Following the pandemic-related cancellation of two annual meetings, the American Academy of Esthetic Dentistry held its greatly anticipated 47th Annual Meeting and Interdisciplinary Summit. AAED hosted the event earlier this month in Dana Point, California, and welcomed over 500 guests to the Waldorf Astoria Monarch Beach Resort for a three-day blended meeting filled with education, networking, and social events. Nearly doubling its projected attendance and exceeding all revenue goals, the Annual Meeting had a very positive outcome for attendees and delighted members of the Association Solutions and SEM&I team who work on the client. Sixteen of the Academy’s Past Presidents were in attendance and were recognized for their contributions to the profession.
The success of the Annual Meeting greatly pleased AAED’s Executive Director Joe Jackson, CAE. “The attendees were clearly thrilled to be together again in person,” Joe indicates, “and this resulted in greater engagement all the way around.” Not only did financial support from sponsors exceed expectations, but even the annual silent auction income surpassed previous years.
While AAED typically has a meeting that is invite-only, this year was different. Every 3-5 years the organization opens its Annual Meeting to the dental profession, allowing non-members to register, even without an invite. Members of the AAED team attribute the large turnout to both the open meeting and the desire to attend in-person events again as opposed to virtual conferences and webinars.
26 world-renowned speakers presented at the Annual Meeting over three half-day educational sessions. AAED believes that its meeting should balance education with opportunities for recreation and relaxation. Professional attendees invited colleagues, family, and friends to enjoy the resort with them. MCI SEM&I and Association Solutions executed a variety of activities for guests including a golf outing, two receptions, closing gala awards dinner, and a silent auction. Feedback has been extremely positive with many guests remarking that the event has been “the gold standard when it comes to amazing, powerful speakers” and “hands down the best interdisciplinary dental conference in the world.”
AAED is already looking towards the future and will hold its 48th Annual Meeting August 9-11, 2023, at the Fairmont Orchid Resort in Kameula, Hawaii.
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