ADA News

Orlando, Fla.—The ADA annual session offers unique networking opportunities and high-tech tools that registrants can use before, during and after the Oct. 9-12 meeting at the Orange County Convention Center.

Those who like to keep in touch with colleagues via Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, LinkedIn or other social networking sites should be sure to opt in to SocialClix when registering for annual session.

SocialClix gives registrants a chance to select the networks and e-mail accounts they'd like to search to find out which of their colleagues is also attending annual session. It also gives registered users a chance to invite colleagues to register for annual session.

"Sharing education, shopping and social activities with colleagues is one of the greatest advantages of attending the annual session," said Dr. Stephen W. Carstensen, 2010 general chair for the Council on ADA Sessions. "With social media, we create our own communities, connecting people we meet in many parts of our lives. SocialClix adds an exciting new way to include our communities in an activity that is important to us. When I sent a personal e-mail to all my contacts with this simple tool, it made me feel that I was giving everyone an opportunity to have a good time together. We hope many dentists take advantage of this new and exciting opportunity to connect with their colleagues."

Register for annual session and opt in to SocialClix at www.ada.org/goto/session.

The ADA365 community (www.ada365.org) also offers those registered for continuing education courses an online community where users can create a profile, network with colleagues, share research experience, participate in forum discussions and message boards and have access to articles and other supplemental course materials—all before annual session convenes.

Beginning June 1, ADA365 online community members can earn an extra hour of CE credit for each participating ADA365 course. Attendees who register for one or more of these courses can simply log on to the website, read the speaker-supplied material for the course and complete a four-question self-assessment exercise.

Even annual session competitions are displaying a new high-tech profile. Dental professionals who have made a professional discovery that can improve patient care and benefit the practice of dentistry should enter the Education Exchange Competition, sponsored by Cleankeys Inc.

This electronic poster competition gives a new look to the traditional table clinics by giving participants a chance to showcase their entry at the ADA's high-tech multimedia Competition Hub on-site at the Orange County Convention Center.  Entrants can share clinical experience, educate fellow dental professionals from the U.S. and worldwide and raise awareness about a procedure, theory, service or emerging trend in dental practice.

The Adult Preventive Care Practice of the Year Competition, sponsored by 3M ESPE Preventive Care, recognizes and rewards offices that have:

• designed and implemented practical prevention techniques;
• provided preventive oral health care, outreach and patient education; or
• implemented a successful prevention program through a dental team communication and work plan.

To enter these annual session competitions, visit www.ADA365.org beginning in early June 2010.

Those registered can also use an easy online resource to plan their shopping at the ADA World Marketplace Exhibition before they get to Orlando.

The "My Expo Online" exhibitor search and World Marketplace floor plan are available at www.ada.org/goto/session. Users can create a schedule and map of exhibitors they want to visit by creating a personal account, searching for exhibitors by name or product category, saving a list and printing a custom map of the exhibit floor with preferred exhibitors and their booth numbers clearly highlighted. Users can fine-tune their shopping list between now and annual session.

Both those attending annual session and those who cannot attend the meeting this year can enhance their educational experience by ordering the 2010 online multimedia recordings package.

This year's package offers more than 250 hours of educational content appropriate for the entire dental team for only $99 if purchased with advance registration to annual session before Sept. 10. (Price beginning Sept. 10 and on-site is $199; price post-session or for those not registered for annual session is $299.)

Multimedia recording users can experience each course virtually by viewing digitally captured audio synchronized to the original slides presented during the course. Video stream of live patient procedures and downloadable MP3 audio recordings are included in the package. (Courses are not eligible for continuing education credit.)

To order or to view sample courses captured in multimedia format, log on to www.ada.org/goto/session.