Dentistry is one of the fields where changes and alterations take place all the time. In the beginning years of dental school, we all have had the excitement of attending conferences and seminars without much knowledge and have spent a lot of money on it as well. But as a dentist, we all have to keep up with the trends in the global market. However, it becomes challenging to race-walk with technology every time. Here's how attending conferences and trade exhibitions have helped me know the upcoming trends under one roof. In this post, I'll show you why it is essential to attend these conferences and CDE seminars, which will help you build up your resumes.
Creative Thinking – Everybody has different views on various things, and there is a chance that their thoughts may be different from yours, and when you go for a meeting, you can see a thing in a different perception. You can avail of opportunities to interface and barter ideas on modern dentistry and dental care.
Sharpen and Broaden Your Skills - You can learn about critical clinical trials and discuss quality initiatives that might improve your practice a great deal in the future. At these conferences and seminars, vital research findings are presented and discussed. For instance, through these seminars, you may get to know about new products or procedures from the people in your field that will come in handy when purchasing a new instrument/ equipment or prescribing drugs to a patient.
Hear About the Latest Research - If you want to know about the latest findings in your field before they are published in journals, then a conference is the place to be. Many researchers will present preliminary results or work which has not yet been published at a conference. Yes, you should not take every claim you hear at a conference to be accurate until you can look at the final findings, but this is a great chance to get a peek of the current trends. These ideas can be an excellent inspiration for your research.
Widen Your Network - A conference provides an opportunity to interact and grow your network with colleagues and reputed dentists from other cities and countries. Networking is vital for job hunting, obviously, but having a big network benefits you in different ways too. Unlike during your typical daily routine, when you meet the same faces, at a conference, you will encounter a diversity of personalities that will enrich your practice. It is the easiest way to interact with distinguished global speakers in the fields of dentistry. You get a perspective of works of life from both male and female medics. These face-to-face meetings with peers give a chance to discuss developments in their specialty.
Improve Your Presentation Skills and Get Feedbacks - Yes, you read it right; if you're attending a conference, do not miss a chance to present a paper or a poster! Now here's a trick. If you have recently started working on your research, you can always present your preliminary results from your most recent experiment. The feedback you receive from your audience can help you anticipate the reviewer's comments when you try to get it published. Now coming to presentation skills, these skills will always help you boost your confidence in the way you communicate. Practicing and giving your talk or poster presentation will make you more relaxed in front of an audience, and you'll learn things like the speed at which you should talk and the amount of detail you need to give in your explanations. Answering questions after your presentation, and conversing with other attendees will help to smooth your communication skills.
CDE Points - Continuing education (CE credits) to expand your skills as a dentist and further your career. For those who plan to study dentistry abroad, attending a conference should unquestionably go on your CV, particularly if you have given a talk or poster presentation. It shows the universities that you're engaged with your field and is taking an active part in communicating with other academics. If you have done it, flaunt it! Using CDE points in your resume will help you enhance your profile and stand out from dozens of other applicants. And do not just attend the conferences and seminars for its sake; utilize your time in planning which conferences are beneficial for you to attend with respect to the events and leading national and international speakers coming for it.
Relax and Have Fun - Of course, who doesn't like visiting new places and having fun activities? It shouldn't be neglected that attending a conference is good fun! Although a conference is usually a work event more than a leisure one, it can still be enjoyable. And do not forget to gorge on the amazing food.