Proposed Amendments to AAE Constitution
The AAE Constitution and Bylaws Committee presents proposed revisions to the Constitution and Bylaws of the American Association of Endodontists. These proposed revisions have undergone review by the committee, AAE Legal Counsel, and the AAE Board of Directors. The General Assembly will vote on these proposed changes at its meeting on April 17, 2026 in Salt Lake City.
The proposed changes are summarized below.
Educator Member Proposed Changes
The Constitution and Bylaws Committee considered proposed amendments to the AAE Educator Membership category, brought forward by the Membership Engagement Committee, the Educational Affairs Committee, and the AAE Board. The amendments provide for an expansion of Educator membership eligibility to include internationally trained endodontists who hold full-time faculty positions in CODA-accredited programs in an effort to recognize their academic contributions to the specialty. The proposed revision would enable these members to serve on AAE committees and receive some of the access and benefits of Educator membership while maintaining existing limitations regarding voting privileges and eligibility for officer positions.
Foundation for Endodontics Proposed Changes
The Foundation for Endodontics has undertaken a multi-year effort to modernize its governance and update its governing documents. Several of the Foundation’s governance updates necessitate corresponding changes to AAE governing documents. The AAE Board has reviewed and approved these changes, including removal of the requirement in the Foundation’s bylaws that the Foundation’s changes to its own bylaws undergo AAE Board review and approval, except when changes directly impact the AAE Bylaws.
Key updates which require changes to the AAE Bylaws, and thus, approval by the General Assembly, include:
- Removing the Foundation mission statement from AAE bylaws to avoid future misalignment, while retaining it within the Foundation’s own governing documents.
- Updating Board of Trustees composition to reflect a new proposed structure.
- Revising term-length references to align with the Foundation’s new trustee and officer service structure.
- Updating language regarding nomination, election and approval processes for Foundation trustees and officers by the AAE General Assembly.
Constitution Amendment Process
The Constitution and Bylaws Committee proposes suggested revisions to article XII of the AAE Constitution intended to clarify the process by which constitutional amendments may be proposed. This issue arose during recent governance work, when questions emerged regarding how amendments are properly initiated and transmitted for consideration.