Dental News - Musings from CDA Anaheim meeting

David L Hoexter, DMD, FACD, FICD

Mon. 26 July 2010

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ANAHEIM, CA, USA: The California Dental Association (CDA) held its annual southern meeting in Anaheim, CA, USA, earlier this year. The very successful meeting was facilitated by the spacious and plentiful facilities of the convention center. The CDA presented a multitude of educational courses, including practical ‘hands-on’ lectures, which were all very well attended.

The commercial booths were a delight, both from the participants’ and the exhibitors’ points of view.

Course times were staggered, allowing for a constant flow of participants on the commercial floors, and avoiding mad rushes and bunched-up crowds of participants. Also adding to the comfort and enjoyment was the presence of wide aisles in the commercial areas.

The highlight of the meeting for me was the appearance of ‘The Greatest,’ Wayne Gretsky. He was at the Glove Club booth, meeting and speaking with the attendees. Gretsky is truly one of the great athletes, the finest hockey player of all time, was much taller than I had thought, and humble to boot. He even signed pucks for all who requested it.

He regaled me with conversations about his career and his personal relationship with dentistry. Interestingly, it appears that most hockey players eventually seem to need dentistry, especially when their playing careers are over. Gretsky truly sets an example, both in leadership and class.

The CDA has dedicated an area called ‘The SPOT,’ and equipped it with comfortable couches, chairs, conversational areas and work cubicles and tables with electrical outlets for computers and cell phones.

The CDA also cleverly arranged for educational presentations and hands-on courses around The Spot. As described by Dr Rick Rounsavelle, an experienced member of the CDA Board of Managers, it is “a work in progress.” Dr Craig S. Yarborough, also a dedicated member of the board of managers of the CDA, believes The Spot will grow and adapt to the participants’ needs and desires.

It is a wonderful concept, already being copied by other meetings. The Spot is a well thought-out concept, enabling both a networking and a welcome working area, with room and ideas to grow.

This meeting is the representation of the southern portion of California. The northern section will be represented this fall in San Francisco, which I have reported on in previous years.

Although the CDA has two separate meetings each year, the personnel working on these meetings, including the CDA executives, the CDA Board of Managers and the staff all work as one unit with two excellent results.

This CDA meeting was a well-organized meeting and presented up-to-date knowledge of possibilities and availabilities in dentistry today.

The CDA’s Anaheim meeting was held 14-16 May. The next CDA meeting will be 9-11 September in San Francisco. Dental Tribune publishes show dailies at both of these annual meetings.

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