Anne: Hello. It is Anne Duffy and welcome to the dental entrepreneur, the future of dentistry podcast. I am so happy that you're here with me today. And I'm very excited about the guests that we have today. Let me tell you a little bit about him.
Dr. David Lewis, Jr. A general dentist who retired after 36 years of practicing dentistry. is the 2024 president of the Chicago Dental Society. He earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Notre Dame and earned his dental degree from the University of Illinois College of Dentistry. Please help me welcome the incoming president of the Chicago Dental Society Dr.
David Lewis. Hello, Dr. Lewis. How
David: are you? Thanks so much for having me here. I appreciate it. I
private practice in Glenville for 36 years, But I 39 years total since graduation in, uh, 1981.
Anne: Wow. That's amazing. Oh gosh. You've had a great career. And it's still going. So Still going.
I am so glad you're here. So I might get this wrong. So you're president of the Chicago Dental Society. what is your title with the Chicago Midwinter
David: Meeting? Technically we had a team put together of a general chair and program chair and the three of us then scouted programs in collaboration with the, they call the new Dental Meeting Committee.
We've selected the speakers, the program, especially with the help of Dr. Cheryl Mora, who has taken Ted Horace's place as Ted retired, so it was an exceptional team of people that were putting this all together.
Anne: Oh, my gosh. Well, It's such a great meeting. And before we came on today, I've been going to Chicago midwinter for years.
probably one of the first big meetings I ever went to. And I've made so many great connections through that meeting. I love the buzz. at the meeting. And even last year, it was like it was just so much fun to see colleagues and get together. And I know that, you're excited about the midwinter meeting this year.
What's happening for this year? what's all around the excitement?
David: Basically we're one of the top three dental meetings in the country. We're one of the top 20 conventions in Chicago. So we do have a strong place here. It's our 159th midwinter meeting, which started the year after the Chicago Dental Society was actually founded in 1864.
So it's a long tradition of this meeting evolving over a number of years with a very dedicated staff and team of people. as our, uh, Vision statement is that we are the respected leader in dental continuing education, and that's our strongest emphasis along with the exhibitors that we bring in to help support the CE that goes on as well.
Anne: I love being on the exhibitor floor because everybody's so anxious to learn think it's. Something that surprises new attendees that there's so much to learn on the exhibitor floor and in the classroom. So I love that you have a very good flow all the way around and you treat the exhibitors really well and the classes are intentionally set for learning on new and innovative things in dentistry.
how did you get to this point in your career to have been nominated president of the Chicago Dental Society? What led you here?
David: not a path that I anticipated at all. when I graduated from dental school one of my roommates His father was a dentist and happened to be a president of the Chicago Dental Society, who at that time was doing the same thing basically I'm doing now, which was helping select and run a midwinter meeting.
We got to visit one of the evenings one of the events. But from that point on, because I settled in Chicago, lived in Chicago, practiced in the Chicago area, that was the only meeting I ever knew. was no other reason for me to go to other meetings. So I've seen it evolve from going from hotel lobbies, hotel floors.
To the point where it finally got to the McCormick place. I think it was in 1990 something. But it evolved, to that. And then finally to the McCormick place West, That's the home it's had since 2010. So as a show, it's grown over the years to the point where, we've got it under one roof now for three days. in our own backyard. So that's why we so strongly encourage people to take advantage of it. journey though, started with that. because that was a networking, opportunity that you never saw coming because when I finished my program at Masonic, was trying to figure out, okay, what am I going to do next?
his father knew somebody who needed somebody. That was one opportunity was that the hospital and teaching I did those three things again trying to figure it out. And then he connected me again when I decided I wanted to be in a suburban practice with a friend of his who was hiring.
And that friend also has served as a Chicago Dental Society. President. So it was just being in a place that you were always exposed to the leadership and the individuals who said, Come on, know, we've got to go to another meeting in that same building with three other. Practitioners who all served as CDS president.
So that's all I was exposed to.
Anne: you were surrounded by leaders in the industry and you soaked it in, you, you showed up and you said yes, which is really cool because a young person sometimes doesn't think that they have a place at the table, but they offered that to you and you took it, that's wonderful.
I did
David: it. I encourage people to do it in small bites because there are points in my career, young family, young practice, there wasn't time. And with both my wife and I working and practicing, something had to give a little bit. But when it got further down the line we serve as a branch president, volunteer for some committees.
