Every few months, someone tells me conferences are dying. Conference-goers of decades past say that attendance is down, exhibit halls aren’t what they used to be, and that virtual education has replaced in-person learning. The pandemic changed everything, they say.  

I have been attending conferences for 15+ years, and after spending the last few years taking opportunities to interview executives, talk with exhibitors, moderate discussions, and walk exhibit halls, I’ve come to believe we’re asking the wrong question. The question isn’t whether conferences are dying; it’s whether they’re still giving people a compelling reason to take a course that is not on a screen. Continuing education alone isn’t the draw it once was. That’s not because education has become less important, likely quite the opposite. It’s because quality CE has become so easily accessible. Today, dentists and hygienists can earn continuing education from their office, their home, or even an airport terminal. They can now do it faster, cheaper, and without canceling patients or booking flights and hotel stays. If conferences are trying to compete with online education, they’ll lose every time.  Sometimes I can get into a narrative and struggle to see the full picture, so after reaching out to several members of the DentistryIQ Editorial Advisory Board and other industry leaders who collectively have decades of experience attending, speaking at, sponsoring, and organizing conferences, one thing became abundantly clear: the conferences succeeding today aren’t competing with webinars. They’re offering something webinars never can. 

The first trend that emerged was that attendance hasn’t disappeared so much as it has become far more intentional. Sarah Thiel, CEO of CE Zoom and a member of the DentistryIQ Editorial Advisory Board, told me that the conversation shouldn’t be framed as attendance going up or down. “From my perspective, it’s become much more segmented than simply increasing or decreasing,” she said. “The specialty conferences are thriving. Events like DEO, Dykema, ADSO, and Bulletproof continue to attract highly engaged attendees because they solve specific business problems and bring together decision-makers who want to network with peers.” In contrast, she recently attended a large state association meeting where, despite respectable registration numbers, exhibitors repeatedly questioned whether exhibiting had been worthwhile because the exhibit hall never generated meaningful traffic. Dr. Hendrik Lai, founder of Virtual Consulting, has observed a similar pattern. “Attendance on the whole is definitely down,” he said. “However, there is a significant asymmetry between the more boutique targeted shows and the larger catch-all shows. I’ve found that attendance at boutique shows has seen a firm bounce post-COVID, while the larger, less targeted shows have seen a much softer post-COVID rebound.” To me, that doesn’t suggest conferences are disappearing. It suggests professionals are becoming much more selective about which conferences deserve their time. 

That selectivity is being driven by a second shift: networking has quietly become the product. Every person I spoke with mentioned continuing education, but almost everyone spent more time talking about relationships than lectures. Dr. Lai summarized it perfectly: “Aside from a strong continuing education portfolio, the ability to have networking with peers is what drives significant value at conferences. The reality is that much of the CE can be obtained online, while human connection is something that online CE cannot replace.” Thiel agreed, explaining that ,“People don’t just attend conferences for CE anymore, they attend to connect with other professionals and leave with ideas that move their businesses forward.” It’s hard to argue with that. Some of the best conversations I’ve had this year didn’t happen sitting in the audience of a lecture. They happened over coffee, while walking the exhibit hall, waiting in line for lunch, or during an impromptu conversation after a session ended. Those are moments that can’t be livestreamed. 

The third takeaway was that relevance now matters more than scale. Bigger isn’t automatically better if the content doesn’t speak directly to the audience. Lisa Hardill, founder of Strictly Dental Consulting and a member of the DentistryIQ Editorial Advisory Board, believes local and regional conferences have become especially valuable because they create stronger communities. Colleagues share similar regulations, workforce challenges, reimbursement environments, and practice realities, making networking more meaningful and education immediately applicable. She doesn’t view local meetings competing with national conferences. Instead, she sees them as complementary. National conferences expose attendees to broader trends while regional meetings create deeper connections among professionals facing many of the same day-to-day challenges. That perspective reinforces something I’ve been noticing as well. Success isn’t necessarily measured by the size of the conference anymore. It’s measured by how relevant the experience feels once you’re there. 

Finally, conference organizers themselves have to recognize that attendees' expectations have fundamentally changed. Beverly Wilburn, founder of Dental Practice Solutions and a member of the DentistryIQ Editorial Advisory Board, believes the old formula simply isn’t enough anymore. “What separates a great conference from an average one is no longer just the quality of the CE or the location,” she said. “Attendees expect outstanding speakers with fresh voices rather than the same presenters year after year. They want current content, not tired or out-of-touch material.” She also emphasized intentionally creating opportunities for networking and collaboration outside the lecture hall while encouraging larger conferences to embrace, not compete against, smaller professional communities and study clubs. It’s an interesting idea because it acknowledges that conferences don’t have to be everything to everyone. Sometimes they’re stronger when they create space for focused communities to thrive under one roof. 

As I collected and summarized all of these statements from the experts, I couldn’t help but think about the pinnacle conference for dental hygienists — RDH Under One Roof. The explanations regarding consumer or attendee expectations seem to explain why RDH Under One Roof continues to grow year after year. It knows exactly who it’s serving. The education is supreme and continues to be the backbone while also offering hands-on learning opportunities that provide value that can’t be replicated online. The networking feels authentic rather than forced. Even the exhibit hall reflects that philosophy, encouraging conversations instead of simply transactions. Attendees return not because they need CE hours but because they know they’ll leave with new ideas, stronger professional relationships, and a renewed sense of community. That’s a very different value proposition than simply advertising a list of speakers. If you want to read about a couple more conferences who are getting it right and why, see these articles (We have a workflow problem and the Hygiene Summit article links) 

Perhaps that’s the biggest lesson of all. The conferences succeeding today aren’t necessarily the ones with the largest exhibit halls or the biggest registration numbers. They’re the ones giving attendees something they can’t experience from behind a computer screen. They understand that continuing education has become a commodity, while meaningful relationships, relevant conversations, and memorable experiences have become the true differentiators. 

So no, I don’t think conferences are dying. I think attendees are simply expecting more. And really, that’s probably an excellent thing for the profession.