Dental News - Orthodontics innovation on display: AAO Annual Meeting kicks off in Orlando

Aaron Rothkopf, Dental Tribune USA

Fri. 1 May 2026

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Orlando is jam packed with exciting thills, and one of those is taking place over the next few days right at the Orange County Convention Center. The American Association of Orthodontists’ annual meeting takes place through Sunday, May 3, and it’s your chance to meet and mingle with more than 15,000 dental and orthodontic professionals and get a chance to see the latest orthodontist techniques and devices.

The exhibit hall will be the hub of events, and it’s the place where you can see the latest tools being used by orthodontists. On display will be ground-breaking products along with representatives who can answer your questions and give you live demonstrations.

Check out the Innovation Pavilion, located at the center of the exhibit hall, and learn about the latest and most exciting solutions to help your practice. You’ll also have a chance to judge what is the best new product on the show floor at the New Products Showcase.

If you are feeling overwhelmed with all the new gadgets and devices, head on over to the AAO Smile Spot and get ready to cuddle with puppies! Between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. each day, you can pet and play with these four-legged friends, snap a few photos and enjoy pure bliss at the Puppy Park within the exhibit hall. There will also be a Local Marketplace featuring artists from around central Florida.

The exhibit hall is open until 5 p.m. Friday, May 1; from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 2; and from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 3.

For those looking to earn C.E. credit, the AAO Annual Meeting has you covered. You can earn up to 14.25 credits at this year’s event. And there is a wide array of topics for you to choose from.

New to the field and looking for support? Head over to the New Resident Conference. Taking place Friday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., it is open to residents and doctors who have started their practice within the past five years. You can get introduced to three key career tracks in orthodontics: academic education, corporate practice and private practice ownership.

Want to connect with old college buddies and reminisce about those late-night study sessions? Stop by the alumni receptions to share stories about dental school. It takes place at the Hyatt Regency Orlando and nearby venues on Friday from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. It’s open to doctors who attended an ortho program in the United States and Canada.

For those looking to break into the field of orthodontics, there will be a career fair Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. It is open to doctors, residents and orthodontic staff and is complementary with registration.

You won’t be saying “Bye Bye Bye” just yet because the AAO is taking you back to the ’90s with special guests Joey Fatone and Lance Bass of NSYNC. The two musicians rose to fame in the late ’90s with their popular boy band. They have completed five nationwide concert tours and sold more than 70 million records, becoming one of the best-selling groups of all time. Join Fatone and Bass on Friday from 3 to 4 p.m. at the Chapin Theatre in the convention center.

For everything being offered at this year’s annual meeting, refer to the digital schedule on the AAO 2026 mobile app. There you can get the most up-to-date information while in Orlando.