August Action-Packed With AAE Events

Endodontics educators, residents and corporate supporters gathered in Chicago earlier this month for a series of AAE and Foundation for Endodontics-sponsored events. The Educator Workshop, Corporate Community Conference and APICES were held Aug. 10-12, giving all audiences an opportunity to interact and network with each other, as well as AAE leadership and staff.

More than 30 corporate partners joined AAE leadership at the Corporate Community Conference, where the “Economics of Endo” was a focus. Dr. Marko Vujicic, chief economist and vice president of the American Dental Association’s Health Policy Institute, highlighted the latest research in patient dental expenditures, barriers to dental care and economic issues affecting dental practices. Corporate partners also participated in a joint session with dental educators attending the AAE’s Educator Workshop. After a presentation on “Ergonomic Considerations in the Educational Environment” by Diane Griffiths, global business development manager at TDO Software, educators and corporate attendees participated in a lively discussion about issues and scenarios facing the endodontic industry today.

The AAE hosted 49 program directors during the 2017 Educator Workshop, Steps Toward Developing a Stronger Graduate Program. The workshop was moderated by Educational Affairs Committee Chair Dr. Craig S. Hirschberg. In addition to the joint session with corporate supporters, program directors attended presentations on resident research, ADAT application dates, best practices in alumni relations and philanthropy, mentoring efforts for the ABE exam, and marketing. The workshop concluded with an open discussion about standardized dates for the admission process and online endodontic CE certificate programs.

The 14th annual APICES program also was held during this time, bringing 300 residents together to hear speakers on a variety of topics, including microbiology, clinical diagnoses and practice management, and to learn about the family of AAE organizations. APICES sponsors were thrilled with their chance to interface with attendees during meals, breaks and social events. Overall, residents seemed to enjoy the weekend-long experience where they met their future colleagues, formed new relationships and learned about their specialty. Thanks to the generosity of corporate supporters, APICES is completely free to all residents.