Top Orthodontic Marketing Sessions at AAO 2025

AAO 2025 in Philadelphia, here we come. If you’re anything like us, you’re already thinking about your to-do list or cramming sessions into your schedule like it’s going out of style. But you don’t have to do all the work alone. Keep reading to see our shortlist of the top marketing sessions at the American Association of Orthodontists’ 2025 yearly meeting, so you get the most out of your experience in Philly. 

Watch Out for These Trends

With business success, patient experience, and a full day of marketing programming to look forward to, this year’s annual session is packed full of innovative ideas to bring back home with you. The thing about marketing is that you can apply a wide variety of topics to your digital strategy, so here are the targets you should be watching for. 

AI-Driven Best Practices

AI tools have flooded the market, so you need to keep an eye on emerging technologies and thought leadership for practice growth. It will be especially useful to note which tools are surfacing at the top, which ones apply to your systems, and which ones to toss out with the bathwater. 

Patient Experience

If your patients are happy, your practice will thrive. This year’s AAO meeting in 2025 includes several deep dives into ways to improve your practice-patient interaction. Be sure to take advantage of the information at hand to marry your marketing agency with a strong in-office presence that really sells your services. 

Solutions for Low Starts

The market saw orthodontic starts take a hit in 2024 and 2025, so looking for marketing ideas to fight the post-pandemic losses should be a focus of your AAO experience. Look out for sessions that not only speak to this issue but also provide actionable solutions that you can apply to your practice.

Marketing Sessions at AAO 2025

We’ve compiled all the marketing-related sessions from the full AAO itinerary in one easy-to-use guide. Let’s go.

FRIDAY, APRIL 25TH

8:00 – 8:45 AM | Amy Epstein

Maximize Success by Attracting New Patients While Minimizing Disruption With Strategic Communication

This session dives into communication workflows that attract new patients without overwhelming your team. It’s ideal for the people managing your processes, scheduling, and messaging—especially those who communicate directly with leads.

2:30 – 3:15 PM | Tracy Martin

For the Bold: Sales & Marketing Strategies for Orthodontic Teams of the Future

Push your marketing boundaries and learn next-level sales tactics to keep your practice on the cutting edge. Your TC will leave fired up and ready to fine-tune their consultation flow, while marketing pros will take home creative campaign ideas.

SATURDAY, APRIL 26TH

8:00 – 8:45 AM | Dr. Kyle Fagala

Good Leads, Bad Leads…You Know I’ve Had My Share

Getting a lot of leads isn’t the same as getting leads who are ready to show up and start. This session gets into the difference between leads and qualified patients. Anyone responsible for attracting or converting new starts should be in this room.

10:00 – 10:45 AM | Dr. Greg White

Creating Greater Profitability in a Post-Pandemic World

We all know the marketing challenges posed by the post-pandemic world. Learn solid strategies for the rebound to plan for long-term growth. Key decision-makers should attend.

SUNDAY, APRIL 27TH

8:00 – 8:45 AM | Kayla Hoorelbeke  

Is Your Practice Brand in Need of a DIY Renovation?

Pinpoint branding red flags so you’ll know when it’s time to call in the pros (or risk a “Pinterest fail”). Great for anyone responsible for branding decisions.

9:00 – 9:45 AM | Brandon Boggan & Zack Nichols 

Pipeline to Patients: Developing a Highly Effective Digital Marketing & Consulting Strategy

How well do you understand your lead funnel? This one’s all about your digital patient acquisition, so you need a seat here. 

10:00 – 10:45 AM | Dr. Melanie Wang

Mistakes Are Hidden Opportunities: Mining Marketing Treasures
Hear how missteps can actually fuel your biggest wins—straight from a Neon Canvas success story.

11:00 – 11:45 AM | Nathalie Porras

Brace Yourself for Social Success: Mastering Social Media with AI-Driven Strategies

AI might be the future; learn how to leverage it before your competitors do.

1:30 – 2:15 PM | Jill Allen

Prevent, Neutralize, Recover: The 3-Pronged Opportunity to Move from 1 to 5-Star Experiences
Skyrocket your online reputation by delivering patient experiences that earn rave reviews.

2:30 – 3:15 PM | Marla Merritt

Becoming Unforgettable: The Keys to Crafting a Memorable Customer Journey
Word-of-mouth is golden for your marketing strategy, so learn how to turn every patient touchpoint into a moment they can’t stop talking about.

3:30 – 4:15 PM | Cindi James

The Psychology of YES: Understanding Patient Motivation and Overcoming Obstacles
Master the art of converting “I’m just curious” into “Sign me up!” with empathy-driven tactics.

How to Maximize Your Takeaways

Assign Sessions

Bringing your whole team to experience AAO 2025 together? Divide up the talks so someone is covering every major marketing topic, even if there are scheduling conflicts. Or, if you’re going solo, prioritize the sessions that align most with your biggest marketing goals for 2025. 

Schedule a Debrief

What you learn is worth far less if you don’t share it. Even 15 minutes over coffee or dinner can help lock in what you learned and spark new ideas.

Follow Your Faves

If you see someone whose content you admire, don’t miss out on the opportunity to hear from them again. Follow them on social media to stay in the loop on their thought leadership. 

Attend Virtually If You Can’t Be In-Person

We’d hate it if you couldn’t make it to Philadelphia, but you’re not at a loss if you can’t be there! Check out the AAO’s virtual schedule to see which sessions you can attend remotely. 

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