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Dental conferences and conventions serve as essential platforms for professional growth and advancement in dentistry. These events bring together thousands of dental professionals to share knowledge, showcase innovations, and build valuable connections. Dental specialties typically offer an annual meeting where all oral surgeons, orthodontists, endodontists, periodontists and pediatric dentists gather usually without other dentists or other specialists. Then, there are other conferences where anyone can attend, but having a membership in their organization brings the cost down. These organizations are private entities that offer discounts and access to journal subscriptions that are unique to those specific groups. Finding information about these events and groups can be challenging, so we have outlined some of the main organizations below and you can find upcoming events below.
Most dental conferences offer hands-on workshops and live demonstrations of new dental procedures or techniques. These interactive sessions allow attendees to practice techniques under expert guidance.
The exhibit halls showcase the latest dental equipment, materials, and software from leading manufacturers and dental companies. Dental professionals can test new products and compare options in person. Meet sales reps that can put you in touch with your local representative to ensure you have everything you need whenever you need it. The exhibit halls can also be where you as a dental professional are bombarded with sales people trying to get you to buy their new piece of equipment. You'll either love it or hate it in the exhibit halls. For the new dentists, the key is to make friends with some sales reps so they can treat you to a nice free dinner and drinks (which their company will always pay for) – you're welcome.
Common Conference Features:
Mission: To provide the highest quality dental continuing education and showcase cutting-edge dental technology.
Celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2025, the Yankee Dental Congress is the premier dental meeting in the United States. Held annually in Boston, it offers:
The congress is a leading source of education and innovation, helping dental professionals stay on the cutting edge of oral health care.
Mission: To be “The Respected Leader in Scientific Dental Meetings” and provide a comprehensive platform for dental education and innovation.
Celebrating its 160th year in 2025, the Midwinter Meeting offers:
This meeting provides unparalleled access to industry leaders and innovative education programs tailored to attendees' needs.
Mission: To provide an unparalleled educational program and showcase the newest dental technology to a global audience of dental professionals.
Entering its 101st year in 2025, this meeting features:
This meeting allows attendees to interact with and compare the newest materials and technology in dentistry today.
Mission: To bring together dental professionals for learning, networking, and exploring innovations in dentistry.
Held annually in Vancouver, Canada, this conference offers:
The conference provides a comprehensive educational experience while fostering connections among dental professionals.
Mission: To advance excellence in the art and science of comprehensive cosmetic dentistry and encourage the highest standards of ethical conduct and responsible patient care.
The AACD Annual Scientific Session, taking place in San Diego every year, features:
This conference provides a platform for dental professionals to expand their knowledge, gain new certifications, and connect with colleagues dedicated to advancing cosmetic dentistry.
Mission: To advance the dental profession and improve oral health by providing a forum for continuing education, networking, and the exchange of ideas.
As the American Dental Association’s annual meeting, SmileCon offers:
This conference covers all aspects of dentistry and serves as a key event for dental professionals.
Mission: To advance the science and practice of implant dentistry through education and research.
The AAID Annual Conference is dedicated to implant dentistry and offers:
This event is essential for dentists specializing in or significantly involved in implant procedures.
Mission: To provide high-quality continuing dental education for professionals in the Pacific Northwest.
PNDC offers:
This event caters specifically to the needs of dental professionals in the Pacific Northwest region.
Mission: To provide continuing education and networking opportunities for dental professionals in Florida and beyond.
This regional conference features:
It serves as a key educational and networking event for dental professionals in Florida.
Mission: To support general dentists in lifelong learning and professional excellence.
This conference provides:
AGD 2025 is specifically designed for general dentists looking to expand their skills across multiple areas of practice.
Dental professionals must complete CE credits to maintain their licenses. Many conferences offer up to 70 CE hours through workshops and lectures.
