ADA Annual Meeting

The American Dental Association invites dentists to meet, play, learn and smile during SmileCon, its reimagined annual meeting scheduled for Oct. 10-13, 2021, at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.

The ADA announced the new meeting Oct. 15 during the opening session of the ADA FDC Virtual Connect Conference.

“As we look ahead to 2021 and beyond, I am delighted to present a new direction for the ADA annual meeting,” said Dr. Letitia Edwards, American Student Dental Association liaison to the Advisory Committee on Annual Meetings for ADA FDC 2020. “Now, I want you to think about something that we dental professionals all have in common. Something that’s led us to where we are today. And that is smiles. You and your teams work so hard to care for them, and we think you should be rewarded with something that makes you smile — and our reimagined meeting will do just that.”

This new type of dental meeting will be built around participants, emphasizing their experiences and desires. Social events, such as BrainDates, a Buddy Program, Dine-Arounds and more, will be designed to cultivate communities among those who attend.

A simplified continuing education course list will offer popular topics more than once, and topics not offered in 2021 will be featured in subsequent years, ensuring a unique learning experience each year. SmileCon will also focus on peer-to-peer learning and mentorship in order to nurture connections among attendees and take advantage of shared knowledge.

The Exhibit Hall will become Dental Central, a hub for connecting with the dental community during SmileCon. With lounges and cafes sprinkled throughout the space, Dental Central will provide attendees with a relaxed atmosphere where they can congregate and network.

Dental Central will also feature more one-on-one contact with exhibitors and opportunities to “do” rather than just “watch,” as well as smaller stages for presentations that encourage group learning. These multi-purpose satellite stages, called Smile Stage, will be used to deliver CE content, industry updates and dental trends in a more intimate environment.

Attendees with a full CE schedule won’t have to worry about missing out on Dental Central, as the hub will be open during times when no CE is occurring, making it more accessible than ever.

Registration for SmileCon will open in late spring 2021. For the latest information on the meeting, visit SmileCon.org.