Meeting review: AAPD 2017 Annual Session

And judging by the broad-ranging assortment of educational opportunities, the exhibit hall filled with the latest products and services, and numerous special events designed to keep meeting attendees engaged and entertained, it was easy to see why.

In the lecture halls, expert presenters shared their knowledge and expertise.

Kicking things off on Thursday was a preconference course, covering growth and development from infant to toddler.

Friday’s lectures covered a wide range of topics. One of the highlights was “Speech and Language in a Developing Child.” During this multi-part course, Tim Bressmann, PhD, covered a summary of normal speech development; Paula Klaiman, MClSc, CAGS, covered assessing and treating oral structural anomalies; and Gajanan Kulkarni, BDS, M Sc, Ph D, FRCD(C), offered a tentative roadmap to speech disorders.

Among the many highlights on Saturday were three PEDOx talks. Jeannie Beauchamp, DDS, spoke on how to build your practice by being involved in your community. Cavan Brunsden, DDS, spoke about how you can use corporate business principles to improve your practice, and Robert L. Delarosa, DDS, described how to use a simple exercise to achieve greater focus in life.

Highlights Sunday included “A Snapshot of the Street and Prescription Drug Abuse and the Impact on Your Dental Practice,” which will be held from 8:30 to 11:30 a.m. in Potomac C. In this session, Harold Crossley, DDS.MS, PhD, will tell attendees how to identify and manage substance-abusing patients.

In the exhibit hall, there were plenty of innovative products to learn about. Among the many companies introducing new products was Premier Dental Products, with its BioCoat bioactive resin pit and fissure sealant. Boyd Industries unveiled its new C500 Camera Exam Light, which incorporates a built-in, high-definition camera for video and still capture. Kurt Schwartz from Boyd is looking for thought leaders and meeting organizers who would like to incorporate this new technology into live presentations.

Also on the show floor, and new this year, was a Tech Bar, where experts in online reputation management were on hand to show dental professionals how to be more effective with gadgets and social media apps.

On Friday morning, Mel Robbins, a renowned motivational speaker, told AAPD attendees about the “five second rule” that changed her life. She explained how the power of “5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1” can be used by everybody, and she also shared poignant and compelling stories of how this technique has inspired countless others around the world to improve their lives.

Also during Friday morning’s keynote session, a number of awards were presented. Dr. Timothy Wright received the Manuel M. Album Award. Dr. Homa Amini received the Lewis A. Kay Excellence in Education Award, and Dr. Vincent Dhar received the Jerome B. Miller For the Kids Award. Dr. Sarat Thikkurissy received the Pediatric Dentist of the Year Award.

Friday evening, a ‘Chance of a Lifetime’ Welcome Reception was held at FedExField. Partygoers could kick around a football on the home turf of the Washington Redskins. There was also plenty of food and drink, music, dancing, and lots of selfie-taking.

On Sunday, the AAPD’s Awards Recognition and General Assembly was held Sunday. A number of practitioners were honored. Dr. Anupama Rao Tate received the Merle C. Hunter Leadership Award. Dr. Suzi Seale Coll and Dr. James Coll received the Evidence-Based Dentistry Service Award. Dr. Timothy Wright got the Paul P. Taylor Award, and Dr. Paul A. Reggiardo received the Distinguished Service Award.

The meeting concluded Sunday evening with the President’s Farewell Dinner, held at the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History.