Dentaltown September 2020 - 14

professional courtesy
column

Have Trade Shows Caught COVID-19?
Dental manufacturers and service providers have
long supported and participated in dental meetings of
all sizes. These gatherings allow companies to interact
with customers, offer continuing education for dental
teams and provide an opportunity for dentists to
connect with their fellow professionals. Given the
current climate and recommended social
distancing measures, it's no surprise that
the COVID-19 pandemic has brought this
critical element of the dental industry to a
grinding halt, with cancellations coming
in left and right. Some major cancellations
include Hinman, CDA South, CDA North
and the ADA meeting; the Greater New
York Dental Meeting is still scheduled
for Nov. 27, but there are many questions
to answer.
The fate of the IDS Meeting, held every
other March, still hangs in the balance.
The next meeting is still scheduled for
spring 2021, but after Dentsply Sirona
announced it would not be participating, people are
starting to worry. Their absence from the show will be
significant, and raises the question of whether other
major companies will join them. The prospect of hosting
the largest international dental show is daunting, but
I'm confident that IDS can make it happen.
In the meantime, some companies will be relieved
to save the expense associated with attending trade
shows at a time when economic conditions are poor.
Others that have products or services best promoted in
face-to-face interactions will continue to struggle until
trade shows come back. What about the attendees? One
lesson we've learned in COVID times
is that the longer we go without some
things, the more we realize we can
live without them. As we adapt to
getting our CE via virtual events and
our knowledge of new products from
online conversations and magazines,
trade shows will struggle to resume.
There has long been a common
opinion in the industry that there are

simply too many dental meetings. It's too bad we needed
a pandemic to figure out which will be gone forever.
I believe that meetings are a necessary part of our
profession because everything we do is rooted in personal
relationships and face-to-face interaction. Patients are
quick to point out that I'm lucky or unlucky (depending

on their point of view) that I can't work from home. For
these reasons, many will welcome the return of meetings
and the opportunity for hands-on learning and in-person
conversations. Over time, major meetings will come
back with creative solutions to interact and be safe.
Through good times and bad, Dentaltown will
continue to connect professionals during the days, weeks,
months and years between meetings. We are proud to
provide a 24/7 venue to discuss the clinical, management
and personal issues that affect dental professionals
every day. This instant feedback has been particularly
valuable to our members navigating the many issues
and roadblocks associated with this pandemic. Thank
you for your ongoing participation and contributions
to the community as we are all better when we work
together. Let's hope we can meet again in person soon!
What do you think the future of trade shows holds
and what would you like to see at your next meeting? Are
you OK with a virtual format or are you ready for more
in-person shows? Please share your thoughts on the digital
version of this article at Dentaltown.com. ■

by Thomas Giacobbi, DDS, FAGD, editorial director, Dentaltown magazine

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SEPTEMBER 2020 // dentaltown.com

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Dentaltown September 2020

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