Dentistry Show London is back and better than ever. Making the big move to ExceL London, you can expect to see more exhibitors, more world-renowned speakers, more delegates to network with and more fun!
What are the benefits of attending an event?
There are many reasons to attend a conference or event, whether it be keeping on top of the latest industry news and announcements, updating your knowledge and skillset, or simply socialising with others in your field and remembering why you fell in love with the profession in the first place!
In addition, events can form an important part of your practice’s marketing strategy and present exclusive opportunities to meet the right people, keep an eye on your competitors, and build relationships.
While many attend conferences with the idea of generating business, only a select few have an action plan on how to achieve their goals.
Spend time now planning how you will maximise your impact at Dentistry Show London (DSL) 2022. Get the most from it both personally and professionally – it will be worth it!
How to get the most from an event
Here are some top tips to keep in mind when you attend the much-anticipated DSL 2022:
1. Do your homework
Preparation is key. Conferences can be an overwhelming rush of presentations and conversations. It can be tough to know where to focus your attention.
Take time in advance to go through the event programme and decide which workshops and presentations you would benefit most from attending. To make this even easier, Dentistry Show London will be re-launching its Dentistry Show app.
Not only will you be able to browse the conference programme ahead of time, but you will also be able to create an itinerary of your day by booking your favourite sessions!
It’s always good to mix up clinical seminars with practical workshops where possible to keep your mind and skills fresh. Remember to take time for yourself to recharge and refocus each day.
Also, be sure to familiarise yourself with the exhibitor list. Decide who you and your team should speak with, depending on your goals.
Whether you want to source equipment, find training, or create new partnerships, draw up your list and share it with the team so you know which stands to head for.
It’s useful to do a bit of background research on those exhibiting and jot down some key questions. Plus, consider connecting with them on social media ahead of the event.
It’s even better to message them and perhaps tag them in social media posts saying how much you’re looking forward to the conference and seeing everyone there. This helps to start building the relationship early on.
2. Use social media
If you manage profession-facing social media accounts for training, mentoring or referrals, you could send out social media posts during the event, including quotes from sessions you have attended, and give your opinion.
It will position you as a thought leader and help showcase your expertise. Most events these days have a hashtag. So remember to include this in your posts to help connect you with those following it.
Visual content is incredibly popular on social media, so always have your phone camera on hand. Taking and sharing photos of yourself with the people you meet is also a handy way to remember and be remembered by the people you have connected with (especially if you can tag them).
This will help you build your network and make it easier to reach out in the future.
3. Create your own content
Conferences are jam-packed with new and exciting industry-specific content that you can harness to show that you are up to date with key clinical updates and leading current opinion.
If you are a dentist involved in peer-to-peer training or mentorship, consider writing an opinion piece on the latest innovations highlighted at the event, or on another topic of your choice, to submit to an industry blog or publication.
Sharing your new-found knowledge in this way can also help to show referring dentists that you are at the cutting edge and could generate business for your practice.
4. Bring it back to the team
When you’re immersed in a talk or workshop at a conference, it is easy to forget to take notes or jot down the key information to refer to later.
This is particularly important if you are the only person from your practice attending and are being relied upon to share the top takeaways!
Popular note-taking apps such as Evernote and Simplenote are great cloud-based solutions for storing and managing your presentation summaries. Just make a point of organising them when you have some downtime to avoid them potentially getting out of hand.
Alternatively, taking photos of key presentation slides is a great way to record information.
When you get back to the team, share your findings. Produce a document illustrating the key updates, or even offer to present your takeaways from the conference over a lunchtime session.
5. Build your network
Use the event as an opportunity to make connections and build your referral network. Remember to bring business cards or exchange contact details, so you can follow up on conversations and take note of any referral opportunities with your colleagues.
Sending a ‘good to see you there’ email shortly after the event can keep up momentum and build on the relationships you made.
You could also link to the content you produced following the conference and highlight any distinct features that your practice and expert clinicians
can offer, building your reputation and encouraging referrals.
6. Register for your next event!
As one of the landmark events in the dental calendar, be sure to save the dates for Dentistry Show London: Friday and Saturday 7 – 8 October 2022.
This will deliver two days of enhanced CPD for the entire dental team. It will boast sessions hosted by world-class speakers, and welcome hundreds of dental manufacturers to showcase their latest technologies.
Be sure to plan your journey ahead of the event. It is easier to get to ExceL London than ever before thanks to the new Elizabeth line!
