American Association of Orthodontists Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
TO ADVANCE THE ORTHODONTIC SPECIALTY BY SUPPORTING EXCEPTIONAL EDUCATION AND RESEARCH THAT LEADS TO EXCELLENCE IN PATIENT CARE, AND BY PROMOTING ORTHODONTIC CHARITABLE GIVING.
- Income
- $3.1 million
- Spending
- $2.4 million
- Spent on programs
- 64%
- Reserves
- 25.6 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- investment income, 52%
- Employees
- 4
- Volunteers
- 65
- Highest pay
- $358,258, secretary-treasurer, ex-officio
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 25.6 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 22% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 74% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1564% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 22 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (health care, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2523 of 23 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $1.1 million spent. FELLOWSHIPS: THE ORTHODONTIC FACULTY DEVELOPMENT FELLOWSHIP AWARD IS DESIGNED TO ENCOURAGE ORTHODONTIC STUDENTS AND GRADUATES TO PURSUE CAREERS IN ORTHODONTIC EDUCATION AND SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF JUNIOR FACULTY. IT IS FELT THAT THE YOUNG CLINICAL INVESTIGATOR AND BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIST MUST BE SUPPORTED TO ENCOURAGE AND ENABLE THEM TO DEVELOP THEIR TEACHING, PATIENT CARE AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES TO THEIR HIGHEST POTENTIAL; THIS, IN GREAT MEASURE, WILL ENABLE EXCELLENCE IN ORTHODONTIC EDUCATION AND PROGRESS FOR THE SPECIALTY. THIS AWARD PROVIDES SUPPORT TO INDIVIDUALS ENGAGED IN ORTHODONTIC TRAINING LEADING TO A MASTER OF SCIENCE OR PHD DEGREE, AN ORTHODONTIC GRADUATE INVOLVED IN POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH PROJECTS AND JUNIOR FACULTY SERVING AS FULL-TIME FACULTY IN AN ORTHODONTIC DEPARTMENT. FELLOWSHIP AWARDS ARE INTENDED ONLY FOR THOSE COMMITTED TO A CAREER IN ORTHODONTIC TEACHING AND/OR RESEARCH. RESEARCH: BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AWARDS ARE NOW FOCUSED ON HELPING JUNIOR FACULTY IN U.S. AND CANADA DEVELOP INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ACTIVITIES TO HELP COMPLETE REQUIREMENTS FOR TENURE AND TO PROVIDE PILOT STUDY DATA FOR OTHER EXTERNAL FUNDING APPLICATIONS (E.G. NIDCR). BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AWARDS ARE AVAILABLE TO A.) U.S. AND CANADIAN CITIZENS, B.) FOREIGN NATIONALS WHO POSSESS A U.S. "GREEN CARD OR ITS CANADIAN EQUIVALENT, AS LONG AS THE APPLICANT AND THE INSTITUTION WILL STIPULATE THAT OBTAINING SUCH STATUS IS APPLICANT'S INTENTION AND WHERE THERE IS DEMONSTRABLE EVIDENCE OF THIS INTENT. AWARDS ARE DESIGNED FOR THOSE INDIVIDUALS EMPLOYED IN AN ORTHODONTIC DEPARTMENT DURING YEARS 3-14 OF THEIR ACADEMIC CAREERS. FURTHERMORE, THE AAOF WILL BE MOST ENTHUSIASTIC FOR THOSE PROPOSALS WHERE THERE IS COLLABORATION WITH MORE SENIOR FACULTY WHO ARE ESTABLISHED INVESTIGATORS. EVIDENCE OF INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT TO THE PROJECT (E.G., IN THE FORM OF A LETTER OF SUPPORT FROM AN APPROPRIATE INSTITUTIONAL OFFICIAL/OFFICIALS) IS REQUIRED. COLLECTIONS: LONGITUDINAL ORTHODONTIC RECORDS OF UNTREATED INDIVIDUALS HAVE LONG BEEN AT THE CENTER OF OUR UNDERSTANDING OF NORMAL GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE HEAD AND NECK AND FORM THE BASIS OF OUR TREATMENT IN ORTHODONTICS, PROVIDING MATERIAL TO DEVELOP NORMATIVE DATA FOR TREATMENT GOALS. THERE ARE SEVERAL ORTHODONTIC RECORD COLLECTIONS IN EXISTENCE CONTAINING RECORDS THAT HAVE BEEN ACCUMULATED LITERALLY OVER GENERATIONS, AS INDIVIDUALS UNDER STUDY HAVE GROWN, MATURED AND PROCEEDED THROUGH ADULTHOOD. IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THESE RECORD COLLECTIONS BE PRESERVED IN PERPETUITY FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES, AS WELL AS CONTROLS FOR RESEARCH AND GROWTH STUDIES, NOT ONLY IN ORTHODONTICS BUT ALSO IN OTHER ACADEMIC DISCIPLINES. THESE COLLECTIONS ARE STORED IN VARIOUS LOCATIONS UNDER VARYING CIRCUMSTANCES, AND ALL OF THEM ARE SUBJECT TO DETERIORATION WITH TIME. THE NATURE OF THESE COLLECTIONS IS UNIQUE SINCE THEY MAY NEVER BE DUPLICATED AGAIN. FURTHERMORE, FOR A VARIETY OF REASONS, MANY OF THESE RECORDS ARE DIFFICULT TO ACCESS, AND, CONSEQUENTLY, MUCH OF THIS INFORMATION HAS BEEN LESS THAN OPTIMALLY UTILIZED OVER THE YEARS. THE AAOF IS COMMITTED TO THIS PROJECT, ON A LONG-TERM BASIS, IN THREE STAGES, I.E., STAGE ONE - ESTABLISHMENT OF A WEBSITE CONTAINING 900 LATERAL CEPHALOGRAMS FOR OVER 80 SUBJECTS FROM NINE OF THE TEN COLLECTIONS; STAGE TWO - CREATION OF TRULY REPRESENTATIVE SAMPLE(S) OF THE PARTICIPATING COLLECTIONS; AND STAGE THREE - COMPLETE PRESERVATION OF ALL RECORDS IN ALL COLLECTIONS.
- $433,460 spent. GIFTED SMILES IS A PROGRAM OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF ORTHODONTISTS FOUNDATION (AAO FOUNDATION) THAT PROVIDES THE CONDUIT TO ORTHODONTIC TREATMENT. GIFTED SMILES PROVIDES AND CONNECTS CHILDREN WHO CANNOT AFFORD TREATMENT TO A NETWORK OF VOLUNTEER ORTHODONTISTS WHO CONTRIBUTE THEIR TIME AND RESOURCES TO PROVIDE ORTHODONTIC CARE.
- $60,000 spent. ANY AAO MEMBER WHO IS THE VICTIM OF A NATURAL DISASTER MAY APPLY TO THE DISASTER RELIEF FUND FOR A GRANT (UP TO $15,000) TO ASSIST IN RESTORING, REPAIRING, OR RECONSTRUCTING A PRACTICE FACILITY OWNED BY THE APPLICANT, OR THE DENTAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES THEREIN.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending July 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending July 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1965.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.