Chicago Midwinter Meeting Draws Largest Attendance Ever

The Chicago Dental Society’s annual Midwinter Meeting drew 34,449 dentists, dental hygienists, dental assistants, and exhibitors, among others, to Chicago’s McCormick Place from February 23–26, the event’s largest attendance in its 141-year history.

With a theme of “Make Me Smile,” more than 100 courses and learning opportunities were offered to attendees, including courses on the medical and dental treatment of elderly patients; the use of inlays and onlays in esthetic restorations; and a joint program with the American Dental Association on early detection of oral cancer and tobacco cessation. In addition, more than 600 exhibitors from around the world participated in the meeting, creating one of the largest exhibits of dental products and manufacturers in North America.

Attendees at the meeting included:

7,593 dentists
4,137 hygienists
3,890 dental assistants
862 dental students
1,197 hygiene or assistant students
2,693 office personnel
892 laboratory technicians
9,547 exhibitors
1,186 members of the dental trade industry
2,452 guests, including members of the press, physicians, nurses, and pharmacists

Massad and Kleinman Honored

During the Midwinter Meeting’s opening session, Dr. Joseph Massad was presented with this year’s Gordon J. Christensen Recognition Lecturer Award. Dr. Massad is a frequent lecturer at the Chicago Dental Society’s Midwinter Meetingand conferences around the world. Established in 1990, The Christensen Award is awarded annually to a dentist who exemplifies conscientious loyalty to the profession and demonstrates the potential to be one of the future great teachers of restorative dentistry.

A graduate of the Loyola University School of Dentistry, Dr. Massad has lectured extensively on removable prosthodontics and has published numerous articles on denture technique and technology in many dental journals. Dr. Massad presented 3 courses during this year’s meeting.

Also honored at this year’s meeting was Dr. Dushanka Kleinman, chief dental officer of the U.S. Public Health Service, who received the George H. Cushing Award for Commitment to Public Health. The Award is presented annually to individuals who raise public awareness about oral health issues.

Dr. Kleinman was instrumental in creating Surgeon General David Satcher’s report, “Oral Health in America,” the first report ever issued by a surgeon general on oral health. Dr. Kleinman, whose posts also include serving as the deputy director of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, is a leader in organized dentistry and has served as president of the American Association of Women Dentists and the American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Past recipients include former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. David Satcher, Dr. Linda Niessen, and Ms. Sara Ivey for their television program “Dental Health Minute” and Dr. Burton Edelstein, founder of the Children’s Dental Health Project.

Established in 1864, the Chicago Dental Society has more than 4,000 members in the Chicago area, making it the largest local affiliate of the American Dental Association. The society advocates for improving oral healthcare in this country and represents the interests of its members and the public they serve.

The 2007 Midwinter Meeting, with a theme of “The Spirit of Generosity,the Generosity of Spirit,” will be held February 22–25, 2007, at the McCormick Place Lakeside Center in Chicago.

SIDEBAR

The National Children’s Dental Foundation Launched During Chicago Midwinter Meeting

The Chicago Children’s Museum was the perfect setting to announce the launch of a foundation whose focus is on improving children’s oral health. During a launch event at the museum on February 25, a consortium of senior dental industry leaders announced the creation of The National Children’s Dental Foundation. The Foundation’s mission is to eliminate dental disease and promote overall health and well-being by supporting and providing access to the best comprehensive prevention, education, treatment, and advocacy programs for the growing numbers of dentally underserved children nationwide.

“The lack of dental care and the prevalence of oral disease in disadvantaged children is critical to underscore, especially since February is National Children’s Dental Health Month,” stated Fern K. Ingber, The National Children’s Dental Foundation’s executive director and CEO. “The creation of this Foundation represents an unheralded uniting of the leaders in the dental industry toward the focused goal to make a real difference in the lives of children.”

During the event, Sybron Dental Specialties presented a check signifying a financial commitment to donate $1 million over the next 5 years. “The National Children’s Dental Foundation will help fill a serious need for children who lack sufficient dental care,” said Floyd W. Pickrell, Jr., chief executive officer of Sybron Dental Specialties, Inc. “We are impressed by the work that The Children’s Dental Center in Inglewood, California, has done to provide disadvantaged children with much needed dental education and treatment, and Sybron is very pleased to provide the support necessary to expand this program to a national level.”

Ingber acknowledged the companies, associations, educators, and individual practices who have played an important role in the creation of the Foundation. “Our mission is to make a difference in the lives of hundreds of thousands of children and we are acting on that opportunity as quickly as possible. However, not even a first step can be taken without the initial generous and unwavering support of a variety of leaders in the dental industry,” she said. “We are seeing support from a variety of companies of various specialty and size such as Futuredontics, Inc. and Discus Dental, Inc. that have provided critical early leadership and assistance along with companies like Sybron Dental Specialties that are providing crucial long-term commitments.”

The Foundation’s stated goals for the first 10 years of operation are to raise $100 million annually to treat 5 million or more children annually through more than 500 centers nationwide and begin providing support to developing nations; educate and screen more than 20 million children annually through schools, community events, and ongoing community-based activities; and serve as an advocate for children’s dental needs and services with national leaders and the general public to create adequate support for children’s oral health.

The origin of The National Children’s Dental Foundation is with The Children’s Dental Center (TCDC) founded by Dr. Cherilyn Sheets and based in Inglewood, California. The TCDC was founded in 1995 to provide disadvantaged children a dental home providing community-based prevention, education, and treatment services for children and their parents. The TCDC has treated more than 50,000 disadvantaged children and provided education and prevention services to thousands more in the past 10 years.

For more information on The National Children’s Dental Foundation call 1-800 559-9838 or visit www.TNCDF.org.