WSLO
(World Society of Lingual Orthodontics)
BYLAWS
ARTICLE I･PREMISE：ORIGIN AND HISTORY
ARTICLE II ・GENERAL
ARTICLE III ・MEMBERSHIP
ARTICLE IV ・ORGANIZATION
ARTICLE V ・CASE PRESENTATION
ARTICLE VI ・AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
ARTICLE VII ・DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
ARTICLE VIII ・FINANCES
ARTICLE IX ・PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS
ARTICLE X ・DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS
ARTICLE XI ・SEAL
ARTICLE I －PREMISE: ORIGIN AND HISTORY
The first International Lingual Orthodontics Meeting was held in Paris in June 1991. This was thefirst world wide lingual orthodontic congress held by a specialist in this field. Following this meeting, the ESLO (European Society of Lingual Orthodontics) was founded in December 1992 from a small group of European lingual orthodontic practitioners.
During these years the ESLO Society became bigger and organized six general meetings. Many other lingual societies were founded in many countries all over the world: JLOA (Japan), KALO (Korea), ALOA (USA), SFOL (France), AIOL (Italy), DGLO(Germany), SIAOL (Ibero- America), SLOS (Switzerland), IFLO (Israel), ABOL (Brazil) ,ALOS(Austria), AOLA&SAOL(Argentine), ASLO(Australia), BLOS(UK), GOS(Greece), THLO(Thailand), etc., all contributing to the development of the lingual orthodontics.
The intention of the founding Members is to unify and coordinate and federate all the above mentioned lingual orthodontic societies, as well as any future national or regional society, academy or federation in the general aesthetics field.
Through these by-laws, dated 22nd October 2004, the World Society of Lingual Orthodontics (WSLO) is founded, for humanity and universal evolution, in order to give same rights and duties to all its Members.
ARTICLE II - GENERAL
A. NAME:
The name of this organization is the "World Society of Lingual Orthodontics" (W.S.L.O.).
B. SEAT:
WSLO has its seat in Geneva at Chemin De-Normandie 14, 1207 Geneva, c/o KPMG private.
C. PURPOSES:
The purposes of this Society are to advance the art and science of lingual orthodontics throughout the world:
a. Affiliate and co-ordinate the national lingual orthodontic societies, as well as other orthodontic associations, federations and academies; WSLO aims to be the only worldwide top entity for lingual orthodontics.
b. Make a contribution to world human community with the interest of achieving well being and facial harmony of the patients with the highest quality standards of excellence in orthodontic education and practice.
c. Organize regular meetings every time in different continents.
d. Organize a web-site and use all the communications ways to inform the people, dentists, physicians, staff, industries, etc about the benefits of the lingual orthodontics, as well as to create a lingual journal (for the moment only over an electronic support) to update the knowledge and advances in our speciality.
e. This Society is not-for-profit.
f. Make efforts to improve the health, beauty and smile harmony of humanity.
g. Hold meetings for the advancement of its Members in scientific attainment and clinical proficiency.
h. Promote educational standards for adequate training in all aspects of modern Lingual Orthodontics.
D. BYLAWS REGISTRATION:
The bylaws of this Society have been registered in the Register of Commerce of the Canton of Geneva (Switzerland). The registration does not have a constitutive power, i.e. this society exists since the founders mutually agreed to constitute WSLO by accepting these by-laws.
E. LEGISLATIVE BODY:
The Legislative Body of this Society is the General Assembly, comprising the Founding Members and the Active Members present at the General Meeting.
F. EXECUTIVE BODY:
The Executive Body of this Society is the Council accompanied by the permanent Secretary Office.
G. ADMINISTRATIVE SEAT:
The permanent administrative seat of this Society and the office of the permanent Secretary is c/o KPMG Private in Geneva.
H. OFFICIAL LANGUAGE:
The English language is the only official language of this Society.
ARTICLE III ・MEMBERSHIP
A. SOCIETY COMPOSITION:
The Society shall be composed of the following types of Members:
a. Founding Members.
b. Active Members.
c. National lingual and orthodontic associations, federations or academies affiliated to WSLO
d. Honorary Members.
B. GENERAL ELIGIBILITY:
All active Members of this Society will be orthodontists, dentists or medical doctors fulfilling the following requirements:
a. Adequate training in Orthodontics;
b. Adequate training and ability in the efficient clinical use of the lingual appliance technique;
c. Unless exceptional circumstances prevail, in practice limited to Orthodontics.
The council reserves the right to refuse any new Member, providing a brief explanation.
C. NON-DISCRIMINATION:
No person will be deemed ineligible for Membership of this Society on the grounds of race, sex, age, religion, nationality, physical disability and political affiliation.
D. MEMBERS:
a. Founding Members.
