ATLANTA, USA: The 98^th Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting, held 25–27 March, attracted approximately 23,000 attendees. The meeting featured a 90,000-square-foot exhibit hall and a wide array of educational opportunities, many new for this year. The Hinman Dental Meeting, sponsored by the Hinman Dental Society, has been around since 1911.

The first meeting was held by Dr Thomas P. Hinman and was considered to be the first clinic strictly for serious-minded educational purposes. Hinman believed strongly in the individual’s contribution to dentistry, and the meeting developed a reputation for devotion to detail and hospitality that continued to grow through the years with every meeting.

Today, the focus is still on providing the best possible continuing dental education, not just for the dentists but for the whole dental team.

At the 2010 meeting, more than 60 experts in the field of dentistry offered presentations, with more than 25 per cent of the courses containing an opportunity for hands-on participation. New, all-day educational tracks were offered for dental hygienists, assistants and business office personnel. The exhibit hall also offered courses for assistants and dentists.

A full-day Prevention Convention course was held, featuring six speakers who presented 50-minute lectures on topics ranging from nutrition to hygiene insurance coding. Assisting Extravaganza included six 50-minute lectures on topics spanning from bleaching techniques to taking one’s assisting skills to the next level. Business Office Bonanza covered topics such as scheduling guidelines, telephone techniques and insurance coding.

This year’s keynote session featured one of Hinman’s more unique speakers in recent history: Frank W. Abagnale, one of the world’s most respected authorities on the subjects of forgery, embezzlement and securities documents. The movie Catch Me If You Can, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks, was based on his life and book.

The exhibit hall featured many dental industry companies, who were on hand to share the latest products and services in the dental field. The exhibit hall also offered C.E. opportunities, a cyber café, and C.E. printing stations, daily prize drawings, and table clinics.