FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contacts:
Erica Papillion/Kelly Schulz
New Orleans CVB
504-566-5019
epapillion@neworleanscvb.com
kschulz@neworleanscvb.com

Rosalie Mortillaro
Morial Convention Center
504-582-3023
rmortillaro@mccno.com

Pam Paladin
American Association of Orthodontists
314-993-1700, ext. 524
ppaladin@aaortho.org

New Orleans to Host the American Association of Orthodontists in 2014
114th Annual Session to be held at Morial Convention Center April 2014

NEW ORLEANS (Oct. 31, 2007) – The American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) has re-confirmed New Orleans as the destination for its 114th Annual Session in 2014, bringing millions of dollars in economic impact and 20,000 attendees to the city.

The AAO’s Annual Session provides orthodontists and orthodontic staff members from the U.S., Canada and abroad with continuing education opportunities and showcases a wide variety of companies that provide essential products and services to orthodontic practices. The 114th Annual Session will be in New Orleans April 25-29, 2014.

The AAO re-confirmed New Orleans October 18, 2007 while conducting a site visit of the Morial Convention Center-New Orleans (MCC). (Photo available upon request.)

“We are delighted to bring the AAO Annual Session back to New Orleans. Our members will enjoy the historic charm and warm hospitality of the city, as well as the fine dining and entertainment,” said Gayle Glenn, DDS, MSD, an orthodontist from Dallas, TX and member of the AAO Board of Trustees. Dr. Glenn, who will be AAO president in 2014 added, “New Orleans has always been my favorite convention city.”

Chris Vranas, CAE, executive director of the AAO said, “We are very pleased that the AAO Annual Session is returning to New Orleans. The commitment to excellence by the Morial Convention Center and New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau staff is unmistakable. The MCC is an ideal facility for our meeting. Attendance has been growing annually and the MCC is poised to accommodate our needs. We look forward to working with the MCC and CVB staff as we create a memorable experience for thousands of AAO attendees.”

“We deeply appreciate the American Association of Orthodontists’ commitment to New Orleans,” said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Their Annual Session will be another example of a successful major convention that reaffirms New Orleans as an extraordinary destination for the most prominent healthcare meetings in the world.”

The event will take place at the MCC, which has undergone a $62 million renovation since AAO held their last meeting in New Orleans in 1996. “We’re pleased to welcome back the American Association of Orthodontists, one of the premier associations in the industry,” said Bob Johnson, president/general manager of the Morial Convention Center. “We look forward to hosting 20,000 orthodontists in 2014, and we are confident that the event in New Orleans will be another resounding success for AAO.” A leader in the North American market for hosting the most and the largest medical meetings, the MCC will host 11 medical meetings with an expected 103,300 visitors in 2008.

About the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO)
The AAO is the oldest and largest dental specialty organization in the world with 15,500 members in the United States, Canada and abroad. Founded in 1900, the AAO supports research and education leading to quality patient care, and promotes increased public awareness of the need for and benefits of orthodontic treatment. Orthodontists are specialists in the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of dental and facial irregularities. They receive an additional two to three years of specialized education beyond dental school to learn the proper way to align and straighten teeth. Only those with this forma education may call themselves “orthodontists,” and only orthodontists may be members of the AAO. For more information visit the AAO’s Web site, www.braces.org.

About the Morial Convention Center-New Orleans (MCC)
With 1.1 million square feet of contiguous exhibit space, an award winning staff and first class amenities, the Morial Convention Center-New Orleans (MCC) is the sixth largest convention center in the nation and a consistent Top 10 host of the largest number of conventions and tradeshows annually. A leading rainmaker of the city's hospitality industry, MCC event activity has produced a statewide economic impact of $35.17 billion since its 1985 opening, including $2.03 billion in new tax revenues. For more information about the Morial Convention Center, please visit www.mccno.com.

The New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau (www.neworleanscvb.com) is the driving force behind New Orleans' most important industry, tourism. Today the cultural riches, sensual indulgences and unparalleled service that define the New Orleans experience continue to flourish, as they have for centuries. The most celebrated and historic core of the city - including the French Quarter, Central Business District, Warehouse and Arts District, Magazine Street and Garden District - not only remains intact, both physically and spiritually, but is thriving. The New Orleans CVB is proudly welcoming visitors and business travelers every day.

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