2018 ODA Annual Session to help solve problems dental offices face

continuing education

The 2018 ODA Annual Session will feature CE courses for the entire dental team. This year’s Annual Session will be Sept. 13-16 in Columbus.

Are you struggling with the business side of running a dental practice? Do you want to improve your clinical skills? Do you want to motivate your team? Dr. Betsy Mueller, chair of the 2018 ODA Annual Session, said this year’s Annual Session is where dentists can come to find solutions to the problems they’re facing in their practices. From clinical problems to business problems to administrative problems to staff problems, Annual Session will have a course or speaker to address the problems dentists are encountering.

The 2018 ODA Annual Session – more engagement = more achievement – will be Sept. 13-16 in Columbus.

“This year’s theme, more engagement = more achievement, means the more connected you are in the business of dentistry and in organized dentistry the more successful you will be,” Mueller said. “We are talking money. You are going to be a more successful dentist if you know what’s going on in the profession. If you know how to manage your staff, how to do a good technical job, how to do the business and entrepreneurial side of the job – the more you drill down into different aspects, the more successful you will be.”

Mueller said a lot of great and exciting speakers will be at this year’s Annual Session. She said offices can work on team development on Thursday with Dr. Roger Levin, who will talk about making each person on the dental team into a sales person. On Friday, Dr. Howard Farran, the founder of DentalTown, will help get dentists excited about making money. On Saturday, Dr. Gordon Christensen will give an update on what’s new with dental materials and where the profession is going. Mitchell Garnier will speak on malpractice and how to stay out of trouble.

Additionally, Annual Session will feature many technical speakers, as well as a course about digital impressions and what type of scanners to buy to help people figure out how to navigate the new wave of technology.

Mueller said she takes her team to Annual Session each year, and she recommends that other dentists take their teams as well.

“It does me no good to have info that I keep to myself,” Mueller said. “I’m a really strong believer in spending money on staff development if you want to have higher level of office. If you want to be on the next plane, you have to invest time and money in support staff. The more you invest in your team, the better your office will do. The more calm and peaceful your life will be. An economical way to do that is at the ODA Annual Session.”

In addition to nationally known speakers for the entire team, Annual Session also will feature an expansive Exhibit Hall with more than 200 booths. Mueller said that shopping the Exhibit Hall provides a huge advantage to dentists and their teams because they can actually look at, feel and touch materials and products before purchasing them.

The Annual Session Committee is exploring new ways for attendees to interact with exhibitors and products, so dentists and their teams should be on the lookout for creative opportunities in the Exhibit Hall.

Additionally, Annual Session will feature many social opportunities for dentists and their staffs, including a party for the entire dental team, a new dentist reception, and the Callahan Celebration of Excellence.

Annual Session is also a great time for staffs to spend time team building together by going out to dinner at one of the great restaurants near the convention center, Mueller said.

New this year, Annual Session will feature an opportunity for dentists to meet up with other dentists and go out to dinner. This opportunity will be specifically aimed at female dentists, where they can meet new people and network.

Watch future issues of the “ODA Today,” “NewsBytes,” and “ODcAst: The Ohio Dental Podcast” for more details about Annual Session, and be sure to like the ODA Annual Session Facebook page for the most up to date information. Register now for the 2018 ODA Annual Session at www.oda.org/events.