The continuing-education season is in full bloom with many opportunities available for learning throughout the country. I have been busy traveling to many venues.
I attended the Chicago Midwinter and was greeted with absolutely great weather and a terrific meeting. One of the highlights was attending the second annual Dental Laboratory Summit Conference on the challenges facing the lab industry today. Fifty-two members of the dental team attended, including representatives from dental education, dental laboratory education, dentists and dental specialists, laboratory technicians, manufacturers, representatives of various organizations, and others.
Four challenges were identified:
1) Dental laboratory educational programs and student recruitment
2) Dental laboratory certification issues
3) Offshore dental laboratories
4) Dentist-laboratory technician interaction
If you missed the article reporting on this meeting, find your April issue of DE or go to www.dentaleconomics.com. It is a very interesting report!
In March, I was honored to be a speaker at the Hinman Meeting in Atlanta. Nobody does a dental meeting better than the Hinman! My host was Dr. Paul Kudyba. He took very special care of me during my entire stay in Atlanta. Paul is a prosthodontist practicing in Sugar Hill, Ga., and is an extremely knowledgeable, caring, and interesting man. Thanks, Paul, for a wonderful time at the Hinman.
As I travel, I am often asked how I do all that I do. I have several secret weapons that I use on a daily basis. I have surrounded myself with exciting people who are as passionate about dentistry as I am. My boss at DE, Lyle Hoyt, is constantly challenging me to make the magazine better every month. Included in this group are all the editors that support me in Tulsa and all of the salespeople all over the country who sell the advertising that gives me the editorial pages. Also included are the people who support me in my dental practice, especially my business manager, Genna. Last, but certainly not least, is my wonderful wife. Sue supports me at home and allows me to do all that I do. She keeps our family together, and she keeps me humble. I thank God for her every day. She is the love of my life!
Each one of you has the chance to surround yourself with passionate, exciting people who can help make your practice the best.
I spoke in the mornings all three days of the Hinman Meeting. On Thursday, I talked to the dental assistants about materials and techniques that would make their work faster, better, and easier. On Friday, I spoke to them about how crucial they are to the practice of dentistry, about how they can become clinical partners with the dentist in the delivery of great dental care, and about how proud they should be to be members of our great profession. I urged them to always be willing to grow and, if they are not in a practice that allows them to grow, then perhaps they need to find a new place to make their stars shine. The energy of the women in those rooms on Thursday and Friday was incredible! This is energy that keeps me doing what I do.
On Saturday, it was the dentists’ turn to hear “Pearls For Your Practice®.” In a speeded-up version, I gave most of the information from my all-day seminar. There were a number of lively discussions during the seminar, and I received a lot of great feedback.
Speaking at these meetings helps me understand the problems that are confronting dentists and their team members. This information helps in planning the articles for Dental Economics®.
I hope to meet you at a dental meeting in the near future. Please come up to the front of the room and say hi.
Joe Blaes, DDS, Editor - e-mail: [email protected]
Toll-free phone number: (866) 274-4500
