Orthodontic Assistant Permit Training Course Is Delayed
As of January 1, 2011 the Dental Board has delayed the CAO Orthodontic Assistant Permit Course and other courses that had been previously approved. We anticipate re-approval within the next 60 days as the Board adopts new regulations. In the meantime, for the latest information, Click Here.
Check our website regularly as we will notify all members once this delay is lifted.
IMPORTANT! Red Flags Rule Update
IMPORTANT! Update on the Red Flags Rule & the Form 1099 Reporting Requirment Check the Legislative update section.
Introducing Dr. Tony Cucalon - CAO President, 2010
![]() Dr. Tony Cucalon |
A message from Dr. Cucalon.......
Dear CAO Members,
As we remove the last particles of Hawaiian sand from our shoes, the PCSO annual session is completed and our new CAO leadership team is installed and ready to serve.
We are grateful for the successful year CAO just completed which was led by our dedicated President, Tom Chin. The CAO Executive Committee would like to thank Dr. Chin for an outstanding and very productive year. We would also like to welcome our newest Director, Dr. Andrew Harner from Huntington Beach. Dr. Harner promises to be another great addition to our Board and a loyal member of CAO.
What can we expect this year? First off, GREAT NEWS!! The Orthodontic Assistant Permit (OAP) Training Program has been officially approved by the California Dental Board. CAO is gearing up to offer the training program in an online format that will be convenient
for all offices.
The training program will be competitively priced and offered to CAO members at a deeply discounted price. Stay tuned as we complete all necessary steps towards our release date and to getting the program into your orthodontic office. This new permit will provide a new category of dental assistant, known as "Registered Orthodontic Assistant" and will have a valuable impact to all our practices. Our CAO sponsored Program promises to be a very easy and more important, cost effective way of allowing our assistants to receive their permit without leaving your office. The cost of the training program will be a valuable membership benefit. Again, thank you to Dr. Michael Payne who has worked tirelessly on behalf of CAO to get the training program drafted, finalized and through the approval process with the CDB. Before you start spending thousands of dollars into completing the permit for your assistant, please take a minute to look at our program. It is well worth the wait!
As all our members should know the "You and Your Orthodontist" Informed Consent brochure has been updated and this latest revision is the best one yet. Truly all of us should consider this newly copyrighted pamphlet as an integral part of your orthodontic practice. You and Your Orthodontist has been and continues to be the primary source of revenue for our Organization. We are now marketing YYO in English and Spanish throughout the United States, South America, and in Spanish speaking European countries. The revenue generated from the sales of You and Your Orthodontist has allowed our dues to remain unchanged for several years. Please support the CAO and at the same time protect your practice. It is especially critical through these difficult economic years.
As we start this new Board year, keep an eye out for our Website improvements. We are now in the process of improving our website to
make it more user-friendly. Our Website Editor, Dr. Joel Brodsky, with assistance from our Executive Director, Ann Sebaugh, are working to
improve our website to the status and level which will easily provide current information that will keep our members informed on all current
issues. Check the website often!
Finally, I would be remiss if I do not ask our membership to please consider helpingthe CAO, either by volunteering to serve on the board or
on a committee of interest. CAO would love to have you. Please do not hesitate to contact either Ann Sebaugh at CAO (asebaugh@aaortho.org)or myself (tonycuc3@aol.com). Our orthodontic profession is a wonderful career and with our world as it is will require as much support from our membership as possible so we can continue to practice our chosen profession in a manner that allows us to be a leading organization in today’s orthodontic environment.
Sincerely,
Tony
Antonio Cucalon, III, DDS., MS
You and Your Orthodontist - Revised Informed Consent Brochures
Newly Revised Informed Consent Brochures are Available in English and Spanish.... Order yours today!
Orthodontic Assistant Permit - Dr. Michael Payne
Click Here to read Dr. Payne's account of the Orthodontic Assistant Permit initiative and how it may expand the scope of duties performed by orthodontic assistants.
Dr. Tom Bales To Serve on PCSO and AAOF Boards
Dr. Tom Bales was recently named by the PCSO board as the PCSO Director to the AAO Foundation Board of Directors. Dr. Bales will be in St. Louis at the AAO Foundation board meeting in July. He was selected from many fine, qualified applicants for this position.
The Board feels Dr. Bales' keen interest in the AAOF's awards programs, financial acumen and experience in successful fundraising make him the ideal candidate for participation on this board. Dr. Bales is currently serving as the Secretary/Treasurer of CAO.
Congratulations, Dr. Bales!
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