Enjoy the atmosphere. It was when Dr. Susan Dorshow, hosted, she was president for the 2015 midwinter meeting. That's when she had asked me in prior years, would I be the program chair? And for me, that was like a perfect fit. And I love doing it. And I think that's what kind of kicked me up to the next level.
And then it was just a matter of somebody asking you, well, do you think you want to do this and you're still not sure, and he just, you do it. know, Another question, do you want to do this? Again, you're not sure you do it. was like an opportunity knocks kind of situation, but nothing that I ever planned out from the day I finished dental school to where I am now.
Anne: well, I just love that though, because I, find that so often, they say, does it find you or do you find it? And it sounds like you just said yes, when you saw the opportunities and, recognized men and women in the industry that you wanted to follow and that you felt had something that could offer you as a professional in the industry.
And I think so often, you graduate dental school and then you're kind of not an Island by yourself, and the beauty of what you have created with your Honestly, Dr. Lewis is the beauty of collaboration and community and what has come from that, which is so important. And again, I think everybody is welcome to come to the Chicago Midwinter if your home is in New York, go to the New York meeting or Atlanta the, this is the kind of thing that I think young people are really striving to connect with people that are, have already done it. How did they do it? And then how can they help me and how can I help them? Because don't you think that some of the young people that are coming in and I know with your programs, you've got things for the, emerging leaders in dentistry.
And tell me like, what is new coming up with the Chicago Midwinter this year?
David: My unofficial theme, because we've kind of done away with the things that was to create your future with Midwinter meeting. not that it's going to. Creates your entire career, but gonna add lots of bits and pieces to it.
That you have available again, right in your backyard We scout all these speakers over the course of about two full years, but having had the advantage of being gone through that for Susan Dorsey on 2015. I've got some background there and speakers that I still see around to this day, which are great speakers.
So we've got these speakers out and we're trying to be very selective with getting a combination of new speakers. I think we have about 40 to 50 new speakers, 143 speakers total. With the true and tried that we've seen before. We know people are attracted to come and listen to it, can add value. their practice and their life as soon as they hear the lecture and then go home the next day. As a scout, I would sometimes linger in a room taking notes because I enjoyed the speaker so much, but I, can only stay long enough to really get feel for the speaker, but I never walked out of a room not learning something. So to me, it was an incredible experience. Just the learning process, seeing the exhibitors on the floor, because you can go kick the tires of products that a speaker will talk about. Odds are pretty good that, exhibitor will be on the floor, that the product's being, you know, referred to.
And then also there's just the networking. meet people from all other organizations who have a common goal of excellence, to provide for the, profession, so that they can serve the public, the highest, manner that they can.
Anne: That's so rich and you have people from all over the world that come you've always been known, I will tell you this cause I'm in the speaking consulting arena with a lot of the members in our community.
And that is the main stage to get on is Chicago and winter. You have always set the bar for the speakers To be scouted by other, meetings. There's more meeting planners, I think, at Chicago Midwinter than there is in any other conference. But you've always set that bar so high, and I admire that, very much.
And I also like the idea of the future and having it in this whole career. Because as you said, in the opening here, you know, life is long. And there's a lot of different segments in your life. When you have little kids, you don't have time for everything, but if you just keep a toe dipped in all the way through and have that thread, then when all of a sudden the kids are well in high school, they don't need you as much in college.
They, leave the nest, then they get on their own, which is the way we're supposed to do it. Right. Then it opens up for you to have more time to really give back. And it sounds to me like that's what you are in this position And kudos again, your wife is dentist, which I, of course, love that.
What a. Dynamic duo. You guys must be. But it's so fun have done this together too, As a couple. I'm sure she's a big help when you're, at the meetings and things like that. And now it's, your time to really see it all come to fruition.
David: Absolutely. I mean, I have the utmost respect for her, you know, that she's done on her own, let alone, keeping me flying straight when I'm trying to go through things like this where she's helping me out. this was a partnership all the way. wouldn't have said yes, if she said no.
And so she was very encouraging and said well, let's go on the journey and, you'll learn a little bit more each time you do this. So, tremendous support, tremendous
Anne: support. That's so neat though. That's just such a nice long. career that keeps going and, one of my mantras for the, women in dentistry, dental entrepreneur women, we don't retire by the way.
I feel sometimes I'm still just getting started into something new and exciting. And so, I always think we'll be in the, nursing homes and whatever, and someone else, you know, have a problem and we'll say well, let's just open up real wide.
Let me see if I can help you out here.
