AAP Connect Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette

Thank you for being part of AAP Connect. To ensure the best possible experience for all members, the American Academy of Periodontology (the “Academy” or “AAP”) has established some basic rules for participation and general discussion group etiquette. Failure to abide by these rules can result in your suspension or removal from AAP Connect.

What is AAP Connect?

AAP Connect is a virtual community where members can access certain member resources and have online discussions with other AAP members from all over the world. AAP Connect includes two member-driven discussion forums: PerioHub and Open Forum. PerioHub was established to allow periodontal professionals who are currently enrolled in or have completed a US- or Canadian-based periodontal residency program to interact and network with one another in an environment dedicated to the clinical and scientific specifics of the specialty. Open Forum is the universal AAP discussion community where all members are free to start conversations and post questions. Any documents or other content you share will be automatically archived in the Open Forum or PerioHub libraries, making it easy to locate for later reference. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily represent those of the AAP. All information, data, text, files, documents, links, software, chat, communication, posts, or other materials (“Content”) in AAP Connect are to be used solely at your own risk.

Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette:

By participating in the AAP Connect community, including PerioHub and Open Forum, you agree that you have read and will follow the Terms of Use.

The Academy cannot and does not assume responsibility for the accuracy, content, or ownership of Content communicated through the community.

All messages must add to the body of knowledge. The Academy reserves the right, but is not obligated, to remove any Content that is determined, in the Academy’s sole discretion to not comply with these Terms or to conflict with the Academy's mission and vision. If you are in doubt about whether a proposed message or other Content complies with the rules, please contact the Academy at AAPConnect@perio.org before posting.

If you believe a message violates the AAP Connect Terms of Use or Community Rules, please file a complaint using the official Complaint Reporting Form.

Complaints are adjudicated by the AAP Connect Workgroup which is charged with determining whether Content or a Posting is in violation. The AAP Connect Workgroup may recommend that Content or a Posting is removed and/or the post be closed.

Unless otherwise stated, these Terms of Use and the Rules and Etiquette set forth below apply to AAP Connect, including Open Forum and PerioHub.

1. This community is intended for Academy members only but be careful to protect your Access to AAP Connect is only made available by the AAP to AAP members and posted content should not be shared with non- members. Please remember, though, that any information you disclose in AAP Connect becomes immediately accessible to everyone on AAP Connect and the AAP cannot guarantee that the information will remain on AAP Connect. Therefore, it is important for you to exercise discretion and appropriate caution when deciding to reveal your personal information. What you have posted may be seen, disclosed to, or collected by third parties and may be used by others in ways we are unable to control or predict, including to contact you for unauthorized purposes.
2. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily represent those of the AAP. Postings and Content, including those made or shared by Officers and Trustees of the Academy, reflect the opinion of the individual and, unless otherwise indicated, do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of the Academy. Officers and Trustees of the Academy must include a disclaimer in their personal.
3. All defamatory, abusive, profane, threatening, harassing, offensive, or illegal language and materials are strictly prohibited. Keep communication and other Content professional and constructive. Avoid inflammatory language and insults. Friendly debate is welcome, however, personal attacks on, and abuse toward other users or any individual will not be tolerated. Be aware that you may be misunderstood, so try to be clear. Expect that people may understand your post differently than you intended. Tone of voice (e.g., sarcasm, humor) doesn’t always translate well online, so err on the side of caution.
4. The AAP retains the right to decline to post any Content or remove any previously posted Content in the AAP Connect community environment at the discretion of the AAP. Any post which does not help to achieve the mission of the AAP or the AAP Connect community and/or deters the engagement and participation of other members may be removed at the discretion of the AAP. The AAP Connect Workgroup is charged with adjudicating complaints about Content or postings and may make recommendations to remove or close a post.

5. Do not post Content in violation of intellectual property rights. No Content protected by copyright, trademark, or other proprietary right (“Intellectual Property Rights”) should be uploaded, posted, or otherwise made available on AAP Connect without the express permission of the owner of the Intellectual Property Rights of the Content. You will be solely liable for any damages resulting from any actual or alleged infringement of Intellectual Property Rights, or any other harm resulting from your posting of any Content.

