Welcome
to the Southwestern Society of Orthodontists
BIG NEWS!
The Southern Association of Orthodontists and the Southwestern Society of Orthodontists have combined operations as the Southern Society of Orthodontists. New Website coming Fall 2024.
Mission Statement
The Southwestern Society of Orthodontics, a constituent of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO), is a professional organization composed of orthodontic specialists from Arkansas, Kansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. Our mission is to provide representation to the AAO, facilitate and encourage the exchange of information between our members and the AAO, support research and the faculty of our regional educational institutions, and provide opportunities for fellowship and education.
DID YOU KNOW?
The Southwest Society of Orthodontists was first organized in the fall of 1920 at the Adolphus Hotel in Dallas, Texas. The founding members included Dr. T.G. Duckworth of San Antonio, Dr. T.O. Gorman of San Antonio, Dr. W.T. Chapman of El Paso, Dr. O.E. Busby of Dallas, Dr. A.B. Conly of Dallas, Dr. C.M. McCauley of Dallas, Dr. P.G. Spencer of Waco, and Dr. E.B. Arnold of Houston. Dr. Thomas O. Gorman was elected to be the first official president of the society. The first annual meeting was held in Dallas, at the Adolphus Hotel, in March of 1921, with eleven members present. The society’s original geographic make-up included the states of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas. The boundaries were extended in 1923 to include Kansas. In 1953, during his term as president of the Southwestern Society, Dr. Clarence W. Koch appointed a committee to oversee a memorial established in honor of Dr. Martin Dewey. Dr. Dewey was involved in many Southwestern Society programs and many society members had graduated from his Dewey School of Orthodontia. In 2024, SWSO will combine operations with the Southern Association of Orthodontists to increase member value, improve effectiveness in advancing the art and science of orthodontics and continue planning for a formal merger.