The beginning of each calendar year is front- end loaded with continuing education opportunities for me. In addition to the resumption of the study clubs following a Christmas hiatus, February brings the annual Midwinter Meeting of the Chicago Dental Society. This is a major congress attended by thousands of dentists worldwide. During this week, several adjunct dental societies and clubs meet on days flanking Chicago’s meeting.
For the past fifteen years, I have attended the annual meeting of the American Equilibration Society. The AES was founded in 1955 and is the largest organization in the world that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of dental occlusion and disorders of the temporomandibular joint and the muscles which make that whole system work. It is heady group with attendees flying in from all over the world. Membership includes acamedicians and clinicians. It is humbling to share a meeting with the the movers and shakers of our profession. These general dentists, oral surgeons, prosthodontists , orthodontists and periodontists include those who are the teachers and innovators of modern dentistry. Additionally, practitioners and educators from other allied health disciplines attend to learn and share their knowledge. It is always a valuable two days of learning.
I am sure that most of you might think that when I am out of the office in mid February, that I have traveled to enjoy a warm vacation. This meeting has managed to keep me here in frigid Chicago all these years.
