Louis Malcmacher, DDS
What are some of the advantages of going to your local, state, or national dental meetings, such as the Greater New York, Chicago MidWinter, ADA, or Hinman meetings?
First of all, make sure to take your staff with you. It's good for everybody to get out of the confines of the four walls of your office and to be able to put on fresh thinking caps and clear the cobwebs a little bit.
There are many learning opportunities at these dental meetings. The dental societies that put these meetings together search around the globe to bring in the best educators in dental continuing education. There usually are so many great courses that it really is hard to choose which one to attend.
But no matter where your interests lie, you will find courses at these dental meetings to fit the bill. I personally look for courses that are very practical and clinically relevant ... courses that will provide the type of information that will help me the next day when I go back to the office.
That's also the way I try to structure my courses when I am a presenter. You may be interested in courses that present a lot of the science behind the dental techniques that we use. Or, you may be interested in courses that focus on practice management. Whatever your areas of interests are, you'll find courses that address them at these major dental meetings.
The exhibit floor usually is a whirlwind of activity where you and your staff can have a lot of fun. It is your chance to go, touch, and feel all the new dental instruments, materials, and equipment that are out there. You can try out all the new lasers, curing lights, practice-management software, and everything else dental that you can imagine. More importantly, if you have recently bought or have been a long-time user of an impression material, composite resin, or piece of equipment, you will find this is a good time to sit down with a company representative and discuss any problems or concerns that you may have with the product. Most of the time, they will be happy to teach you and your staff how to use it better or more efficiently.
The exhibit floor is also an excellent place to get as many samples as you can, so that you can try some of these things back in your office without having to make an initial investment. Ask for samples even if they are not readily apparent at the counters, and the dental representatives will be happy to accommodate you. By the way, nobody does this better than my staff! When I take them to a dental meeting, they will spend a good part of their time trying to see who can fill their bags up the most. I call them my "bag ladies." The hardest part of the whole experience is trying to get all of these samples on the plane to go home.
Going to a regional or a national dental meeting is a really nice perk for you and your office. It is a convenient way to get the continuing-education credits that you need, and a great way to learn, touch, and feel all of the new and exciting dental technologies that are out there. Make the most out of this experience by planning ahead. It will get you and your staff excited about dentistry, and make you come together as a better dental team when you return to your office. Oh, yes — it will make sure you share that enthusiasm with your patients!
Dr. Louis Malcmacher is an international lecturer and author, known for hiscomprehensive and entertaining style.An evaluator for Clinical Research Associates, Dr. Malcmacher is a consultant to the Council on Dental Practice of the ADA. For close to two decades, Dr. Malcmacher has inspired his audiences to truly enjoy practicing dentistry by providing the knowledge necessary for excellent clinical and practice-management skills. His group dental practice has maintained a 45 percent overhead since 1988.For details about his speaking schedule, Dr. Malcmacher can be reached at (440) 892-1810 or via email at [email protected].