6. Do not post about subjects unrelated to the Academy’s mission and vision. The key to maintaining AAP Connect as an engaging and inclusive space is to focus on intelligent discussion of relevant subjects related to the study and practice of periodontics. Avoid political or religious commentary and other topics irrelevant to the Academy’s focus. Keep content relevant to the shared interests and values of the community and the AAP.

7. Only send a message to the entire community when it contains information from which everyone can Send messages such as "thanks for the information" or "me, too" to individuals--not to the entire community. Do this by using "Reply to Sender." Do not send suggestions for the Academy using community discussion posts. Instead, email them directly to district trustees or Academy staff. Do not send administrative messages, such as requests for removal from a discussion board. Instead, use the settings feature to remove yourself from a discussion board.

8. AAP Connect is not an advertising Posting self-serving or commercial messages on any discussion board or related resource library is prohibited. Commercial messages may include messages that are intended to promote a product, service, program, or event that is not associated with the Academy, whether the product, service, program, or event is offered with or without external branding or fee. Do not use any discussion board to sell, promote, or offer any non-AAP products, services, programs, or events. The AAP reserves the right to remove commercial messages found in violation of this rule.

9. Use caution when discussing others’ products, services, or Information posted on the discussion boards and in the libraries is available to all members. Unduly disparaging comments about a product, service, or an individual may be subject to libel and slander laws.

10. Permission to access and use the information contained in the Member Directory is restricted to members of the American Academy of Periodontology. Members may not share, show, or provide their Member Directory login information to anyone else; authorize others to view, obtain, or otherwise use any information included in the Member Directory; or assign, transfer, share, or distribute the Member Directory (or any part of it) or any information contained in it to any individual or organization.

All information contained in the AAP Member Directory is entrusted to AAP members exclusively for their noncommercial personal use. The AAP expressly prohibits the use of this information for any other purpose, including commercial, political, or promotional (marketing and sales) purposes. The data contained in the Member Directory may not be downloaded, republished, resold, or duplicated, in whole or in part, for any of these purposes. Violation of this policy may subject the AAP member to removal from the AAP Connect community and such other remedies as may be available to AAP under these Terms of Use or by law.

While the AAP makes reasonable efforts to maintain current member data, it does not guarantee the accuracy of the information contained in the Member Directory and disclaims all responsibility for updating it and for any inaccuracy therein. The AAP shall have no liability to any AAP member for any inaccuracy in the Member Directory.

11. Do not post Content related to price fixing, boycotting, or conduct intended to illegally restrict free It is the AAP’s policy to comply fully and strictly with both federal and state antitrust laws. Content should not be posted if it encourages or facilitates members to arrive at any agreement that either expressly or implicitly leads to price fixing, a boycott of another's business, or other conduct intended to illegally restrict free trade or otherwise in violation of federal or state antitrust laws. Without limitation, Content that encourages or facilitates an agreement about the following subjects are prohibited: prices, discounts, or terms or conditions of sale; salaries; profits, profit margins, or cost data; market shares, sales territories, or markets; allocation of customers or territories; or selection, rejection, or termination of customers or suppliers. Please refer to the AAP’s Antitrust Policy for more information.

12. Do not submit any information or materials containing Protected Health Information (PHI) or that may otherwise violate the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA).

13. PerioHub is intended for the discussion of clinical and scientific work specifically related to the practice of This includes uploading cases and posting questions that would best resonate with periodontal specialists. The AAP reserves the right to remove posts that do not comply with the clinical and scientific requirements of the community.

Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette Enforcement:

The Academy reserves the right, but is not obligated, to remove any post that, as determined by the AAP in its sole discretion, does not comply with the Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette and to close any discussion thread that, in the AAP’s sole discretion, no longer comports with its original topic, has generated negative or offensive comments, or, where the topic and comments no longer add to the body of knowledge. The decision of the Academy to remove a post or close a thread is final.

The AAP acknowledges that members may voice criticism of its products, services, policies, and performance. Any blatant or persistent misrepresentation of the AAP organization, its Board, or staff will be removed.

