By: Cara Stan, MDDS Director of Marketing & Communications 

In 2019, the Mountain West Dental Institute (MWDI) celebrates its sixth birthday! Like much of Denver, the neighborhood around the facility has seen exciting changes. While many of the community’s favorite dining options like DiFranco’s, 100% de Agave, Drip Denver and Lowdown Brewery still remain, the opening of Broadway Market on our block means ever more options for MWDI’s guests.

Formerly Tony’s Market (a specialty Italian grocer), Broadway Market is now a 15,000 square-foot food hall brought to you by the creators of Stanley Marketplace, Source and Avanti Food & Beverage. This all-day dining option features vendors with offerings for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night. Food stalls include local favorites like Maria Empanada, Glazed and Confused, Mondo Mini and Biju’s Little Curry Shop joined by new concepts including Royal Rooster, Mother Tongue and Pizzeria Coperta to create a foodie haven with a definite Denver vibe. In addition to grabbing a meal, visitors to Broadway Market can enjoy craft brews, comfortable seating and retail options from local creators. Read more about this new addition to the Golden Triangle by visiting broadwaymarketdenver.com.

One block North of MWDI the iconic Sports Castle remains vacant. Since the closing of Sports Authority, the building has been home to pop-up Halloween shops and festivals and markets including the Denver Flea. While many in the neighborhood feared this piece of history would be demolished, developers claim that is not the case. Plans were submitted in January to preserve the Castle for public use with possible tenants including a grocery store, event venue or shared workspace listed in the proposal. The buildings around the Castle, however, are set for demolition with a 16-story L-shaped apartment building to take their place.

The investment the Society made in purchasing this real estate and creating MWDI continues to provide returns for members.

Inside the building, MWDI continues to evolve and improve. 2018 and 2019 saw new technology additions including a complete audio/visual upgrade. The AV in both auditoriums now features larger, crisper screens, new projectors and options for wireless (and seamless) casting of presentations. The auditoriums also have scheduled upgrades to the electrical in all the tables to ensure a modern and quality experience for members, attendees and renters.

Thanks to the generous donations of our vendors, the technology available to visitors continues to grow. The clinic features the latest in cone beam technology with the Planmeca ProMax 3D, which has been used for hands-on learning opportunities and community outreach. Also from Planmeca, MWDI is now able to offer the Planmeca PlanMill for milling of high-quality restorations. The clinic additionally has available an intra-oral camera from Carestream, as well as full sterilization and
chair-side set-ups.

The hands-on continuing education clinic is still home to Kids in Need of Dentistry (KIND) several days a month where its team is able to treat children in need and even their families on special volunteer days. When KIND is not using the clinic, the MDDS Continuing Education Committee has a full schedule of CE options planned for the fall and spring that include nationally recognized speakers and relevant and modern dental topics. Check out all planned topics at mddsdentist.com/event-list.

This fall, MWDI is thrilled to host the first ever Dental Sleep Medicine Mini Residency in the Rocky Mountain region. This is a specialized and unique opportunity for area dentists who are serious about expanding their dental practice and career. Dental sleep speakers Drs. Chase Bennett, Terry Bennett and Mayoor Patel have developed an advanced curriculum with hands-on and practical aspects. The course offers attendees 48 hours of continuing education over three weekends beginning in September. To learn more and take advantage of this CE opportunity visit mddsdentist.com/event/dental-sleep-medicine-mini-residency.

The Mountain West Dental Institute and the community around us continue to grow and evolve. The MDDS team and leadership are so excited about what the future holds for MWDI and what that means for membership. If you have ideas for continuing education courses, events or technology upgrades, we want to hear from you! Reach out to us at mdds@mddsdentist.com.

The Mountain West Dental Institute (MWDI) located in the prestigious Beauvallon building at 9th Avenue and Lincoln Street in Denver, Colorado. This state-of-the-art learning facility is owned by the members of the Metro Denver Dental Society (MDDS).