarily successful and award winning “Worth-Saving” campaign to facilitate a public facing strategy that is really making a difference in the way the public perceives endodontists and endodontic therapy. And of course, the year culminated with our famous and hugely successful “Save Your Tooth” month, with an array of promotions which highlighted the value of endodontists.
This year, through the efforts of our Marketing and Communication Team, the AAE was able to directly engage the public through 2,461 outlets (TV, Radio, and print media), reaching a conservative estimate of two hundred million people worldwide—an amazing number which serves our members well.
The Board of Directors will continue to support these efforts into the future—at no additional cost to members beyond their dues.
International Relations and Collaboration
The strategic plan of the American Association of Endodontists includes the goal the organization will strive to be the “World-leaders in Endodontics.” This past year I had the opportunity to attend several international meetings—The European Society of Endodontology, The IFEA World Endodontic Congress, the PanEndo (Egyptian Society of Endodontics), and the Canadian Association of Endodontists. I was able to meet with the leaders of these organizations at length and come to understand their goals and how these relate to the global state of endodontics. I also learned that they value their relationship with the AAE, seek advice from us, and strive to emulate us in the quality of the education and benefits we provide our membership and in our promotion of endodontics to the public. Their strong relationship with us was evidenced as almost eight hundred international members participated in AAE23, and in the fact that international category has become the fastest growing segment of our membership.
The AAE will continue to collaborate with our international partners with the intent to share knowledge, narrow the gap on how endodontic therapy is performed throughout the world, and to achieve global health equity as it pertains to dental care and endodontic therapy.
Membership
More than any other aspect of our association, membership was hit hardest by the global COVID-19 pandemic. But thanks to the efforts of Ms. Kelly McNamara (Assistant Executive Director for Member Services) and her staff, the AAE was able to return to pre-pandemic levels prior to AAE23. To get to this point was no small task and is a testament to the resolve of our membership team and the quality product the AAE provides.
The AAE continued to increase member benefits through its AAE Advantage Program, including a new vendor to assist members with HIPAA compliance. Our online community, AAE Connection, was also expanded to include educator and resident survey communities. And our Endo Careers Center continued to expand to provide valuable information for both employers and those seeking employment in the endodontic workforce. Through these important additions, the value of an AAE membership increased and will continue to increase heading into the future.

The Future
We have weathered a storm, and the future of endodontics and our association is bright despite all the changes we face. But the leadership of the American Association of Endodontists also knows that we must be adaptive and vigilant to assure the well-being and relevance of our specialty and our association as we move into the future. In November of 2023, the Board of Directors will begin the process of reviewing and revamping the Strategic Plan which guides the efforts of our association, in consideration of the changing landscape of endodontics on the educational, practice, and technological levels. Certain key issues which are important to our members have been identified for potential inclusion in the plan. These include changing practice models, the use of Artificial Intelligence in dentistry and endodontics, and the endodontic educator shortage. The inclusion of these issues and others is indisputably important and represents the board’s responsibility and desire to be both responsive and initiative-taking to the changing face of our specialty.
I would be remiss to not thank our Executive Director Mr. Ken Widelka, our Deputy Executive Director Ms. Trina Andresen Coe, and our entire staff for their dedication to the AAE. Their tremendous personal support during my presidential year helped me to accomplish my goals and serve our organization well. It was a privilege and honor serving the members of the American Association of Endodontists—it is an experience that I will never forget.

Faithfully Submitted,

Dr. Stefan I Zweig
AAE President (2022-2023)