The American Academy of Periodontology offers four membership categories: Active, Associate, Student, and International. Eligibility is based on professional qualifications and residency...

Membership Categories

The American Academy of Periodontology offers four membership categories: Active, Associate, Student, and International. Eligibility is based on professional qualifications and residency.

Active Members

Any dentist shall be eligible to be an Active Member who is licensed to practice in the United States and its territories, is a member in good standing of the American Dental Association, and who meets at least one of the following qualifications:

  1. Ethically qualified to announce as a specialist in periodontology according to the requirements of the American Dental Association and limits practice to periodontology;
  2. Ethically qualified to announce as a specialist in periodontology and also as a specialist in one or more of the other recognized specialties according to the requirements of the American Dental Association and limits practice to periodontology and the other announced specialty or specialties;
  3. Continually an Active Member of this Academy (or the American Society of Periodontists) since June 6, 1967; or
  4. Engaged primarily in teaching and research in periodontology (or a full-time academic who has transferred from a teaching to an administrative position) with supplemental practice, if any, limited to periodontology

A foreign-trained dentist residing in the United States or its territories who has completed advanced training in periodontics in a program accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association shall be eligible to be an Active Member even if the dentist is not licensed to practice in one of those countries, provided the other criteria set forth above are met.

Any Canadian dentist who was an Active member of the Academy on September 26, 2002, may retain Active membership status by electing such status prior to the next date for payment of the member's dues.

Associate Members

Any dentist shall be eligible to be an Associate member who is a resident of the United States and its territories, is a member in good standing of the American Dental Association and is interested in the art and science of periodontology. However, no dentist who meets the qualifications to be an Active member shall be eligible to be an Associate member.

Student Members

Any person shall be eligible to be a Student member who is continuously enrolled in a training program in periodontology accredited by the Commission on Dental Accreditation of the American Dental Association. Student members may remain such for up to two years after graduation, during which period their practices, if any, must be limited to periodontology. An extension of the two-year limitation may only be obtained by application to the Board of Trustees.

Student members may remain in, or return to, this category if they choose to continue in other full-time accredited educational programs after completing their periodontal program.

International Members

Any dentist residing outside of the United States and its territories shall be eligible to be an International member who is interested in the art and science of periodontology and who is either a member of a recognized national dental association or a recognized Canadian provincial dental association if the dentist resides in Canada.

Life Active Members

Any person shall be eligible for Life Active membership: (a) who has been an Active member in good standing in the Academy for at least 25 consecutive years, has attained age 65, and derives income from the practice of dentistry, or (b) was a Life Voting member prior to September 26, 2002.

Life Non-Active Members

Any person shall be eligible for Life Non-Active membership who has been an Active member in good standing in the Academy for at least 25 consecutive years, has attained age 65, and does not derive income from dentistry. Members who were Life Non-Voting members prior to September 26, 2002, are grandfathered into this category.

Retired Members

Any person who has been a dues paying member of the Academy shall be eligible to be a Retired member upon complete retirement from the practice of dentistry.

Honorary Members

Honorary members shall be chosen from those persons who have made outstanding contributions to the art and science of periodontology. Recipients of Honorary membership must be persons who are ineligible for Active membership. Current staff and paid consultants are ineligible for Honorary membership.

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