5 must-attend events during SmileCon

Don’t miss your chance to make new connections, celebrate with old friends

SmileCon offers countless opportunities to meet, play, learn and smile. Here are five events you won’t want to miss:

1. Bouncin’ in the Bayou Fest: Celebrate all things New Orleans with good food, good music and good vibes from 5-7 p.m. Oct. 18 at the Sugar Mill, 1021 Convention Center Blvd., directly across the street from the New Orleans Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Local band Rockin' Dopsie Jr. & the Zydeco Twisters will provide the tunes, while local food trucks will serve up classic NOLA cuisine for sale. Tickets include one drink and small bites and desserts. Explore the supernatural side of New Orleans with tarot card and palm readers.

2. Tailgate party: Gather in Dental Central one last time from 1-2:30 p.m. Oct. 19 for a tailgate party to connect with other attendees and enjoy refreshments. Dentists are encouraged to represent their dental school at the event and socialize with fellow alumni.

3. Alumni receptions: Several dental schools will be hosting alumni receptions throughout the meeting. Check the link to see if your alma mater is on the list.

4. Women in Dentistry: Sponsored by Crest + Oral-B, Women’s Leadership in Dental AI: Thriving Together (6111) will discuss artificial intelligence applications in dental practice management, diagnosis and patient care, focusing on women’s leadership, and analyze the importance of women assuming AI leadership roles in dentistry. Presented by Margaret Scarlett, D.M.D., chief dental officer of Digital Transformation Partners, and moderated by Anne M. Duffy, founder and CEO of Dental Entrepreneur Media, the course will take place from 10:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Oct. 18.

5. Dental Olympics: Cheer for the next generation of dental professionals as they compete for dental school glory in trivia and more Oct. 18 and 19. Sponsored by Pacific Dental Services, the third annual competition will feature the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Dentistry, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New Orleans School of Dentistry, University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Dentistry and University of Oklahoma Health Sciences College of Dentistry.