Your financial prep guide for AAO Annual Session 2027
The AAO Annual Session heads to the Vancouver Convention Centre in June 2027. Orthodontics faces unique financial dynamics: long treatment cycles, insurance limitations, and DTC competition. Prepare your numbers before you travel. Sorso is not an exhibitor, sponsor, or speaker at this event — this is an independent prep guide for orthodontic practice owners.
Why this matters for your bottom line
Direct-to-consumer clear aligner companies have compressed fees on straightforward cases. Practices need to understand their per-case profitability to determine which cases are still financially viable at current fees.
Orthodontic treatment spans many months per case, creating unique cash flow dynamics. Practices with poor payment plan structures often have strong production but weak collections.
Insurance limitations in orthodontics mean most practices need a strong cash-pay and financing strategy. Practices with well-designed payment options tend to convert more consults into started cases.
Digital orthodontics technology investments (scanners, 3D printers, in-office aligners) require clear ROI analysis. The cost savings only materialize at specific volume thresholds.
What to look for
Per-case profitability analysis frameworks for different treatment types
Patient financing and payment plan structures that maximize case acceptance
Digital workflow ROI: scanner, printer, and in-house aligner cost-benefit analysis
Marketing strategies for competing with DTC aligner brands on value, not price
Multi-location orthodontic practice financial management and resource sharing models
Financial prep checklist
Review these before you go.
Calculate your average revenue per case and cost per case by treatment type
Know your case acceptance rate and the primary reasons patients decline treatment
Pull your accounts receivable aging: how much is in active payment plans vs. overdue
Document your patient acquisition cost and which marketing channels produce the best cases
Review your fee schedule and the last time you adjusted fees
Benchmark your starts per month against AAO practice data for your market size
From our CFO
Orthodontics is a unique financial model in healthcare: high case values, long treatment cycles, and heavy competition from DTC brands. The practices that hold their margin are the ones that have shifted from volume-based thinking to per-case profitability thinking. If you do not know your true cost per case including chair time, materials, and overhead allocation, that is the first number to calculate before AAO.
Get a financial checkup before AAO Annual Session 2027
Take the 4-minute financial assessment. Know your numbers before you attend, so you can ask better questions and make better decisions.