Charter

Article 1 — Name, Nature and Language

1.1 The association is named the International Association of Temporomandibular Joint, abbreviated "IATMJ" ("the Association").

1.2 The Association is a non-profit, academic and professional international association dedicated to the diagnosis, treatment and surgery of disorders of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ).

1.3 The Association is an independent body in its own right and is not controlled by any external commercial entity, government, hospital or university. Its scientific, professional and standard-setting authority rests with the Association and its members. The Association's finances, contracts, assets and other legal acts are carried out on its behalf by its wholly-controlled non-profit operating company, International Society of TMJ Limited, which acts solely to further the objects of the Association and distributes no profit to any person.

1.4 The official language of the Association shall be English.

Article 2 — Objects

2.1 The objects of the Association are to advance the science, practice and standards of TMJ diagnosis, treatment and surgery worldwide, and to unite the disciplines concerned with TMJ care.

2.2 In furtherance of its objects the Association may, among other things, hold congresses and courses, support education and training, issue publications, and admit members and Friends in the classes set out in this Charter.

Article 3 — Classification of Members

3.1 The members of the Association shall be classified as: Founding Members; Honorary Members; Active Members; Specialist Trainee Members; Associate Members; Provisional Members; and Retired Members.

Class	Qualification
Founding Members	Elected and Invited at inauguration. No further additions permitted.
Honorary Members	<25 at any time; eminent practitioners. Exempt from fees.
Active Members	Working in TMJ field in any WHO-listed country.
Specialist Trainee Members	Certified on compliant specialist training programs.
Associate Members	Associated with the field; conditions specified by Council.
Provisional Members	Applicants provisionally accepted pending final confirmation.
Retired Members	Founding/Active/Associate Members retired from medical practice.

Article 4 — Voting Rights

4.1 Only officers, Founding Members and Active Members shall have the right to vote.

4.2 Honorary Members and paying Retired Members shall have the right to vote only if they were previously Founding or Active Members.

Article 5 — Admission, Provisional Acceptance and Termination

5.1 Applications for membership may be made online via the Association's website.

5.2 A list of applicants shall be provided by the Secretary-General to all voting members at the General Assembly during each Congress. Applicants must have been checked and accepted by the Secretary-General and by the Councilor of the applicant's country, and approved by the Council on the recommendation of the Executive Committee.

5.3 Provisional acceptance of membership shall be decided by the Secretary-General; the proposals shall be brought before the Executive Committee and the Council, who shall make recommendations to the next General Assembly for final confirmation.

5.4 Membership may be terminated on a motion of the Council, or by a submission from ten Founding or Active Members, provided that such action is approved by a three-quarters majority at the General Assembly.

5.5 Membership shall be automatically terminated at the end of each year if subscriptions are in arrears despite monthly email reminders.

Article 6 — General Assembly

6.1 The General Assembly, comprising the voting members, is the supreme body of the Association.

6.2 The General Assembly confirms the admission of members (Article 5), decides on the termination of membership by three-quarters majority, and decides the principal affairs of the Association. It ordinarily convenes at each Congress.

Article 7 — Council

7.1 The Council is composed of deputies elected regionally and sent to the Council from each country or region. The regions are Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East.

7.2 Where possible, the members elected to the Council from each region should comprise representatives from the following seven disciplines: TMJ Surgery, Orthodontics, Orthognathic Surgery, Craniomaxillofacial Surgery (CMF), Prosthodontics, CMD/Rehabilitation, and Imaging and Radiology.

7.3 After the founding period, the Council elects the President and President-elect (Article 8). Vice-Presidents are elected by regional competitive election, with each region returning one Vice-President to the Executive Board (Article 8.3). The Council also receives delegates from incorporated regional societies (Article 10) and acts on membership matters under Article 5.

Article 8 — Executive Board (Executive Committee)

8.1 The Executive Board comprises the President, the President-elect, the Past President, the Vice-Presidents, the Secretary-General and the Finance Officer.

8.2 At the Founding Assembly, the Founding President shall be nominated by the Central Committee and shall assume office upon approval by a two-thirds (2/3) majority vote of the Founding Members, serving a minimum Founding Term of five (5) years. Prior to the expiration of the Founding Term, the Founding President shall nominate a President-Elect, who shall assume office upon approval by a simple majority vote of the Founding Members. Upon the conclusion of the Founding Term, the President shall thereafter be elected by the Board of Directors. The Founding Term shall expire upon the earlier of the following events: (i) five (5) years have elapsed from the date of adoption of these Bylaws; or (ii) the General Assembly adopts a resolution declaring the end of the Founding Term by a three-fourths (3/4) majority vote of the Members.

