Hello from the skies over the North Atlantic! I'm writing this editor's note as I fly back across to the United States after attending another successful IDS (International Dental Show) in Cologne, Germany. This was my sixth IDS to attend, and I have to say that, while it might sound cliche, the show gets better and better every time I walk into Koelnmesse.
Held every two years in Cologne, IDS has truly become the world's most amazing dental show. An estimated 125,000 people from 149 countries walked through its halls this year (as a comparison, the 2013 Chicago Midwinter drew just under 30,000 attendees) and more than 2,058 exhibitors from 56 countries showed their wares in Cologne. The numbers are staggering, just like the number of steps you take in a day trying to make all of your appointments (trust me on that one).
Also, there are no CE courses at this event. It is designed around the exhibit hall ... period. There was a day when I would compare the IDS to American dental meetings ... but that day is long gone. They are apples and oranges and as different as the two cultures in which they exist.
One of the things that I love most about IDS is seeing products that won't be available to American dental offices for about another six months to one year. Companies debut their products at IDS to a worldwide gathering of dental professionals while waiting for final FDA approval (when they can then show it to you).
READ:It's so much more than a paycheck
READ:New Year bring new hope
It's truly a fascinating meeting. If you want to get a little taste of some of the things I saw in Cologne (and some of the new products you'll be seeing down the road), I encourage you to watch my video reports from IDS by clicking here.
Speaking of fascinating, it's time once again to kick off the DAD salary survey. I would love to have your help with this year's survey. It's short, it's anonymous, and it's one of the most-read stories we have each year. Click here to take our survey. It will take less than three minutes of your time.
If you'd like to see the answers from our most recent salary survey, click here.
I think it's vitally important for dental assistants to share information with each other. No one out there should be an island, and I believe sharing your salary numbers will help your fellow assistants gauge where they are on the income scale.
Let's face it ... the more information we have, the better we are. Would you take a few moments and fill out the survey by clicking here? I thank you in advance.
Read on, this is your e-newsletter...
