The ALF Covenant Course

 What we have learned through seeking legal counsel in the context of the AGGA lawsuit and public relations events that followed is that there is an imminent need to ensure that high value public relations efforts be taken to educate the public on:·  The differences between authentic ALF designs and those that have been used/instructed by those not affiliated with the ALF InterFACE or The Synergy Academies·  The differences between instructors with proper training and authority to teach ALF Therapy and those instructors claiming to teach on the use of the ALF appliance without the permission of the ALF InterFACE Academy and without the training required to be a credentialed provider or certified instructor·  Access to a provider listing of dentists and orthodontists who have chosen to support the ALF InterFACE community by taking the measures to prove competency through the various levels of provider credentialing as well as those who have completed certificates of completion of courses providing training through Dr. Darick Nordstrom and the The Synergy Academy 

It has been clearly explained to us by several attorneys who we have consulted that:

·  In order to be able to defend our organization, our instructors, our labs and our providers against potential legal liability, urgent action must be taken to create value in our trademark as well as in the public perception of ALF Therapy

·  The “shotgun approach” legal tactics utilized against the AGGA community offers an important lesson in building levels of protection for our ALF community and its providers

·  If we do not take immediate and assertive action in defining our intellectual property, defending the use of ALF as a generic fashion in the professional community and offering protection for our providers through a validated credentialing pathway, ALF Therapy is at risk of becoming not only further misunderstood as a concept, but legally vulnerable as a clinical technique.

·  The ALF Trademark that our organization has invested in will lose value if not defended

·  By protecting our mark, we ensure that the term ALF does not become generic and lose value in the public domain

·  Educating the public (patients and providers) about the ALF devices strengthens the value of the trademark for the protection of our providers against legal action as well as for patients choosing their providers based on authentic principles and reliable provider training

·  Legal action against AGGA with the shotgun approach has created concern for our labs and instructors.  We have received communication from providers who desire a level of protection offered through an organization that supports provider credentialing and organizational integrity.

  There has been a very consistent public outcry demanding consistency and transparency in ALF Therapy education for providers.  Despite our efforts to meet that need, we have been unable to prevent unauthorized individuals from teaching their undereducated versions of the use of the ALF appliance.  As a result, the public has been allowed to believe that providers that have training and/or credentialing that has not been validated or supported by the ALF InterFACE Academy are providing services that reflect the principles and values of Dr. Nordstrom.  As a result, those with authentic initial training as well as ongoing education on the advancements, modifications and evolution of ALF Therapy as it has improved over the years are unfairly being compared to those who have not received the training that is expected of a credentialed ALF Therapy provider. 

 There is a need to offer an incentive for the ALF community to come together to gain power through numbers as we place a concerted effort at uniting our community through credentialing.  As our community faces the storm of the legal and public relations events surrounding the AGGA lawsuit, the ALF InterFACE Academy is offering the protection of a Covenant through a comprehensive provider credentialing event to occur  

 In the event that a provider has a complaint filed against them, the ALF InterFACE Academy is prepared to take the following position:

Credentialed member providers will have the full support of the AIA and TSA as long as their treatment has been performed in accordance with the training and principles instructed in the courses·  

Providers who have an active membership and have a Certificate of Course Completion will have limited support of the AIA by sharing of the providers active participation in the courses that are listed on their Digital Chalk platform along with the proof of participation available through the tracking mechanisms built into the LMS·  

Non-member providers who are under peer review will not be supported by the AIA and if asked, we will explain that our membership and training has been made available to the provider along with notice of trademark protection.  In addition, with the intent of protecting the ALF trademark for the member providers, the AIA will take the position that non-member providers have chosen to remain independent from the AIA  and will be considered to be in violation of the trademark.