To ensure the best possible experience for AAP Connect users, the Academy has established a three-strike policy for users violating the Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette:

First violation: A warning email will be sent, and the violating Content will be removed.

Second violation: A second warning email will be sent, the violating Content will be removed, and the user’s posts will be monitored by the Academy for 30-90 days, depending on the severity of the violation.

Third violation: User’s access to AAP Connect will be terminated, either temporarily or permanently. Reinstated access will be at the sole discretion of the Academy.

Notwithstanding the three-strike policy above, more immediate or severe action may be taken with respect to users who post illegal, dangerous, or threatening content or as deemed warranted by the AAP in its sole discretion. Furthermore, without limitation, the AAP may, in its sole discretion, (i) warn you via email (to any email address you have provided to AAP) that you have violated these Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette; (ii) delete any or all Content provided by you or your agent(s) to AAP Connect; (iii) discontinue your registration(s) with AAP Connect; (iv) notify and/or send Content to and/or fully cooperate with the proper law enforcement authorities for further action; and/or (v) take any other action which AAP deems to be appropriate.

You agree that if your registration(s) with or ability to access AAP Connect is discontinued by the AAP due to your violation of any portion of these Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette or for conduct otherwise inappropriate for  the

community of AAP Connect, you will not attempt to re-register with or access AAP Connect through use of a different member name or otherwise, and you acknowledge that you will not be entitled to receive a refund for fees related to your membership or access to AAP Connect. In the event that you violate the immediately preceding sentence, the AAP reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to immediately take any or all of the actions set forth in the previous paragraph without any notice or warning to you.

If you have concerns about posts violating the Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette, please contact the Academy at AAPConnect@perio.org or use the “Concerned about a Post?” button on the discussion board pages.

LEGAL NOTICE

This site is provided as a service for the members of the American Academy of Periodontology. The Academy does not endorse and is not responsible for the opinions and information of others. The AAP disclaims any and all responsibility for the Content or tone of any messages posted on this site. In no event shall the American Academy of Periodontology be liable for any special, indirect, incidental, or consequential damages, or any damages whatsoever, resulting from or arising out of or in connection with the use or in ability to use AAP Connect, the breach of any warranty, the use of any browser or downloading of any software, or any use, exposure to, or reliance on any Content posted on or through AAP Connect.

By posting any Content on this site, the posting party represents and warrants that the Content complies with all of the rules set forth above and does not infringe the rights of any third party. In addition, the posting party grants the American Academy of Periodontology and users of this site the nonexclusive right and license to display, copy, publish, distribute, transmit, print, make derivative works of, and use such information or other material for non-commercial purposes, subject to the terms and conditions of these Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette as they may be edited from time to time.

Further, by posting any Content on or through AAP Connect, the posting party represents and warrants that they will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless the Academy and its affiliates and their respective officers, trustees, agents and employees from and against any claim, demand, or cause of action,

including payments of reasonable attorneys' fees and costs, arising out of or related to the Content or any violation of this Policy.

Each user agrees that use of AAP Connect is at his or her sole risk. The AAP does not warrant that AAP Connect will be uninterrupted or error free; nor does it make any warranty as to the results that may be obtained from use of AAP Connect or as to the accuracy, reliability, or content of any information provided through AAP Connect. The information is provided with the understanding that neither the AAP or its members, while such members are participating in AAP Connect, are engaged in rendering legal, medical, counseling, or other professional services or advice.

The American Academy of Periodontology reserves the right to terminate access to AAP Connect by any user who violates these rules, does not follow the required etiquette, or acts contrary to the Legal Notice – without opportunity for a hearing or any other process.

Terms and conditions are subject to change at any time. Updated February 2023

I HAVE READ AND UNDERSTAND THE TERMS OF USE, COMMUNITY RULES, AND

ETIQUETTE, INCLUDING THE LEGAL NOTICE. I AGREE TO ABIDE BY ALL PROVISIONS OF THOSE MATERIALS.

By clicking the Accept button, you acknowledge and agree to abide by these Terms of Use, Community Rules, and Etiquette, and the responsibilities and limitations set forth in the Legal Notice.