The founding Members signed in this document, are the Orthodontists who personally contributed to creating this Society and who are universally renown in the field of Lingual Orthodontics.
They hold the same rights, privileges and obligations as the active Members, with the exception to exercise a right of veto regarding the election of new Members of the council. This right of veto will be exercised only in exceptional cases, where the election of a certain new Member of the council could seriously compromise the purposes and intentions of the WSLO founding Members as described in the premises and in the society goals.
Founding members are composed of the following members: Pablo Echarri Lobiondo, Didier Fillion, Jean-François Leclerc, Giuseppe Scuzzo, Kyoto Takemoto, Hee Moon Kyung, Marcello Marigo, Silvia Geron, Mario Paz.
b. Active Members
i. Education: successful completion of the full curriculum of an accredited orthodontic program, as will be deemed by the council.
ii. Pledge: sign a pledge to adhere to the Principles of Ethics of this Society.
iii. Legacy: in good standing with legacy and obligations of their country.
iv. Meeting attending and vote:
1. Shall have the right to attend all meetings, be eligible to vote and hold official positions.
2. Are expected to attend all the Meetings except when excused for good reasons by the Council.
3. Must attend a meeting at least once every three meetings. The Council in charge will reserve any decision to pronounce the radiation from active Members.
v. Admission for Active Membership: Candidates for Active Membership must comply with the following, in addition to the requirements of these Bylaws:
1. The Applicant must show three completed orthodontic cases treated by lingual multibraces appliance with full records according to the requirements for case presentation.
2. The Scientific Committee will decide by a majority vote and report its decision to the Council. The name of the candidate will be confidential before the decision.
3. In case of disagreement between the Scientific Committee and the Council, a majority vote of a common meeting of the Scientific Committee and the Council will decide the issue.
4. The Council will present the results to the candidate.
5. Rejected candidates may re-apply for Active Membership after next meeting.
vi. Are subject to payment of dues and assessments.
c. Each national or international society, academy or federation can be a non voting, affiliated Member (this affiliation gives the right to suggest or advise to the scientific committee the candidature of a speaker or representative).
E. Honorary Members:
This status may be conferred upon any individual deemed worthy of such honor, by a 3/4 of majority vote of the General Assembly.
a.They will have the right to attend all meetings, but not vote and hold office.
b. They will not be required to present a scientific contribution or treat cases for display.
c. They can attend the meetings of and give a contribution to the scientific committee.
d. They will not be required to pay dues and assessments.
F. DUES AND ASSESSMENTS
a. Payment
All dues, application fees, and assessments shall be payable in U.S. currency. All dues shall be due and payable in advance within December of each previous year. Members failing to pay their annual dues or assessments at least two years loose their Membership as provided in these Bylaws.
b. Dues
i. will be revised at each general assembly
ii. Active certified Members are subjected to lifetime mebership fee
1. Active members who have been certified until 2011 : $500
2. Active members who have been certified after 2011 (from 2013 WSLO Meeting) : $1000
(At the WSLO 2017 Bangkok General Assembly, it was decided that this rule is null and void and that members will pay $500 regardless of when they get their active membership)
ⅲ. International or National associations: $ 1000 regardless of the number of members
iv. The council will decide case by case.
v. Honorary certified Members: Honorary Members shall be exempt from dues and assessments.
c. Assessments
The funds so obtained may be used only for the purpose for which the assessment is made. Any Member failing to pay the assessment within ninety (90) days of the due date shall loose Membership in this Society as provided in these Bylaws.
d. Non-Payment of Dues and/or Assessments
On December of each year, the Secretary and Treasurer of this Society will terminate the Membership of those individuals who haven’t pay dues and/or assessments for the current two years.
e. Meeting fee
All the active Members who regularly pay annual fee will have a fee reduction in the meetings organized by WSLO.
G. APPLICATIONS
a. Application for Membership
Application for all classes of Membership will be made on the form prescribed by this Society. Application forms for all categories of Membership (except honorary certified Members) will be requested from and submitted to the Secretary of this Society. This Society may charge an applications fee in an amount to be determined by the Council. Applications for active, associate or other Membership shall be accompanied by the required application fee.
b. Reapplication:
Any applicant for Membership whose application is denied may reapply one year following the date on which said rejection becomes final.
c. Denial of Membership
Nothing herein contained shall prevent this Society from denying Membership in any classification, at their discretion, to any person who would not, through his/her Membership, contribute to the general welfare of the public, good of the profession, or to the reputation of this Society.
d. Determination of Qualifications
Nothing herein contained shall prevent a constituent organization or this Society from giving at its discretion such tests, oral, written or practical, which it considers necessary for determining the qualifications of any applicant for Membership in any classification.
e. Reclassification
The Society reserves the right to reclassify Members as a result of any change in the status or type of the practice of such a Member.
