The AAO is offering tools and creative materials for practices to gear up to raise awareness about anti-bullying during the month of October.
National Bullying Prevention Month is coming up in October. As such, the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) is reminding orthodontists to organize their staff to observe to raise awareness of this issue which affects children and teens.
This is the second year the AAO will observe National Bullying Prevention Month as a significant part of its celebration of National Orthodontic Health Month.
The AAO, which is offering tools and creative materials to orthodontists, is using the hashtag #bullyingbites to rally around. The association is offering a downloadable guide to help practices produce and distribute t-shirts for the team and/or patients to raise awareness and share the anti-bullying message. The guide includes the AAO’s design for those practices that are looking for a turnkey option.
Additional tools and materials provide information about Unity Day (October 21)—a worldwide campaign to wear orange and post on social media in support of anti-bullying efforts—and the Stand for the Silent pledge—the work of an anti-bullying organization that asked AAO members, their employees, and patients to pledge to stand with their community to stop bullying.
The AAO is also offering posters, social media posts, and a press release template that can be used to raise awareness about the anti-bullying efforts.
And for those who are looking for a philanthropic option, the association invites members to consider financial support of volunteering as a provider for the AAO Donated Orthodontic Services (DOS) program; or sponsoring Stand for the Silent’s efforts to provide educational assembly programs at schools nationwide.
