By: Susan Kutis, DDS

As the current MDDS President, I have to say this Rocky Mountain Dental Convention (RMDC) weekend was truly special and full of memories that will last me a lifetime. Throughout the convention I made a conscious effort to take time to observe and be present. This allowed me time for self-reflection and prompted me to think of the first dental convention I attended. It was the Chicago Midwinter and as a 22-year-old dental assistant aspiring to go to dental school, I was enamored with the signage, the dental reps and the “free” toothpaste and toothbrushes. It was the early 2000s and they were even giving away a free Sonicare toothbrush if I just listened to a five-minute presentation.

Once I got into dental school, I was the student liaison for the Chicago Dental Society and was privileged enough to attend Chicago Midwinter all four years. I must admit, I probably did not take advantage of all the continuing education I should have because I was just trying to get through dental school.

My first RMDC was in 2006 while I was completing my residency at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine. While I was no longer a novice but rather a convention pro, there was no way I could comprehend the amount of effort it took to put on meetings of this magnitude. Well, fast forward to 2025, and now I can truly appreciate the amount of effort from dedicated teams of event planners, volunteers and board members to work on everything from budgeting to logistics.

To host the largest gathering of dental professionals in the Rocky Mountain region, MDDS begins to plan more than a year in advance. We strive to make RMDC a blend of education, networking and entertainment for the whole dental team. This year we had over 110 lectures and hands-on workshops covering the latest topics in dentistry. My personal favorite was the one given by Dr. Amy Doneen, “Incorporating Arterial Health into Your Dental Practice.” I am a CE junky and will admit I was blown away but the unique yet critical information she was presenting. The room was completely packed with dentists and dental hygienists alike. It took the committee years to get her to RMDC and she was worth the wait. The information she presented was so transformative I am convinced it has the potential to save the lives of my patients, staff and even family members. MDDS uses a strategic and thorough process to find renowned dental professionals, researchers and educators who have expertise in cutting edge techniques and new industry trends. Our volunteers and team travel to other dental conventions such as CDA Presents, Yankee Dental Congress and more to identify dynamic and engaging speakers. We strive to have a mix of clinical, technological and business topics. If you attended this year’s RMDC, please review your speakers because it allows us to assess which ones were the most impactful.

The Expo Hall is the next benefit of RMDC. 2025 featured over 250 exhibitors showcasing dental technology products and services. Large dental vendors are returning to this convention format, and we were thrilled to welcome back companies such as Patterson, Burkhart and Henry Schein. RMDC attracts over 6,000 attendees and this requires a lot of coordination by the MDDS team on items such as booth sales, creating engaging floor plans and exhibitor logistics. My team members particularly enjoyed the Speed Scan Smackdown, the X-Ray Battle, and did I mentioned we had PUPPIES this year. Thanks to all the folks behind the scenes that make hosting the meeting look effortless.

The last pillar of the RMDC benefit is the networking component. As I was standing by the giant RMDC letter photo-op to take a picture with my team, I ran into my former hygienist, Kathy, who I have not seen in 17 years! It was such a joy to run into an old friend and colleague. I am certain others have had those encounters with a residency or dental school buddy they have not seen in years. When we planned RMDC 2025 we designed the meeting to allow for networking opportunities via the President’s Party, Vivos Mile High Happy Hour, Friday Night Glow Party, Sips & Shopping Happy Hour and various dental school alumni parties.

RMDC attracts over 6,000 attendees from more than 40 different states, it’s a way for dental professionals to earn up to 18 credit hours while petting puppies and sipping their favorite Colorado beverage.

The sky’s the limit and we hope to see you in 2026.