Greater New York Dental Meeting planning remains on track

Robert Selleck (DTA)

Mon. 23 March 2020

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NEW YORK, N.Y., USA: With New York among the states hit hardest to date by spread of the virus that causes COVID-19, organizers of the annual Greater New York Dental Meeting remain “cautiously optimistic” that the November meeting will take place as scheduled, and planning for the meeting is moving forward.

A March 20 email update from GNYDM organizers preceded New York Gov. Andrew Coumo’s March 21 announcement that the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, host site of the GNYDM, was on a list of locations that could serve as field hospitals to provide testing for and treatment of COVID-19 cases.

The Javits Center would serve as one of up to four New York City area field hospitals to be established with assistance from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Such facilities typically include up to 250 beds, but can be expanded if needed.

On March 23, the home page of the Javits Center website included the statement: “Concerns related to novel coronavirus have impacted the events industry nationwide, including operations at the Javits Center. As a result, we are not hosting any events until Thursday, April 30, 2020. For more information about events scheduled during this time, please contact the event organizer. Thank you for your patience during this difficult time.”

The March 20 announcement from GNYDM organizers stated: “The Greater New York Dental Meeting understands the current implications of the COVID-19 coronavirus and is continuously monitoring state and national recommendations. We are cautiously optimistic that by November, this virus will be conquered. With that in mind, we are moving ahead with plans for registration, educational programs, booth sales, sponsorships and volunteer participation. As all of our communities around the world join together, we are confident that we will get through these challenges and be stronger after this journey.”

The GNYDM, the largest annual dental meeting in North America, is scheduled for Nov. 27–Dec. 2 at the Javits Center. The 2019 meeting had more than 52,000 registrants from every U.S. state and 156 countries. In addition to providing a 1,600-plus-booth exhibit hall featuring more than 650 companies, the meeting includes more than 350 seminars, hands-on workshops and other educational sessions — in Spanish, French, Korean and Russian. The meeting has a longstanding policy of free preregistration for all dental professionals.

The GNYDM registration website is at www.mcisemi.com/gnydm2020. Meeting details are available at www.gnydm.com.

(Sources: GNYDM, Jacob K. Javits Convention Center, www.ny.gov)