My New Dentist Life: What I’m looking forward to at ADA 2015

Editor’s note: This is the latest article in a New Dentist Now blog series, My New Dentist Life, following a new dentist’s first year experiences out of dental school. The views expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author and are not intended to reflect the views, positions or policies of the ADA or the New Dentist Committee. To read previous articles in the series, visit ADA.org/mynewdentistlife.

Dr. Hobart

It’s one week until I head to Washington, D.C. for ADA 2015 – America’s Dental Meeting and the 2015 New Dentist Conference, and I’m pumped!

This will be my first time attending the annual meeting, as I was unable to go during dental school. I am excited to see what the biggest, best dental conference has to offer. And I want to take it all in, including the ADA House of Delegates.

Unfortunately, I was unable to sign up for any cool additional continuing education courses this year. I’m hopeful it will be more in the budget next year. Thankfully, the New Dentist Conference registration fee comes with several awesome CE courses, engaging speakers, and networking opportunities.

This year at the annual meeting and New Dentist Conference, what I’m most looking forward to are:

• Volunteering at MOM — I got my temporary license the other day to allow me to participate in the Mission of Mercy event on Sunday, Nov. 8 where more than 1,000 patients are expected to receive comprehensive dental care services, from cleanings and exams to surgical and restorative treatments. I will be spending all day in the oral surgery area extracting teeth and getting people out of pain. I participated in MOM events back in Arizona as an assistant, and it will be wonderful to finally participate and help out as a dentist.

• Reconnecting with old friends — The ADA supports a great representation of dental students at the meeting, so quite a few of my old American Student Dental Association colleagues will be there. It will be fun to reconnect in Washington, D.C., which feels like an old stomping ground since we have lobbied together there several times before. I am also looking forward to saying hello to some of the dentists that I have considered to be mentors over the years.

• Meeting new friends — I can’t wait to finally connect with members of the ADA New Dentist Committee. I have been feeling pretty isolated lately, so it will be great to spend time with other dentists who are in the same place as me or a couple of years ahead and compare notes, and unwinding with new friends at the Nov. 6 New Dentist Reception at Penn Social.

Comment if I’ll see you at the meeting! What are you most excited about?

Dr. Emily Hobart is a New Dentist Now guest blogger and an estranged Canadian who grew up in Glendale, Arizona, where she attended dental school at Midwestern University. She is now finding her way as a new dentist in Columbia, South Carolina. In her free time, she loves running, rock climbing, pub trivia, karaoke and traveling!