David: Well,
I think you asked me about what's new at the midwinter meeting. I apologize. I got off track a little bit. That's okay. we got 65 first time exhibitors coming in the exhibit floor, which is great to have.
currently got about 460 uh, exhibitors. we hope we can hit 500,
Anne: Wait, back up a second. Did you say you have 65 new exhibitors on the exhibitor floor?
David: 65 first time exhibitors coming. Wow,
Anne: that's exciting.
David: I think we're getting some more companies coming from Asia, China, Korea So I think we're seeing more of those industries come in. Plus the technology just keeps, accelerating the new products that are coming into our profession. we go to the shows across the country.
And there's a certain regional aspect of, companies who say well, if I don't have a rep there, maybe I'm not ready to exhibit there. But most of the companies realize the draw we have and the fact that we can draw, 100 plus scouts to our meeting just to see speakers means they're in the building, they can go down to the exhibit floor as well.
Again, with the 50 new speakers coming in, so again, we're trying to keep it fresh as well as having, the tried and true speakers who people will always flock to, This year we're having a new yoga for midwinter mindfulness by Dr.
Christian Pavel and his wife, Dr. Daniel Cascioli. It'll be on the exhibit floor around noontime on Thursday and Friday. Just come in your, your meeting wear and stretch it out a little bit and relax. Our keynote this year is on Thursday afternoon. We have Jeffrey Beer, who is of TV, public radio fame.
He's going to share a little more insight on Chicago, its history and architecture. it's a Chicago. So we wanted a Chicago person to represent us there. The newest thing is something that just saw at the New York meeting. It's the Great Oral Health Pitch Program by Shill's Entrepreneurial Fund.
And they'll be there on Saturday the 24th. And it's for prospective entrepreneurs an opportunity to elevate their innovative ideas into a successful and polished pitch. So they'll be making a pitch on their product. It sounds kind of like a Shark Tank They're traveling to bigger shows across the country, dental shows.
Then I said October 24th, they should have a winner a grand prize winner that will receive a $50,000 or greater prize to launch their business with marketing networking to go with it. think that's gonna be announced, so at the Greater New York meeting. But it's visiting our meeting New York, and I think probably a West Coast meeting.
I don't know all the details on it, but that's new for the entrepreneurs. Interests.
Anne: You better believe it. Let me ask you this question. is that the application process already finished for that? Or is there still some openings? How does that go? And is it going to be every year?
So we could tell our listeners, that have ideas and innovative products. Maybe
David: they should apply. I apologize. I don't know that much more about this because this program, they said Can you give us a space? So we had a room for them, but I don't know a lot about the details. Possibly contacting Cheryl Moore or Lisa, At the Chicago Dental Society, they might be providing a little bit more.
Cheryl Moore, because it's technically a program room.
Anne: I'll definitely get with her because, I'd love to put that on our website and on our social media. even if it's not for just this year, but just the fact that you're doing that to me is exciting and leans toward the future of dentistry, which is what we're all about here.
So I think we're aligned in that. And that sounds exciting and fun. and also those kinds of things will spark new ideas in the industry, right? Because I think sometimes the first one that comes up with the idea, then I think in dentistry, how do we maximize that? How do we maximize that idea and make it even better?
Which that's insight for you. With this meeting I think that is just so cool that you've been.
exposed to this kind of community since you were in dental school. tell me what else has it done for your career together with you and your, lovely wife that is also a practicing dentist.
David: one of the biggest things is the opportunity to don't want to say steal from Hamilton to be in the room where it happens.
Those are with the people that are. planning for the future. They're planning for the profession. They're planning for, ways to serve the public better. haven't always been in that front row but being there, hearing it makes you more aware of it and makes it more important for you to share with younger graduates in particular, because you really, another motto was that if you're not at the table, you're on the plate, watch what's happening in your profession.
From a organizational or a legal way, so that you can be aware of what's happening and respond accordingly because nobody is going to take care of your business better than you. People may tell you that they will, but you're still the professional that knows the best or what's best for your patients.
Let's put it that way. So that's one opportunity. Another opportunity certainly is the ability to meet these people in different parts of the country. and find out you've got more in common than you do differences. And certainly the experience of maintaining these friendships over years, seeing them over and over and over again at meetings where, you just said hi at one meeting they're hosting you at a meeting.
You're hosting them at a meeting. It's been great to be an ambassador. That's really what I consider. Because anybody that comes to the midwinter meeting, they are our guests and we just want to make sure they have the best experience they can, regardless of whether it's snowing that day, whether or not the traffic was all backed up, whether or not the computer didn't find them in the system.