Dental professionals need to complete specific continuing education requirements to maintain their licenses. Most conferences offer between 12 and 22 CE credits for attending the conferences, but there are many more hours that can be earned by attending lectures at the events. Some annual conferences can provide up to 70 CE in a weekend! These annual dental events can provide you with your CE requirements for your entire renewal period.
Conferences feature expert speakers who present the latest research and clinical techniques. Hands-on workshops allow dentists to practice new procedures in a supervised setting. Dental students or other researchers will typically present posters at these events, showcasing the newest research on broad topics including:
Dental composites and their properties
New restorative materials (e.g. nanocomposites)
Ceramics and glass ionomers
Zirconia and other advanced ceramics
Universal adhesives and their performance
Self-etching vs total-etch bonding systems
Bond strength to different dental substrates (enamel, dentin)
Effects of various treatments on adhesion
Remineralizing composites and bonding agents
Materials with antibacterial properties
Calcium phosphate nanoparticles for remineralization
Comparisons of different restoration techniques
Evaluations of new clinical protocols
Long-term clinical performance studies
Stem cell research in dentistry
Tissue engineering approaches
Biomaterials for bone and tissue regeneration
Caries research
Periodontal disease pathobiology
Oral cancer studies
CAD/CAM technologies
3D printing applications
Digital workflow optimizations
Popular educational formats include:
Digital learning platforms extend the conference experience through:
New training technologies help dental professionals master advanced techniques more quickly and effectively than traditional methods alone. Dental organizations now offer online dental CE available to their members, which can be accessed on-demand. Most are now offering live webinars to supplement the dental learning and offer unique opportunities to dental professionals.
Modern dental practices embrace digital tools and advanced treatment methods to improve patient care. New technologies enhance precision, comfort, and long-term outcomes across all areas of dentistry.
Digital scanning systems have replaced traditional dental impressions in many practices. These scanners create precise 3D models of teeth and gums in minutes, leading to better-fitting crowns and bridges. Other intraoral scanners are great for submitting scans for Invisalign or other clear aligner therapy and can even show the patient a live representation of how their teeth will move throughout treatment. AI-powered diagnostic tools help dentists detect cavities on x-rays, help in implant planning, auto trimming of intraoral scan data and automatic design of crowns.
Key Technologies:
Most major dental conferences provide CE credits for attending workshops, lectures, and hands-on training sessions.
No, many conferences are open to the entire dental team, including hygienists, assistants, office managers, and technicians.
Some of the largest include the Yankee Dental Congress, Chicago Midwinter Meeting, Greater New York Dental Meeting, and the Pacific Dental Conference.
This is highly dependent on the dental conference you're attending and what they are planning to address at that specific annual conference. Some conferences offer similar style courses with a wide variety of continuing education, for example: Yankee Dental Congress. Other conferences change the course topics depending on the theme of that particular year's event. The key is to find an event that will check most of the boxes for you in terms of the courses or lecture topics you'd like to attend.
Visit the official website of the conference you are interested in. All events allow online registration with options for early-bird pricing and group discounts.
Yes, dental professionals can attend international dental conferences and receive CE (Continuing Education) or CPD (Continuing Professional Development) credits. Be sure to check to see if the organization offering the continuing education credits is recognized by your dental governing body. The two main providers of continuing education are the ADA CERP (American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program) and the AGD PACE (Academy of General Dentistry Program Approval for Continuing Education).
Pacific Dental Conference – Vancouver, Canada
One of the largest dental conferences in North America, featuring expert-led lectures and cutting-edge exhibitions.
International Conference on Dentistry – London, UK
A leading event discussing innovations and trends in general dentistry.
Australian Dental Congress – Perth, Australia
A premier event offering hands-on training, expert lectures, and networking opportunities.
International Dental Show (IDS) – Cologne, Germany
The world's largest dental trade fair, showcasing groundbreaking dental advancements.
Euro Dentistry Congress – Paris, France
Focusing on scientific advancements and the latest in esthetic dentistry.
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