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AO CMF NA Newsletter: Fall/Winter 2026

AO NA Team

View the Fall/Winter 2026 newsletter email

Welcome from Dr. Michael Grant, AO CMF NA CDC Chair

Dear AO CMF NA Community,

I am pleased to share the following collection of AO CMF NA events, programs and announcements that have developed since the last issue of the community development newsletter was distributed.

First, I would like to extend a warm welcome to Dr. William Dougherty and Dr. Marina Morante Silva, the newest members of the AO CMF NA Community Development Committee. I look forward to working with them on continued efforts to support membership, networking, career growth, and inclusion efforts among CMF surgeons in our region.

These efforts include the Visiting Professor program and Case-Based Dinners, which both have recent iterations recapped below. Interested in getting involved as a future host for these events? Read below for details. This year’s installment of the FACE AHEAD meeting, held October 1-3, 2026 in Bangkok, Thailand, was another example of the educational and community building opportunities inherent to the global AO network. The meeting was well organized, well-attended, and attendees were enthusiastic and engaged. It was a pleasure to represent the Community Development Commission and engage with colleagues from around the world.

AO CMF members interested in other avenues of global knowledge exchange within our specialty should submit for publication in Craniomaxillofacial Trauma & Reconstruction (CMTR), the official AO CMF scientific journal. This international, peer-reviewed, open access journal covers all types of research in surgery of the head, face and jaw, and is published quarterly online. View details on the publication and submission process.

The celebrated courses held in Davos every December are just around the corner. This year, the AO CMF offerings include a Master’s Course focused on Facial Gender Affirmation Surgery. Participants  will learn from experts in gender affirmation surgery, exploring complex  anatomical reconstructions and gaining insight into this rapidly evolving field.

There are also exciting offerings in store for our region in 2027. This includes Hot Topics II:  Mastering Complexity in Craniomaxillofacial Reconstruction, led by Dr. Eduardo Rodriguez. Another key event is OneAO®, which is headed to Puerto Rico in April 2027. I look forward to seeing you there for this reimagined event.

I’ll close with a reminder to please reach out via [email protected] to share your feedback and ideas about what to feature in future newsletters.

Sincerely,

Michael Grant, MD, PhD, FACS
AO CMF NA – Community Development Committee Chair

Director of Craniofacial Surgery
Milton T. Edgerton Endowed Professor in Plastic Surgery
Professor of Plastic Surgery and Ophthalmology
University of Virginia School of Medicine

Host a 2026/27 Case-Based Dinner

This fall, AO CMF NA faculty volunteered their time ahead of the Management of Facial Trauma course in Boston, MA to host a Case-Based Dinner for residents in the area. This event was exemplary of AO NA’s commitment to engaging surgeons at every stage of their career and creating pathways for bringing surgeons together to learn from each other outside of traditional course offerings.

The format combined peer-to-peer networking opportunities with the chance for residents to engage with AO NA leaders in a close setting. The evening featured AO CMF North America faculty hosts moderating interactive clinical case presentations for participants to gain an understanding approaches for handling difficult fracture problems. The discussions also centered on complications and characteristics of complex fractures and the considerations necessary for quality patient outcomes.

Interested in hosting an AO CMF NA Case-Based dinner? Funding is available to support more Case-Based Dinners across the region in 2026 through 2027.

Contact Kaitlynd O’Doherty, Project Manager: Engagement at [email protected] for more information.

AO CMF NA Fellows Update

Current AO CMF NA Fellows met in Annapolis, MD in August for the 2026 Fellows Forum.  With 13 fellows in attendance, this year’s forum was held in conjunction with the Master’s Course—Facial Injuries: Advanced Concepts and Addressing Controversies.

The one-day event included presentations outlining what it means to be an AO fellow and highlighting how the AO is an important resource at any stage of a surgeon’s career journey. This was followed by breakout sessions and a networking reception with the AO faculty leading the following day’s Master’s Course.

This year’s record attendance along with the enthusiasm of the participants and faculty at the forum demonstrate AO CMF North America’s commitment to advancing education and surgical excellence among its fellowship community.

Visiting Professor Program: Dr. Sal Lettieri at Johns Hopkins-UMD

The AO CMF NA Visiting Professor program supported Dr. Sal Lettieri’s visit from his post at the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, AZ to Johns Hopkins Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the University of Maryland Shock Trauma Unit Plastic Surgery Service. Dr. Paul Manson, organized the visit with support from the AO CMF NA Community Development Committee.

Dr. Sal Lettieri’s visit on August 27 included two lectures, a didactic session, and conducted a cadaver lab where he demonstrated operative exposure and techniques for more than 25 residents and fellows of Johns Hopkins-UMD.

Dr. Lettieri’s contributions to the specialty of maxillofacial surgery are well known in the US and beyond. This interactive day of interactive discussion and hands-on demonstration showcased his wealth of experience as it relates to reconstructive options of head neck defects as well as esthetic surgery.

Interested in bringing an AO CMF NA Visiting Professor to your institution? The AO CMF NA Visiting Professor program provides financial support for North American institutions to invite an AO NA Faculty member to participate in a one-or two-day educational program. The visit may include various forms of training including lectures, workshops, discussions, or a combination of formats.

Contact Kaitlynd O’Doherty, Project Manager: Engagement at [email protected]g for more information.

Course Spotlight: Hot Topics II Mastering Complexity in Craniomaxillofacial Reconstruction

MAY 21–22, 2027 | New York, NY

Post-oncological and post-traumatic craniofacial defects continue to represent some of the most complex challenges in reconstructive surgery, demanding not only technical excellence but also refined surgical judgment to restore form, function, and identity. In recent years, reconstructive strategies have evolved significantly, driven by advances in microsurgery, expanding clinical applications, digital planning, and a deeper understanding of aesthetic principles—particularly in facial feminization surgery and facial transplantation.

The course is aimed at experienced trainees, early career surgeons and experienced surgeons in Oral and Maxillofacial, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck and Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.

Learn more

 

What’s on the Horizon: OneAO®

April 22-25, 2027

Save the Date! OneAO® 2027 is headed to Puerto Rico in April 2027!

OneAO® is evolving. This reimagined event will be an experience designed to engage the AO NA community together in brand new ways.

We look forward to welcoming you at the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel, April 22–25, 2027.

Sign up for OneAO® 2027 updates

Get Involved: Fracture Friday

Fracture Friday is a resource designed specifically for medical students; the series breaks down complex orthopaedic topics into short, comprehensible sessions. If you have practical surgical insights that you want to share with the next generation of surgeons, we encourage you to follow up. View the full archive here.

Interested in getting involved by contributing a short video on a topic of your choice? Contact [email protected] for details.

Visit the AO CMF NA Resource Hub 

Check out the AO NA Blog! This addition to the AO NA website makes it easier than ever to stay updated on what’s new and next for the AO NA community including announcements, updates, and accolades.

Access the Resource Hub for the latest AO CMF NA news, information, events, opportunities and more.

 

 

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