We try to make that as easy as we can and vet that out for them so they can get on their way, get to the course and sit down and relax. So it's been the people, the networking, the CE, I can sit in a room and just sit there scouting a program, just start taking notes and certainly the exhibit floor being able to see, love the concept of kicking tires. I'm a hands on person, so I love to hold the material, So for me, those are big pluses for our meeting as well.
Anne: I think that's awesome. And this is the other thing that I think I want to tell our listeners. get your tickets for the Chicago Midwinter, then go online and look at everything that you have to offer and then make a plan, Because like you say, you want to kick tires. So you want to really spend some time at the right courses that are going to. Touch your heart and your mind hands, if you will, and also to, find out where you want to be on the exhibitor floor. And who do you want to see? So you can make the most of your time because you provide all this.
It's like a buffet, honestly, a beautiful buffet that you provide. Provide for the people that attend and then it's up to them to figure out what they're going to choose and what they're going to walk away with. So I just wish you the best this year. I'm looking forward to seeing you.
It's just two months away. Well, it's got just exactly two months from Christmas. You're probably in the throes of just putting on the final touches. So we'll reach out. Is there any other advice that you would like to give to people that are listening and thinking about coming to the Chicago Midwinter this year exhibiting or they want to speak or they're going to attend and, and be part of this great organization
David: and community? There's still space for exhibitors to register. So when you first they do that, again, scouting, sometimes budgets don't get approved until the end of the year. We understand that, but we feel that we're a great meeting for an exhibitor to come to. Based on the attendance we get, the attendance has been progressively going up since COVID, so we're looking forward to that and getting back closer to wherever that new normal is going to be.
We have something for everybody, all levels of the, dental team there. So again, there should be something. I think I Dr. Moore, could she just total the total CE hours that are available? And she came up with hours total that she could pick from you can only get out of one day with 77 of those total hours per day. But right now in Illinois, it's a C. E. Year coming up every three years. it's a prime time to catch up. If you haven't already gotten, you can pick up 21 more C. E. Hours just for that a dentist.
Come for the networking. You'll see friends that you haven't seen in years. You make friends that you didn't know you had. I've met some people at a meeting that I have no idea who they were. And then you start seeing him again over and over. love the energy of it all.
And when it starts, it's just the adrenaline shoots up a little higher. just there as an ambassador and you want every day to work well for everybody. Register early because there are some classes that have already sold out. We do have a number of free classes, but those tend to go first.
For the best selection. I always encourage people as soon as you get that booklet in November 1st, or if you can do early registration by being a CDS member or associate member and have already got into a prepaid dues system, you can start registering as early as October 1st, and then have a great time when you're in Chicago.
We've got two evenings that are open for people to get out and just have fun. We have a president's dinner dance on Saturday night. Friday, we have a couple of receptions for our dental students, which went over 500 last year on the exhibit floor. We appreciate them. We want them to be a part of the excitement.
And then we also have a, we'll call it a new dentist, younger dentist, more recent graduate group that has a separate reception on Friday as well. So they get a chance to get together and compare notes and we'll be there trying to visit both of those events as well. we also get a number of alumni schools that have alumni rooms, my wife was from IU University.
So I've gone over and tried to visit with her group also see them, meet them as well. it's a great opportunity to immerse yourself in dentistry for three days in a great city. hopefully it'll exhaust you, but it'll you'll come out of it, enjoying it so much and bring a lot of things back to the office that you can use.
Anne: that's a beautiful wrap up and I feel like I may have met you along the way somewhere, but I'm looking forward to giving you a hug and congratulate you when I see you in February. And all of you that are coming, reach out to us at dental entrepreneur and we will have, more tidbits and notes about this just in case you, You haven't found it, but it the website is Chicago Midwinter meeting, right?
I mean, that's just so easy to find. All the information
David: is on that. You can go to the CDs website, which is cds.org that'll get you to the webpage and you can find it from there. going through this whole thing with the Aada a with the fonta system. It's gonna be put in a lot of things will be hopefully upgraded and get faster once we get that So we're looking forward to some, change transition coming in. So just bear with us that will be happening in 2024. But it should make everything a better experience for anybody looking for information on the midwinter meeting and the C. D. S.
Anne: giving 'em everything they need.
And I just wanna thank you from all of us for your gracious hospitality soon to be had, in February. So thank you for joining me today, Dr. Lewis. Give the team over there at Chicago Midwinter meeting our best and we'll
David: see you soon. Thanks so much and I appreciate it. Look forward to seeing everybody at the midwinter meeting. You gotcha. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye. Bye.
