Which Dental Conferences Matter Most When Planning a Dental Startup Acquisition?
If you're considering a dental startup acquisition, your education strategy should be just as intentional as your business plan. One of the smartest ways to stay ahead—and stay inspired—is by attending the right dental meetings. But with dozens of events each year, which ones actually move the needle?
Let’s cut through the clutter and get strategic.
Why Dental Meetings Still Matter
Conferences aren’t just about CE credits and catching up with classmates. If you're in the startup or acquisition phase, these events can be a treasure trove of insights, vendor relationships, and high-level networking that accelerates your ownership journey.
I’ve worked with doctors who walked into the right conference with questions—and walked out with clarity on demographics, financing, buildouts, or even who not to hire for their team. That’s the power of surrounding yourself with the right conversations at the right time.
What to Look for as a Future Owner
When planning your year, consider this filter:
Will this help me plan or grow my dental startup acquisition?
Are there educational tracks or vendors specifically focused on ownership, operations, or buildouts?
Can I meet peers and mentors who are ahead of me in the ownership game?
If the answer’s yes, that meeting goes on your shortlist.
Here Are a Few Worth Highlighting
These standout meetings are especially useful for dentists exploring or launching a practice:
Startup Practice Blueprint (Ideal Practices) – Deep dive, ownership-specific, and entirely focused on startups. If you want to go from vision to action, this is the event.
Yankee Dental (Boston) – Regional draw, excellent for real-world CE and meeting key players in the industry.
Voices of Dentistry (Scottsdale) – If podcasting and branding are on your radar, this is where the content creators and clinicians meet.
CDA Presents (Anaheim & San Francisco) – Massive exhibit floor and strong CE—ideal if you’re vetting vendors and technology.
Chicago Midwinter – A true industry benchmark. If you're looking for inspiration, innovation, or just serious networking, don’t skip this one.
Florida Dental Convention (Orlando) – For Southern docs planning acquisitions or startups, this is a perfect blend of education and access.
What Makes These Events Valuable?
Beyond the CE hours, here’s what makes these events game-changers for someone eyeing a dental startup acquisition:
Real-time learning: Hear what’s working now—not what worked five years ago.
Access to top-tier vendors: See side-by-side comparisons of equipment, buildout vendors, marketing firms, and consultants.
Peer-to-peer insight: Conversations with other owners often reveal the best “I wish I had known this earlier” moments.
Clarity and momentum: There’s something about stepping away from the daily grind and immersing yourself in strategic thinking that gets your plan moving forward.
Want to Maximize Your Investment?
If you're going to attend, do it with purpose. Show up with a short list of what you want to learn, who you want to meet, and what decisions you need to make.
Before You Go:
Download the 2018 Dental Meeting Calendar so you can plan ahead.
Share it with colleagues—you’re not the only one thinking about ownership.
Pick one or two events that align with your next step—not just your current one.
Bottom Line
The right dental meeting can give you the clarity and momentum you need to make a confident, informed move into ownership. If you're planning a dental startup acquisition this year, map out your conference strategy now—before your calendar fills up and the best rates are gone.
See you out there.
– Stephen Trutter
President, Ideal Practices