H. LOSS OF MEMBERSHIP AND RESIGNATION:
The Council has the power to decide the loss of Membership.
I. RE-INSTATEMENT OF MEMBERSHIP:
A Member can be re-instated by written request to the Council.
ARTICLE IV ・ORGANIZATION
The organization of the Society shall include:
The Council
The Scientific Committee
The National Representatives (active Members)
The Affiliated Societies
Bylaws and Ethic Committee
Furthermore in the countries where no national society, academy or federation exists, a national representative can be elected by the Council.
A. THE COUNCIL
The Council shall be composed of:
The President
The Vice-President
The Secretary
The Treasurer
Any consultant Members, with a maximum number of 10.
a. Election and Term of Office of Council Members
The Council Members shall be elected for terms below:
i. The President: 4 years
ii. The Vice-President: 4 years
iii. The Secretary: 4 years
iv. The Treasurer 4 years
v. Any Consultant Member 4 years
b. Rules
i. The Council Members cannot be elected to the same office for consecutive terms except if the above positions are vacant;
ii. Proposals for Council Members should be sent to the Secretary at least three months before the general meeting. The proposals shall be made known to the actual Council by the Secretary at least six weeks prior to the general
iii. Any Council Member may be removed by a 2/3 majority vote of the General meeting assembly
iv. A Council Member shall take office within one year after the election. The retiring Member must complete all relevant business during this time.
c. Duties of Council shall include:
i. The Council shall act as the executive body of the Society with powers to put proposals governing the policies of this Society to the General Assembly;
ii. The Council legally represents the Society towards any third party. The right of signature is ruled as follows: signature of the President joined by a second signature of one of the other Members of the Council;
iii. A majority of the Council shall constitute a quorum;
iv. In principle the Council will meet at the general Meeting. The Council may also meet at call of the President or upon request of the majority of the Council Members
v. If the Council is evenly divided, the vote of the acting President is decisivevi. It is also the duty of the Council:
1. To review the qualifications of all applicants for Membership
2. To propose to the General Assembly:
a. The amount of dues and assessments
b. The date, place and topic of general Meeting
c. The admission or exclusion of Members
d. The requirements for case presentation as recommended by the Scientific Committee
e. Honorary Members
d. Duties of Council Members
i. The President shall:
1. Preside at all meetings of this Society and the Council
2. Assume all other duties pertaining to the office of President
3. Assume the legal responsibility of the Society during his mandate
4. In the absence of the President, the Vice-President will be appointed Acting President
5. Present a general report at the General Meeting
6. Will be in charge without a stipend
ii. The Vice-President shall:
1. assume the duties of the President either at the President’s request or in President’s temporary absence
2. be present at all meetings of this Society and the Council
3. not automatically succeed the President
4. be in charge without a stipend
iii. The Secretary shall:
1. keep a record of the proceedings at all meetings of both the Society and the Council
2. be present at all meetings of this Society and the Council
3. keep current records showing Members of the Society with their addresses
4. conduct all correspondence for the Society
5. keep a roll call of Members present at all meetings
6. keep a record of dates of presentation of Members papers
7. be custodian of all papers and books, except those properly belonging to the Treasurer
8. present a general Report at General Meeting
9. if elections are to be held, the Secretary will announce the vacant positions and the proposed names
10. be in charge without a stipend
iv. The Treasurer shall:
1. take in charge all money and pay all bills relative to the general Meeting
2. be present at all meetings of this Society and the Council
3. keep constant connection with the Council
4. notify all Members of dues and assessments payable and control their payment
5. keep adequate records of receipts and expenditures and eventually notify the committee of the Membership according to point "F d"
6. deposit Society Funds in such Banks as the Council may direct
7. supervise the disbursement of funds as the Council may direct
8. present a Financial Report at the general Meeting9. present a Financial Annual Tax Report
v. The Consultant Members shall:
1. Actively take part in the council meetings.
In case of absence of the Vice-President and/or Treasurer and/or Secretary their vacant office will be provisionally replaced by one of the Consultant Members, up to the next general meeting, where a new candidate will be elected
B. THE SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
The Scientific Committee shall be composed of:
a. The Scientific Committee Chairman
b. The Scientific Committee Members
i. The Chairman and Members of the Scientific Committee shall be elected among the Active Members by the General Assembly at the general Meeting.
ii. The Scientific Committee Members shall be nominated by the Scientific Committee Chairman in agreement with the Council.
c. Duties of the Scientific Committee
i. The Scientific Committee shall organize the general meeting in different continents in agreement with the Council.
ii. The Scientific Committee will be responsible, with the Council, of the financial and logistic organization of the meeting.
