ODA ANNUAL SESSION FEATURED QUALITY CE, HANDS-ON SHOPPING, FUN SOCIAL EVENTS
The 2024 ODA Annual Session featured an expansive Exhibit Hall with 157 vendors, where attendees could comparison shop and test out products and services.
The 2024 ODA Annual Session featured 37 CE courses presented by 39 local and national experts, 157 vendors in an expansive Exhibit Hall, special events and thousands of dental professionals.
“The Ohio Dental Association 2024 Annual Session was outstanding,” said Dr. Steve Moore, 2024 ODA Annual Session general chairman. “There was diverse, excellent CE and an extensive Exhibit Hall. There were multiple events to interact with friends and colleagues. I’m sorry I have to wait a whole year for the 2025 ODA Annual Session. “
This year, 2,765 dental professionals attended the ODA Annual Session, including 729 dentists.
“Annual Session is something that I look forward to every year,” said Dr. Cindy Ellinger, a general dentist in Delaware. “It’s a nice mental break for me to get out of the office and get out of my scrubs. And the courses I have taken have challenged me to consider how I practice and care for my patients. I always return to the office the next week feeling refreshed and ready to get back to it.”
ODA Annual Session featured many hands-on workshops, team building courses, front office courses and more.
“ODA has always been a positive experience for me,” said a survey respondent. “I appreciate the opportunity to hear from the quality of speakers and relevant topics that are presented.”
Some of the most popular on-site courses this year included:
- “Ultimate Dental Hygiene Masterclass” presented by Kelly Tanner, PhD, RDH.
- “The Questions You Hate and the Answers You’ll Love: A Guide for Dealing with Difficult Patients” presented by Dr. Mark Hyman.
- “Cannabis, Cancer & Chronic Pain – Exploring the Connections” presented by Dr. Thomas Viola, RPh, CCP, and Karen Davis, RDH.
- “ABCs of Patient, People, and Team Communication” presented by Dr. Paul Goodman.
- “Materials and Techniques to Improve Posterior Composites” presented by Dr. Nathaniel Lawson.
- “Practical Oral Pathology” presented by Dr. Ashleigh Briody.
- “A 360 Slam Dunk for Successful Teams” presented by Dr. Mark Hyman.
- “Medical Emergencies in the Dental Office: Why CPR Is Not Enough” presented by Dr. Larry Sangrik.
- “Confusion is the Killer of Case Acceptance” presented by Dr. Paul Goodman.
- “Latest Update on Cements, Bonding and Universal Composites” presented by Dr. Scott Coleman.
- “It was convenient to complete my mandatory DEA requirements during the ODA annual session,” said Dr. Andrea Browne, a pediatric dentist in Boardman.
Annual Session also featured several social events, including the New Dentist Social, The BASH!, Night at the Ballpark, Callahan Celebration of Excellence, Morning Yoga, Wine & Dine at Martini Modern Italian, Dental Influencers Panel and Celebrate 10 years with ODA Wellness Trust.
This year, the ODA Subcouncil on Diversity and Inclusion presented cultural experiences as part of their mission to represent and recruit members of underrepresented groups. Experiences included salsa dance instruction and a trivia game.
“I attended the New Dentist Social and had a great time,” Brown said. “I also helped to host the Subcouncil on Diversity and Inclusion Trivia event, which was a lot of fun and a great success.”
The Exhibit Hall is rated by ODA Annual Session attendees as one of the top reasons they attend the meeting each year. Attendees could comparison shop with the help of knowledgeable company representatives, and major dental suppliers on-site included Benco, Patterson, Henry Schein and Safco.
“I purchased a new pair of loupes, since my last pair were over 10 years old and purchased when I was a dental student,” Browne said. “It was great to shop at a few booths and find a company and pair that fit my needs.”
The Exhibit Hall also featured a drawing, where attendees received entries based on how much they purchased in the Exhibit Hall. Winners were Dr. Charles Mardis and Dr. Andrea Browne.
The Exhibit Hall featured several special events, including Hops & Shops, Free Lunch! and Dark Roast and Donuts.
“Loved the free lunch, snacks, etc. that were offered in Exhibit Hall,” said a survey respondent. “The vibe this year was amazing!”
New this year, Annual Session featured a Scavenger Hunt and step challenge. Scavenger hunt winners were Piper Baker, Dr. Erika Dixon and Sobha Patro. Step Up Your Smile at ODA Annual Session winners were Dr. Jill Miller, Keyana McPherson and Jasmine Ruiz.
“My favorite part about Annual Session is running into old colleagues and classmates and getting to catch up,” Ellinger said.
Browne agreed. “My favorite part of the ODA Annual Session was meeting colleagues in person and socializing,” she said. “I think that personally Annual Session benefited me from a networking perspective. It’s nice to meet other dentists and dental professionals that I can refer my pediatric patients and families to when they graduate from our practice.”
Callahan Celebration of Excellence
In conjunction with the ODA Annual Session, the Callahan Celebration of Excellence took place on Sept. 13. The celebration recognized the 2024 Awards of Excellence winners.
The 2024 Awards of Excellence winners include:
- 2024 Joseph P. Crowley Distinguished Dentist Award recipient – Dr. Kevin Laing.
- 2024 Achievement Award recipient – Dr. Denise Hering.
- 2024 Marvin Fisk Humanitarian Award recipient – Dr. Roger Haas.
- 2024 N. Wayne Hiatt Rising Star Award recipient – Dr. George R. Williams.
- 2024 Access to Dental Care Program Award recipient – The Good Samaritan Free Health Center Dental Clinic.
- 2024 Callahan Memorial Award – Dr. Ron Occhionero.
For more information about the award winners, visit www.oda.org.
Table Clinics
On Sept. 13, ODA Annual Session attendees had the opportunity to earn up to two hours of free CE by attending Table Clinics. The presentations covered a wide variety of topics, and a panel of judges rated each of them.
This year’s winners are:
- Best of show – Alex Matthews.
- Category 2 Dental Resident 1st Place – Dr. Humza Syed and Dr. Abiola Lawal.
- Category 2 Dental Resident 2nd Place – Dr. Kayla Beever, Dr. Navia Novosel, Dr. Lauren Karr and Dr. Ji Hyuk Seo.
- Category 3 Auxiliary – Kira Geis, Claire Rohrs, Brooke Hannam and Ella Curcio.
- Category 3 Auxiliary – Dima Hamad, Salamata Sy, Ayah Musaitif, Hibba Nasser.
Download CE slips
Obtain CE credit verification and download handouts for courses attended at the 2024 ODA Annual Session by visiting https://www.prereg.net/2024/oda/. To access CE certificates, click the “proceed to CE dashboard” button shown at the top of the screen.
Online CE
Registration for the ODA Annual Session includes access to up to 24 hours of online CE, free with the cost of registration. Online CE will be available until Dec. 31, 2024.
Didn’t register for the in-person event? No problem, you can still register to access our online CE at www.oda.org.
Save the Date
We hope to see you again at the 2025 ODA Annual Session, which will be Sept. 25-27, 2025 in Columbus. Mark your calendars now!
