2021 SWDC
The 94 th annual Southwest Dental Conference ( SWDC ) was held at the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center August 20-21 , one of the first large conferences that attendees , speakers , and vendors had attended in-person since the beginning of the pandemic . The few other conferences that took place in the past six months were
by Rosemary Martinez
SUCCESSFUL AND SAFE
2021 Southwest Dental Conference
either all virtual or a hybrid of virtual and live , and the SWDC team made the resolution to commit to a live meeting while keeping everyone safe .
If there ’ s one thing all dental professionals know , it is how to wear a face mask . The decision to enforce masks at the Conference was determined two weeks before opening day . The SWDC team knew the mandatory mask requirement could potentially be disruptive ; but with Covid-19 variants in the news and hospital beds filling up in the area , the mask requirement along with ample classroom seating would alleviate concerns .
Attendance was encouraging , at approximately three-fourths of the 2019 Conference – but what was really noticeable was how excited everyone was to be around other people . Speakers were especially excited to present their programs to in-person classes , happy to play off responses from their audience .
Also pleasing was the large number of exhibitors who braved pandemic-perception to offer in-person discussions on their products and services . While not a record year , having 75 % of our usual booth numbers was more than we initially dared to hope for , given the unusual times .
Next year ’ s SWDC will introduce a change in venue , with the 2022 Southwest Dental Conference taking place August 26-27 at the Hilton Anatole Dallas . In addition to ample workshop and lecture classrooms , the Anatole offers an intimate , high-end venue with great options for dining and a waterpark for families to enjoy during the Conference weekend . So mark your calendars now for a weekend filled with superior educational opportunities , exceptional speakers and plenty to do after hours !
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