SmileCon 2024 to offer new CE formats, themes

Agenda builder will go live April 15 with course details

Dentists looking to enhance their practice management, increase the care they provide to veterans or meet re-licensure requirements will have plenty of learning options at SmileCon in New Orleans.

The meeting will take place Oct. 17-19 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Registration opens May 8, and the agenda builder with continuing education course details will be available for attendees beginning April 15.

“No matter your learning goals, SmileCon has the CE format and theme for you,” said Catherine H. Mills, vice president of continuing education and meeting engagement at the ADA.

Master classes are a new course format this year, offering a deeper focus on practice management. From fundamentals to advanced techniques, these classes will help participants master topics crucial in their quest for practice excellence. The three-hour courses are included as part of the Platinum Smile Pass and available for an additional $79 fee for Smile Pass holders if purchased before the early-bird discount ends May 31. Afterwards, the fee will be $99.

Returning formats include hands-on activities, presentations and experiences.

Hands-on activities, or clinical workshops, will be led by educators and residency directors from the top dental schools in the nation. The workshops will offer insights into the theoretical foundations and scientific principles of dental practice from those who actively contribute to research in their fields and are deeply involved in clinical practice. These three-hour courses are available to Platinum Smile Pass holders for no extra charge and Smile Pass holders for an additional $299 fee.

Presentations, ranging from 30 minutes in the Dental Team Hub of Dental Central to 1.5 hours in classrooms, will include lectures and panel discussions that share the latest information on clinical, marketing and other hot topics. Presentations are included in both the Smile Pass and Platinum Smile Pass.

Experiences will consist of experiential learning opportunities in the Dental Team Hub that are available to both Smile Pass and Platinum Smile Pass holders.

CE themes will center on innovation, wellness, re-licensure requirements and veterans’ care.

Innovation courses will highlight the integration of cutting-edge technology and science in practice to help providers stay ahead of the game in the dental field. The ADA Forsyth Institute will fuel the new Innovation Hub in Dental Central.

Wellness courses will help dentists focus on their own self-care and career longevity and support the well-being of their patients and teams.

Completing state re-licensure CE credits will be easy at SmileCon, with courses designed to meet those requirements available on-site.

Courses related to veterans will empower dentists and their teams with specialized skills and knowledge to serve veterans in their community and beyond with excellence and compassion. The Give Veterans A Smile program, which will be launched nationally at SmileCon and housed within the ADA Foundation, seeks to shine a light on the unmet dental needs of veterans. SmileCon programming will include a mainstage session, courses on how to treat veterans and why they need special attention, and a panel discussion with dentists who will share their experiences caring for veterans.

To learn more and access the agenda builder beginning April 15, visit SmileCon.org.