Dental Olympics returns at SmileCon 2024
Four-team challenge pits dental students against one another in now-annual highlight
The NCAA Southeastern Conference football schedule is always a powder keg in October, and four teams from the spirited conference will battle each other the same month in a competition quite different — but no less impassioned.
The University of Alabama at Birmingham, the Louisiana State University School of Dentistry, the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry and the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry will duke it out for dental school supremacy at the third annual ADA Dental Olympics at SmileCon in New Orleans on Oct. 18.
The competition features students using their wits, hand and eye coordination, and knowledge of dental trivia to come out as the victor, complete with bragging rights in the South.
“I love the energy the students bring to SmileCon,” said Gabriel Holdwick, D.D.S, past host of the Dental Olympics’ Dental Jeopardy and who will return as host of the trivia contest this year. “Dental students are so smart and engaged by nature, and adding a healthy dose of competition to the mix really makes for a fun event. The Dental Olympics puts the students right in the middle of the action at SmileCon, giving them the chance to meet ADA members and see what the profession looks like outside of the walls of their schools.”
Camryn Bryant, D.D.S., who represents the 12th District — which fittingly includes Louisiana — for the New Dentist Committee, is emcee of the Dental Olympics.
Students from the University of Puerto Rico School of Dental Medicine won the Dental Olympics at SmileCon 2023 in Orlando, Florida, and the UT Health San Antonio School of Dentistry won the first Dental Olympics at SmileCon 2022 in Houston.
Amer Sbeih, now a fourth-year dental student, was a member of the Nova Southeastern University College of Dental Medicine team that competed in the 2023 Dental Olympics in Orlando, Florida.
It was a “joyful experience,” he said.
"My heart was full [of] pride and excitement representing my school,” Mr. Sbeih said. “The air was electric with anticipation as I competed alongside peers, forging bonds and memories that would last a lifetime. From the intense competition to the shared laughter and camaraderie, every moment was a testament to the passion and dedication of the dental community.”
Pacific Dental Services is the sponsor of the Dental Olympics.
“It's a privilege to support an event that not only showcases the incredible skills of these emerging professionals but also strengthens the community among the future leaders,” said Stephen E. Thorne IV, founder and CEO of PDS Health.
SmileCon is Oct. 17-19 at the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center.
Learn more and register at ADA.org/SmileCon.
