Funder: American Association of Orthodontists Foundation
Due Dates (Anticipated): October 2027 (Application deadline)
Funding Amounts: Published 2027 caps: $6,000–$50,000 annually by category; Type 3 Center Awards up to $75,000 over three years
Summary: Supports orthodontic research, faculty development, postdoctoral training, and collaborative projects advancing education and patient care.
Key Information: Fellowship recipients owe subsequent full-time orthodontic teaching service equal to their funded years, with repayment consequences for noncompletion.
Description
The American Association of Orthodontists Foundation (AAOF) competitively supports orthodontic educators and researchers, with a primary emphasis on junior faculty. Endowment-funded awards support professional development, independent research, pilot studies, shared collections and databases, and collaborative knowledge dissemination. Investigator-defined proposals are welcome alongside focused calls for proposals.
The published 2027 program emphasizes Innovation in Orthodontic Research and Artificial Intelligence in Academics and Practice. Research interests span clinical outcomes, craniofacial biology, biomechanics, materials, digital technologies, patient-centered care, health equity, and education. Faculty recruitment, retention, mentorship, leadership, curriculum design, and multi-institutional collaboration are especially encouraged. AI priorities include faculty literacy, resident education, clinical decision support and human oversight, ethical and professional implications, implementation science, and workforce development.
