Connecting for Oral Health: New Dentists, New Connections

Patients Don’t Buy Dentistry: Clinical Decision-Making and Case Acceptance Early in Your Career

Dr. Ancy Verdier

Part 1: 9:00 – 9:50 AM

Part 2: 10:00 – 10:50 AM

Dental school teaches you how to diagnose. It doesn’t teach you how to move that diagnosis into accepted care.

This session focuses on the intersection of clinical thinking and communication—how to prioritize findings, simplify complex diagnoses, and present treatment in a way patients understand. Using real cases, we’ll show how better communication leads to earlier intervention, stronger acceptance, and better long-term outcomes.

• Prioritize clinical findings and treatment sequencing
• Translate diagnoses into clear, patient-centered language
• Present treatment in a structured, repeatable way
• Improve acceptance while maintaining clinical integrity

Avoiding Burnout: Caring for Yourself and Leading Your Team

Dr. Alayna Schoblaske

11:00 – 11:50 AM

In this course, we will discuss the very real challenge of burnout facing new dentists. We will talk about strategies to care for yourself and creating a team culture that promotes a sustainable career and excellent patient care. You can expect real strategies you can use next week, and plenty of candor from your presenter! 

• Define burnout as it pertains to the dental profession
• Identify what strategies can be used to reverse and prevent burnout
• Understand the importance of personal wellness and resiliency in the context of patient care
• Describe their office culture
• Understand tools to create a sustainable office culture that helps prevent burnout
• Implement at least one wellness and/or culture strategy in their life or practice within one week

5 Numbers Dentists Don’t Learn in Dental School (But Should): Build Financial Confidence Without the Guesswork

Dani Buschick

12:00 – 12:50 PM

Dentists spend years mastering clinical skills, but often little time learning the personal financial numbers that shape confidence and long‑term success.

In this practical session, Dani Buschick, Financial Wellness Coach and Host of the Life. Money. You. Podcast, shares five essential financial numbers every dentist should know to reduce stress and build healthier money habits. Designed for dentists at any career stage, the course covers budgeting, debt, emergency savings, credit, and free financial coaching – leaving you with simple tools and at least one action you can take today.

• Implement a simple spending plan that fits your real life
• Identify how to organize and understand debt without feeling overwhelmed
• Start an emergency savings plan, even on a tight budget
• Describe how credit scores work and habits that protect them
• Understand how to leverage free financial coaching to your advantage
• Discuss how to evaluate flexible credit options with the Credit Union including: up to $25,000 line of credit with a cosigner, interest‑only payments for the first 24 months, low monthly payments after, learn what these features mean, when they help, and when to pause

Please Note: CE Credit will not be granted for this course.

*Lunch break 1:00 – 1:50 pm. Vouchers provided by the ADA Credit Union to purchase lunch on the Exhibit Show Floor.

Exploring Practice Pathways: Navigating Career Options for Early-Career Dentists

Dr. Dylan Webber, Dr. Kate McPherson and Dr. Hena Patel

2:00 – 2:50 PM

Early-career dentists face a wide range of professional pathways, each with distinct opportunities, challenges, and long-term implications. This panel brings together diverse voices from across the dental profession to provide candid insights into their career journeys and decision-making processes.

Through a moderated discussion and audience Q&A, participants will gain a clearer understanding of different practice models, including clinical autonomy, financial considerations, work-life integration, and growth potential. This session is designed to help early-career dentists make informed, values-driven decisions as they navigate their transition from training into practice.

• Describe the realities of different early-career pathways, including DSO roles, associateships, private practice ownership, and academic/specialty careers
• Recognize common challenges new dentists face in their first few years—and strategies to navigate them across different practice settings
• Compare how factors like mentorship, compensation structure, clinical autonomy, and work-life balance vary across practice models
• Formulate key questions to ask when evaluating job opportunities or considering future career moves
• Identify personal priorities and values that can guide more confident and intentional career decisions

Beyond the Title: The Realities of Leadership in Organized Dentistry

Dr. Adam Saltz

3:00 – 3:50 PM

Leadership in organized dentistry is often viewed through a highlight reel, but the real experience is far more nuanced. This session offers an honest look at the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable realities of stepping into leadership roles as a dental student or new dentist. Through real-world insights and practical examples, attendees will gain a clearer understanding of how to get involved at the local, state, and national levels, navigate challenges, and find meaningful ways to contribute. Whether you are curious about advocacy or ready to take the next step, this session is designed to help you get plugged in and lead with purpose.

• Describe the structure and pathways for involvement in organized dentistry at the local, state, and national levels
• Identify common challenges and misconceptions in leadership roles and strategies to navigate them effectively
• Develop a personalized approach to getting involved in advocacy and leadership aligned with individual goals and interests