Seasoned dental professionals, exhibitors, and new dental school graduates all agree that one of the most tiring aspects of business is attending conferences. For many of us, those three to four days will determine the next year’s journey, and bringing your game face can be downright exhausting. A bit of a mental shift can transform trade shows into energizing opportunities to grow and genuinely enjoy others engaged in similar pursuits. Here are a few easy tips to help you survive and get the most out of your dental conference.
1. Make a plan
You’ll save yourself a lot of unnecessary stress if you plan in advance. Define your objectives, reserve close accomodations, register for classes, and investigate vendors for that new thing you need. Also, because you don’t want to miss a thing, plan on following your conference closely on social media outlets.
2. Keep calm and confirm on
Along with planning, you’ll also want to ensure everything you need is coordinated and confirmed. Make sure you have confirmation for your hotel, badge, CE courses, dinners, and meeting times.
3. Wear comfortable shoes
Ladies, let’s talk about heels. Yes, they make you look taller and make your legs look hot, but leave them at home in your closet. Wearing high heels puts a lot of unnecessary stress on your lower back, increases the weight load on the front of your foot, and can often hurt like hell if you have to walk long distances. At tradeshows, it’s all about function over fashion.
4. Choose comfy clothes
This probably isn’t the time to pull out that designer suit or form-fitting dress you bought before the pandemic. If it’s too tight, you’ll be miserable. Bring clothes that make you feel awesome.
5. Bring extra underpants
Don’t laugh. In that 5 minute time slot you have between your CE courses and team dinner, change your boxers, tighty-whities, or scanties. You’ll be amazed at how much a fresh set will do for your well-being. You’re welcome.
6. Bring extra socks
After you’ve been on your feet all day, your toes will appreciate a little breather before you start your evening festivities. A change of socks will change your attitude. Really!
7. Hydrate
Conference halls and hotels are extremely dehydrating, and it’s easy to forget to drink water when you’re running around like a crazy person all day. Stick a bottle of water in your CDA/TDIC swag bag—and remember to drink it. Your body and brain both function better when they’re hydrated.
8. Snack
There’s nothing worse than being hangry at a conference. Poor planning on your part can lead to factory-produced food snacks loaded with empty calories. Practice safe-snacking by tossing some nutritious snacks in your bag before you head out for the day. Good candidates are nuts, dried fruit, sliced apples, or that extra muffin you ordered with breakfast—you smart cookie.
9. Limit the booze
It’s so tempting to throw back a few boozie beverages at the post-show cocktail party. You’re mentally exhausted, you’ve worked hard, and by golly, you deserve it! If you show a little self-control, it’s much less likely you’ll do something you’ll regret later, plus you’ll just feel hella better the morning after. If you have to have something, request a cocktail with lots of soda water, a spritzer, or a thirst-quenching shandy. Remember, you’re a medical professional — and in spite of what they say, there are things that can follow you home from Vegas!
10. Don’t skip breakfast
Your bod needs fuel to keep it going all day, and a conference is no time to skip this all-star meal. A good breakfast includes protein, and not too much sugar. Fat and carbs will surely make you crash, and you don’t want to be the snorer or drooler in class.
11. Limit caffeine
It’s super tempting to skip breakfast and swing by the Starbucks express at the conference center, but you may want to go easy on the triple expresso. Excessive caffeine can cause anxiety, agitation, insomnia, and frequent urination. Take it easy on the joe, and treat yourself to a decaffeinated coffee, tea, smoothie, or orange juice instead.
12. Take a break
If you’ve done your planning, you’ve managed to book a room close to the conference venue, so why not take a few minutes to unwind during the day? Charge your phone, hydrate, have a healthy snack, kick off your sweaty shoes and socks, close your peepers (set a power nap alarm) and rest your bones before the afternoon CE course.
13. Bring a portable phone charger
Keeping your devices charged is a cinch when you carry your own power source. Charge your laptop, phone, or watch while you’re learning about the latest and greatest infection control techniques.
14. Bring a fix-it kit
Throw these items into your luggage or suitcase:
- Baggies—Can help keep you organized. They can also carry what’s left of that extra muffin.
- Band-aids—Especially if you’ve ignored our advice about high-heeled shoes.
- Safety pins—We’ve all lost shirt or pants buttons at the worst time ever. ‘Nuf said.
- Earplugs—Because you didn’t realize the room you booked was right over the hotel nightclub.
- Electrical tape—Because when you turn out the lights, there are always a few more that brighten the room like freaking Christmas. I use the electrical tape to cover glowing light from the AV equipment, microwave, fire alarm, or a/c unit.
In summary: choose clothes you feel great in, be prepared for temperature variations (indoors and outside), and plan to be on your feet all day. Travel light, limit sugar, caffeine, and alcohol, drink plenty of water, and rest when you can. This will give you energy to smile and introduce yourself to someone who looks a little lost in the dental conference world.