8.2(a) Subsequent Elections. After the founding period, the President is elected by the Council for a term of two years. The sequence President-elect -> President -> Past President makes a total of six years on the Board.

8.3 Each of the seven regions - Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Australia, Africa and the Middle East - shall have one Vice-President, who serves as the Regional Chair, leading the Association's activities in the region and responsible for its operation, development, membership, congresses and external representation, under the authority of the Central Committee and the President. At the founding stage, each Vice-President is recommended by the Founding President and approved by a simple majority of the Founding Members for a period of five years; thereafter each region elects its Vice-President by open election among Active Members for a three-year term, renewable once, or the Council may appoint an interim Vice-President for up to two years where a region has insufficient Active Members for a competitive election. Each Vice-President sits on the Executive Board and coordinates the regional council, standing committees and any incorporated regional societies in accordance with Central Committee policies and the President's direction.

Article 9 — Secretary-General, Headquarters and Secretariat

9.1 The Secretary-General is responsible for the administration of the Association, including membership applications, the lists of applicants and members, records, and the matters assigned under Articles 5 and 8.

9.2 The Headquarters Office shall be designated by the Secretary-General in consultation with the Executive Committee.

Article 10 — Regional Societies

10.1 Existing regional societies may be incorporated into the Association. Such societies then send delegates to the Council, while remaining independent and retaining their own membership as societies, on conditions to be specified.

10.2 Any new societies founded shall be established under the umbrella of the International Association of TMJ.

10.3 The regional framework - Asia, Europe, North America, South America, Oceania, Africa and the Middle East - may be established and expanded gradually.

Article 11 — Finance

11.1 The Association receives finance from: members' subscriptions; contributions by Friends of the Association and other benefactors; income associated with publications; money received from organizing committees of courses and congresses; income from investments made by the Finance Officer; income from miscellaneous sales; returns from educational endeavors; and regulated sponsors.

Article 12 — Trustees Members

12.1 The financial and fiduciary affairs of the Association are overseen by a fiduciary and foundation arm constituted separately from the Association's membership governance and from any incorporated company.

12.2 Trustees shall comprise: the Finance Officer, the Secretary-General; the President; the Past President; and a Representative of the Mutual Consulting Establishment.

Article 13 — Friends of the Association

13.1 Persons or organizations who support the objects of the Association with contributions may be registered by the Council as Friends of the Association.

13.2 Such persons, or a representative of such an organization, may attend Congresses of the Association but are not entitled to a vote.

Article 14 — Adoption and Amendment

14.1 This Charter is adopted by the Founding Members at the founding meeting and takes effect upon adoption.
14.2 Amendments to this Charter, and motions to terminate membership under Article 5.4, require approval by a three-quarters majority at the General Assembly.

Charter

3.1 The members of the Association shall be classified as: Founding Members; Honorary Members; Active Members; Specialist Trainee Members; Associate Members; Provisional Members; and Retired Members.

4.1 Only officers, Founding Members and Active Members shall have the right to vote. 4.2 Honorary Members and paying Retired Members shall have the right to vote only if they were previously Founding or Active Members.

13.1 Persons or organizations who support the objects of the Association with contributions may be registered by the Council as Friends of the Association. 13.2 Such persons, or a representative of such an organization, may attend Congresses of the Association but are not entitled to a vote.

14.1 This Charter is adopted by the Founding Members at the founding meeting and takes effect upon adoption. 14.2 Amendments to this Charter, and motions to terminate membership under Article 5.4, require approval by a three-quarters majority at the General Assembly.

4.1 Only officers, Founding Members and Active Members shall have the right to vote.

4.2 Honorary Members and paying Retired Members shall have the right to vote only if they were previously Founding or Active Members.

13.1 Persons or organizations who support the objects of the Association with contributions may be registered by the Council as Friends of the Association.

13.2 Such persons, or a representative of such an organization, may attend Congresses of the Association but are not entitled to a vote.

14.1 This Charter is adopted by the Founding Members at the founding meeting and takes effect upon adoption.
14.2 Amendments to this Charter, and motions to terminate membership under Article 5.4, require approval by a three-quarters majority at the General Assembly.