iii. The Scientific Committee shall select lectures, lecturers and scientific sessions and topics in agreement with the Council and with the Committee Chairman.
iv. The Scientific Committee shall evaluate each candidate for active Membershipaccording to the Bylaws of this Society and will discuss with each candidate the cases presented and advise him/her its conclusions.
v. The Scientific Committee will keep an identified record of the cases examined and the decisions and recommendations made. The report of the Scientific Committee is confidential and only made available to the Council.
vi. The deliberations of the Scientific Committee shall be confidential and not open for discussion. It is also the duty of the Scientific Committee to keep the requirements for the different Membership categories up to date, and suggest new recommendations to the Council as they see fit in order to keep up the ideals set forth in the Preamble and the Bylaws of this Society.
vii. The Committee's decisions will be taken by a majority vote of the Members present, In case of equal number of votes, the President's vote counts double.
C. BYLAWS AND ETHICS COMMITTEE
The Ethic Committee will be composed by five founding Members:
a. Duties of the Bylaws and Ethics Committee
i. It shall review all proposed Bylaws amendments for structure, consistency, conflicts, and implications, and may propose alternatives without alteration of the original Bylaws intent.
ii. It shall verify the ethic behaviour of all the Members, verify the ethic behaviour of the Council in charge and control the order of the Society and all its Members.
iii. It shall review the Bylaws on a regular basis for updating to current philosophies and change in activities.
b. Term of Office of the Bylaws and Ethics Committee
i. Term of Office of the Bylaws and Ethics Committee will be permanent.
ii. In case of absence of one of Bylaws and Ethics Committee component, a new Member shall be nominated by the General Assembly.
D. THE NATIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Each country, where no lingual orthodontic society, federation or academy exists, shall have one National Representative for liaison between the Council and the Members of that country. Each national representative must be an active Member of WSLO. The council will elect the national representative.
ARTICLE V ・CASE PRESENTATION
The requirements for the case presentation are in an Appendix to the Bylaws.
They are formulated by the Scientific Committee and proposed by the Council for the approval ofthe General Assembly. These requirements may be reviewed and updated from time to time.
ARTICLE VI ・AMENDMENTS TO THE BYLAWS
Amendments can be voted by a 2/3 majority vote of the active Members attending the General Assembly or by online ovte : the General Assembly will usually immediately precede the general Meeting.
Proposals must be submitted to the Secretary at least three months in advance of the general Meeting and circulated to the Membership no less than six weeks before the general Meeting.
ARTICLE VII ・DISSOLUTION OF THE SOCIETY
The Society may be dissolved by a 2/3 majority vote of the active Members attending the General Assembly, which would then decide the modalities of liquidation. Any remaining fund will be contributed to charity.
ARTICLE VIII ・FINANCES
A. FISCAL YEAR
The fiscal year of this Society shall begin the 1st of January of each calendar year and end the 31st of December of the following calendar year.
B. GENERAL FUND
The general fund shall consist of all monies received other than those specifically allocated to other funds by these Bylaws. This fund shall be used to meet all expenses incurred by this Society not otherwise provided for in these Bylaws. The general fund may be divided into operating and reserve divisions at the discretion of the Council.
C. AUDITING OF ACCOUNTS:
All accounts of this Society shall be audited by an independent certified public accountant at least annually, and a report of such audit shall be submitted to the Council.
D. RESERVES
The Society shall maintain reserve funds.
ARTICLE IX ・PRINCIPLES OF ETHICS
The professional conduct of a Member of this Society shall be governed by the Principles of Ethics and Code of Professional Conduct of this Society. Failure to adhere to them may subject a Member to disciplinary action as stated in Article X.
ARTICLE X ・DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS
A. GROUNDS FOR ACTION
This Society, on its own volition or upon receipt of a written complaint from any other person, reserves the right to discipline any of its Members (except honorary) for cause. Disciplinary action may include reprimand, suspension or expulsion. Violation of these Bylaws or Principles of Ethics, or any lawful rule of practice duly adopted by this Society, or any other conduct prejudicial to the interests of this Society, shall constitute sufficient cause for disciplinary action hereunder.
Each Member hereby expressly waives the right to hold this Society, its officers, Members and employees, responsible for any damage, pecuniary or otherwise, as a result of disciplinary proceedings against any Member.
B. DISCIPLINARY PROCEEDINGS
This Society has jurisdiction to bring disciplinary proceedings against a Member, which shall be conducted by the Bylaws and Ethics Committee.
ARTICLE XI ・SEAL
An ornamental seal shall be recognized as official within this Society.
This seal shall be official as accepted by the Association. This seal is to be used in any manner as directed and approved by the Council; any change to the seal would be decided by the Council.