The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists (GLAO) is a non-profit professional membership association and AAO constituent serving orthodontists across Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, and western Pennsylvania with advocacy, continuing education, and networking services.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1925
- HeadquartersWorthington, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists does
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists (GLAO) is a private, non-profit professional membership association founded in 1925 and headquartered in Worthington, Ohio. It operates as a constituent/regional component organization of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), serving orthodontists across five component organizations covering Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario (Canada), and Pennsylvania (west of the Alleghenies). GLAO does not sell products or technology; it delivers member services including professional advocacy, continuing education through an annual session and quarterly Coffee Chats, networking, awards recognition, and resident scholarships.
Its core deliverables center on the Annual Session (with the 2025 Grand Rapids event drawing 270+ attendees and 60+ residents from regional graduate orthodontic programs) and a quarterly E-News newsletter published through a Contaeo-style mailing platform, supplemented by an active Facebook and Instagram presence and a website hosting news publications, meeting information, and member resources. There is no proprietary software platform, no SaaS offering, and no documented technology stack beyond standard association-management tooling and association-office back-office support ([email protected]).
Its business model is a typical non-dues-funded professional society model: revenue is generated through member dues routed through the AAO/GLAO membership pathway, Annual Session registrations and sponsorships (including a documented partnership with TP Orthodontics, Inc. for the Lindsey O. Kesling Orthodontic Resident Scholarship), and member access to AAO exclusive discounts. The organization is governed by an elected board of orthodontic professionals; in 2025 it announced its first all-female slate of officers led by President Dr. Mariela Anderson. No private equity, venture capital, or external institutional investment is involved, consistent with non-profit professional society structures.
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists
- Legal name
- The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists
- Website
- https://glao.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1925
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists (GLAO) is a non-profit professional membership association and AAO constituent serving orthodontists across Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, and western Pennsylvania with advocacy, continuing education, and networking services.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Worthington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Marketing channels5 records
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists is a nonprofit professional membership association serving orthodontists across Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario (Canada), and Western Pennsylvania. It offers professional membership, the Annual Session continuing-education conference, educational programming, awards, advocacy on behalf of the orthodontic specialty, and coordination of five regional component societies.
Product overview
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists (GLAO) is a professional membership association for orthodontists, not a product/technology company. GLAO provides member services including advocacy, annual educational sessions, newsletters (E-News), leadership opportunities, awards, volunteer opportunities, and coordinates with five component organizations (Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario, Pennsylvania). The organization celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2025/2026. No discrete product offerings, SaaS platforms, or technology products are offered by this association.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- GLAO Professional Membership Annual professional membership for orthodontists practicing in Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario (Canada), and Western Pennsylvania; members gain access to the Annual Session, continuing education, advocacy programs, awards, and the E-News newsletter.
- GLAO Annual Session Signature annual educational conference organized by GLAO for member orthodontists; provides continuing education programming, peer networking, and the annual business meeting. The 2026 edition is held in French Lick, Indiana.
- GLAO Continuing Education Program Continuing education opportunities offered to GLAO members to support maintenance of licensure and ongoing specialty professional development.
- Lindsey O. Kesling Orthodontic Resident Scholarship Annual scholarship award for orthodontic residents in the GLAO region, supporting the next generation of orthodontic specialists.
- GLAO Awards Program Recognition program honoring GLAO members for distinguished service and contributions to the orthodontic specialty, including recognition announced via the GLAO E-News.
Companies that use The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists
Customer profileSegments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)coreGLAO is a constituent/regional component organization of the AAO, providing advocacy and representation for orthodontists in the Great Lakes region. AAO offers exclusive discounts and resources to GLAO members.
- TP Orthodontics, Inc.minorPartnership to offer the Lindsey O. Kesling Orthodontic Resident Scholarship Award for orthodontic residents in the GLAO region.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights3 records
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- American Dental Association (ADA): National professional association for the broader U.S. dental profession. While not specialty-specific, ADA represents the same member archetype (practicing dentists/specialists) and pursues comparable advocacy, CE, and member-benefit missions.
- American Association of Orthodontists (AAO): The national parent organization of which GLAO is a regional constituent. AAO is the dominant U.S. orthodontic professional society and provides GLAO members with national advocacy, exclusive discounts, and CE resources.
Direct peers
- Northeastern Society of Orthodontists (NESO): AAO regional constituent society covering the U.S. Northeast. Direct structural and operational peer of GLAO, delivering comparable member services and CE programming in an adjacent region.
- Midwestern Society of Orthodontists (MSO): AAO regional constituent society covering Midwestern U.S. states. Operates the same membership-association, advocacy, and CE model as GLAO for an adjacent geographic footprint.
- Southern Association of Orthodontists (SAO): AAO regional constituent society serving orthodontists across the U.S. South. Functionally a direct peer of GLAO in member services, advocacy, and Annual Session programming.
- Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists (MASO): Another AAO regional constituent society serving orthodontists in the Middle Atlantic states. Directly comparable to GLAO in structure, mission, and member-services portfolio, with overlapping advocacy and CE programming.
- Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists (PCSO): AAO regional constituent society serving orthodontists across the western U.S. Comparable to GLAO in mission, member benefits, and governance by volunteer orthodontists.
- Southwestern Society of Orthodontists (SWSO): AAO regional constituent society covering the southwestern U.S. Operates the same model as GLAO — regional advocacy, annual session, and resident programming — for a different geographic constituency.
- Rocky Mountain Society of Orthodontists (RMSO): AAO regional constituent society for the Rocky Mountain region. Structurally identical to GLAO in mission and operations, serving a smaller, more geographically concentrated member base.
Others
- American Association of Endodontists (AAE): National specialty society for endodontists. Not a direct competitor, but a structurally analogous specialty professional association that provides a useful comparison for specialty-society governance and member-service models.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists social profiles
Digital presenceThe Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles9 records
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists
What does The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists do?
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists is a nonprofit professional membership association serving orthodontists across Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Ontario (Canada), and Western Pennsylvania. It offers professional membership, the Annual Session continuing-education conference, educational programming, awards, advocacy on behalf of the orthodontic specialty, and coordination of five regional component societies.
Is The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists a public or private company?
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists founded?
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists was founded in 1925. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists based?
The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists is headquartered in Worthington, United States, in the North America region.
Who are The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are American Dental Association (ADA) and American Association of Orthodontists (AAO). Direct peers are Northeastern Society of Orthodontists (NESO), Midwestern Society of Orthodontists (MSO), Southern Association of Orthodontists (SAO), Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists (MASO), Pacific Coast Society of Orthodontists (PCSO), Southwestern Society of Orthodontists (SWSO) and Rocky Mountain Society of Orthodontists (RMSO). American Association of Endodontists (AAE) is listed as an others.
Does The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Great Lakes Association of Orthodontists.