EDITORIAL

Words seeking actionDavid L. Turpin, Editor-in-Chief

Seattle, Wash

Any good organization knows that, to stayhealthy, it must periodically ask its memberswhat they think of its performance. Nearly 2

years ago, your Board of Trustees did just that when itformed a task force and charged it with selecting anoutside company to assess the effectiveness of AAOmember communications. It was anticipated that thisfeedback would help create member-focused publica-tions and communication tools to better support allmembers of our specialty. After conducting a nation-wide search for a company to audit the AAO, the taskforce selected Bonner Consultants, Inc, of McLean, Va,known to be experts in strategic communications forassociations. It was hoped that the resulting communi-cations audit would become the signature of a progres-sive and competitive association determined to achievestrategic goals, internally and externally, throughstrong and persuasive communications.

Bonner Consultants was asked to test the AAO’scommunication products for content, message continuity,relevance, timeliness, design, production values, completeintegration, and member satisfaction. Consultants studiedthe entire history of AAO publications with particularattention paid to print products. A senior consultant metAAO members in their offices from Washington to LosAngeles and conducted confidential, face-to-face inter-views. A print and electronic perceptions survey of arandom sample of the AAO membership worldwide wasalso a part of the audit. After compiling a formidablefoundation of data, the consultants articulated to the Boardof Trustees a number of conclusions and recommenda-tions, packaged together as the AAO CommunicationsAction Plan.1,2 This report was initially accepted by theBoard of Trustees along with a commitment to transformall communications of the AAO through careful planningand thorough implementation. Among the basic compo-nents of the Bonner Report are the following sections.

CONTENT IS CRITICAL

Improvements in editorial content are essential todrive members, consumers, and the news media to theAAO Web site. With the acceptance of this plan,

Am J Orthod Dentofacial Orthop 2008;133:481-20889-5406/$34.00Copyright © 2008 by the American Association of Orthodontists.

doi:10.1016/j.ajodo.2008.02.011

professional staff will be responsible for generatingcontent to meet the needs of the members, press, andconsumers. This change in organizational effort willgenerate content that is informative and entertainingand will keep all audiences wanting more. The contentwill need to work across channels: the new and im-proved Bulletin will comprise feature articles in printand an online version that uses animation, videos, andcaptivating photography; the weekly e-letter will enticereaders, particularly new and younger members, to visita new and improved Web site; consumer educationbrochures will inform and educate the public; and theWeb site will become the AAO’s most importantcommunications channel.

IMAGE IS EVERYTHING

The creation of a “brand” will provide AAO staffwith a much-needed design guide that will assist in thedelivery of consistent and recognizable publicationsand products. A brand manual will feature a series ofdesign templates for brochures, pamphlets, labels, re-ports; typography guidelines; photo and graphic sub-mission guidelines; logo usage guidelines; and colorpalette guidelines. The new look and feel might eveninvolve the creation of a new logo to serve as a symbolto which consumers, legislators, the press, and mem-bers can relate.

THE WEB SITE: A MOST IMPORTANTCOMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL

With an ever-growing number of consumers usingthe Internet for health-related research, the AAO mustperfect this communications vehicle to persuade con-sumers to visit the site. Content, not bells and whistles,will drive all audiences to the Web site. This contentwill come from all other AAO channels, including theconsumer awareness campaign, and will be extendedand amplified at the site. It will be friendly, everevolving, tailored to meet member needs, fun, enter-taining, and must connect with and engage all targetaudiences. The new and improved Web site will featureintuitive navigation, some animation, Web casts, blogs,news feeds, a robust search feature, and ultimately

podcasts.

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American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial OrthopedicsApril 2008

482 Editorial

WEEKLY E-LETTER: DEVELOPING ANELECTRONIC CONNECTION

The weekly e-letter will feature newsworthy thumb-nail sketches and take AAO members to any area of theWeb site with 1 click. Although the “Bulletin” will bemailed to other audiences, the e-letter will be a mem-bers-only correspondence that will be forward-lookingand will constantly feature timely news about thespecialty.

THE “BULLETIN”: A MEANS BY WHICH TO SELLTHE SPECIALTY TO NONBELIEVERS

The printed “Bulletin” will morph into a 6-times-per-year, glossy 4-color magazine comprising almostexclusively feature articles, AAO event promotions,and original photography. In addition to giving mem-bers, prospective members, students, the media, legis-lators, and dentists an interesting read, the “Bulletin”will drive readers to the Web site for more information,order forms, and so on. By increasing the print run, the“Bulletin” can be mailed to external audiences, thuspromoting greater understanding of orthodontics.

MEDIA TRAINING AND NEWS MEDIASTRATEGIES: MOLDING AAO MEMBERS INTOAMBASSADORS OF THE PROFESSION

Media outlets often prefer to speak to an orthodon-tist in their city so that they can localize a nationalstory. Frequently, the media need to interview a spokes-person in a relatively short time frame—perhaps the

builds relationships with reporters and their organiza-tions; this can lead to educational opportunities for thepublic and referral sources. To better prepare for this,the Bonner report recommends that more AAO mem-bers be media trained for both on-air and telephoneinterviews in certain cities to be better able to respondto media requests in a timely manner. Trained memberswill learn key message points, be prepared to manageinterviews, and ultimately connect persuasively withconsumers worldwide.

After nearly 2 years of meetings, conference calls,member surveys, staff interviews, and board action, theAAO Communication Action Plan is still seekinggreater support from membership. The Board of Trust-ees has now asked the Councils of Communication(COC) and Information Technology (COIT) as well asall other AAO councils to provide additional inputbefore this plan is implemented. As competitive forcescombine with globalization to make the delivery ofhealth care more challenging every day, you will have1 more opportunity to tell your leaders what you expectfrom the AAO. This action plan for communicatingwith our various publics is ambitious, but how muchlonger can we afford to wait in the face of majorsocietal changes?

REFERENCES

1. Bonner C. American Association of Orthodontists Communica-tions Audit—findings and recommendations. May 2007.

2. Survey research conducted and analyzed by Stratton Publishing &

same day of the request. Respecting news deadlines Marketing, Inc. Stratton Research. May 2007.

Editors of the International Journal of Orthodontia (1915-1918),International Journal of Orthodontia & Oral Surgery (1919-1921),International Journal of Orthodontia, Oral Surgery and Radiography (1922-1932),International Journal of Orthodontia and Dentistry of Children (1933-1935),International Journal of Orthodontics and Oral Surgery (1936-1937),American Journal of Orthodontics and Oral Surgery (1938-1947),American Journal of Orthodontics (1948-1986), andAmerican Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics (1986-present)

1915 to 1932 Martin Dewey1931 to 1968 H. C. Pollock1968 to 1978 B. F. Dewel1978 to 1985 Wayne G. Watson1985 to 2000 Thomas M. Graber2000 to present David L. Turpin