Endodontics Takes the Stage in Annual Trifecta of Events Known as ‘Endopalooza’
I am writing this message while on a flight from Phoenix AZ returning from what is fondly referred to a “Endopalooza”. This is a string of overlapping events concurring on consecutive days in August at a common venue. The designation “Endopalooza” dates back to 2016, when the AAE Meetings Team decided to take advantage of the economy of scale in scheduling APICES, our resident convocation, with the annual Educators Workshop at the same hotel in Chicago. This roughly coincided with Chicago’s famous Lollapalooza music festival, hence the name. Endopalooza has also included on different years a meeting of the AAE Corporate Relations Committee, the Corporate Community Conference, and the Endodontic Educator Fellowship Selection Committee.
And the event is just as exciting as its namesake music festival. This year’s event was held in Phoenix instead of Chicago to satisfy a remaining commitment from AAE22, our first live meeting after the pandemic. It kicked off with the Corporate Relations Committee meeting that precedes the Corporate Community Conference (CCC). CCC is held on alternating years overlapping with the Educators Workshop. I had the opportunity to address our corporate community and update them on AAE strategic initiatives as well as the Association’s many achievements of the outstanding fiscal year concluded in June. Our Executive Director Ken Widelka gave a Strategic Plan update. Other presenters included AAE Past President Rob Roda giving his predictions on the future of endodontics and Mike Urbach from Fluent Dental with a research presentation, “Trends Data in Endodontics”, who shared data which boded well for the future of endodontists and certainly created a positive vibe with the participants.
The Educator Workshop opened the second day with a joint session with the corporate community. This provided an opportunity to interface and understand where these two groups can collaborate while still respecting the compliance environment of academics. Many of the participants from CCC stayed on as exhibitors at APICES. The remainder of the Educator Workshop programming was geared towards Directors of Advanced Education Programs in Endodontics (residency directors).
The Educator Workshops rotate through a three-year cycle, alternating between the previously mentioned residency directors, pre-doctoral program directors, and department chairs. These meetings always bring back fond memories for me, as my mentor, Dr. Gary Hartwell, allowed me to attend these meetings in his stead prior to being a director or chair. It was here that I first met so many of the leaders of our specialty who also became my mentors and are now friends.
Dr. Susan Paurazas, Chair of the Educational Affairs Committee (EAC), did an outstanding job as emcee and moderator for a great series of presentations focused on issues pertaining to advanced endodontic education. EAC is an extremely hard working AAE committee responsible for developing the workshops’ themes, arranging speakers, and working with AAE staff to produce these workshops as well as other educator-focused content presented at other meetings and online. The annual Educator Workshop is made possible by the generous support of our Foundation for Endodontics. While the educators are in session, the residents start arriving for APICES.
APICES is the annual convocation of residents invited from all of the programs in the continental US, Canada, and Puerto Rico, and this year had 270 attendees. Fun fact: APICES dates all the way back to 2004 and were originally hosted by different advanced education programs on their campuses! For some residents, the event gives them their first exposure to AAE involvement. This program is put together by the AAE Resident and New Practitioner Committee, chaired by Austyn Grissom. APICES is an excellent introduction for our future colleagues to see how AAE works and understand the many benefits that membership provides for residents and early career endodontist. I had the pleasure to give them a presentation on AAE governance structure, while using the opportunity to encourage them to get their program directors to nominate them (or self-nominate) to be a resident member for a AAE standing committee. I also participated in a panel where I was joined by the presidents of the Foundation for Endodontics, American Board of Endodontics and College of Diplomates. This provided residents clarity on how each of these related organizations function, but also provided an opportunity for each panelist to give insight into their journeys to being in leadership positions in organized endodontics.
Dr. Grissom, along with RNPC Board Liaison Brad Gettleman, made residents feel welcome on their first day as they opened the event. Their sessions included excellent additional programming related to endodontic topics, practice and practice management, including some outstanding inter-professional content. We also saw an electrifying update on our Worth Saving campaign from Kim Fitzsimmons, AAE Chief Marketing and Communications Officer and Dr. Najia Usman, AAE Public and Professional Relations Committee Chair – complete with a “Sizzle Reel”. Residents also got to see products and services and meet some of the corporate community on the exhibit floor. And of course, it wouldn’t be APICES without fun social events in the evenings.
Endopalooza also included the Foundation for Endodontics meeting for REACH (Resident Expert Advisory Council). The Foundation helps financially support APICES.
In summary, Endopalooza left all participants looking forward to future gatherings. I can’t wait to do it all again next year!