AAO Encourages Members to Stand Against Bullying

Author: Stand For The Silent Sep 04, 2025

For the seventh consecutive year, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) is proud to partner with Stand for the Silent to recognize National Bullying Prevention Month this October.

Bullying remains a serious issue today: 1 in 5 students ages 12–18 experience bullying nationwide (source: stopbullying.gov), and 160,000 children miss school every day due to fear of an attack or intimidation by another student (source: cdc.gov).

The AAO’s anti-bullying initiative, Bullying Bites, provides our 10,000+ member orthodontists with tools to raise awareness each October. Members can access easy-to-use resources like pledge cards, posters, flyers, and social media graphics to share in their practices and communities.

Pledge cards will challenge orthodontic patients and staff to commit to taking a stand together against bullying. In addition, the AAO is lighting more than a dozen monuments and landmarks across the United States and Canada orange on Unity Day, October 22, 2025, to raise awareness about bullying.

Children are sometimes bullied because of crooked teeth or bite issues. The AAO invites those looking for a philanthropic way to support anti-bullying efforts to consider the financial support of Gifted Smiles, a program of the American Association of Orthodontists Foundation (AAOF) that provides necessary orthodontic treatments to children in families who lack access to care. That access to care can give underserved children a beautiful, healthy smile, increasing their confidence and boosting their self-esteem.

“Because the work of orthodontists ties us closely with children and families, the AAO is proud to raise awareness of bullying for the seventh straight year,” said AAO President Dr. Steven Siegel. “The AAO is proud to partner with Stand for the Silent and stands in support of all those who have been affected by bullying. We encourage our members, staff, and the community to join us in raising awareness of this issue and taking positive action to end it.”

Kirk Smalley, president and co-founder of Stand for the Silent, said, “We are so very honored to work with AAO again for the seventh straight year to raise awareness of the devastating effects that bullying can and does have. The work of these amazing individuals to help spread our message is so critical to helping end the bullying and youth suicide epidemic.”

Learn more about the AAO Bullying Bites program.