Daily highlights for Academy of General Dentistry's 2008 annual meeting and exhibits listed

CHICAGO--Highlighted below are condensed overviews of selected sessions to be presented by top speakers during the Academy of General Dentistry's 56th Annual Meeting & Exhibits to be held July 16-20, 2008, in Orlando, Fla. Media representatives are invited to attend any session and tour the exhibit floor.

Interviews with speakers can be arranged in advance of the meeting by contacting Susan Urbanczyk at (312) 440-4308 or media.

After July 16, arrangements can be made through the press room located at the AGD headquarters office at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel. Media representatives must register and receive a press pass in order to attend sessions and for exhibit floor access.

THURSDAY, JULY 17
Opening Session Keynote Address by Capt. James Lovell, Jr. He is president of Lovell Communications, a business devoted to disseminating information about the U.S. space program. Lovell served in the U.S. space program for more than a decade, swiftly moving up the ranks from backup pilot to spacecraft commander. He was part of the Gemini Mission Program, the Apollo 11 lunar landing mission and the Apollo13 mission. After leaving the space program in 1973, Lovell served as president and chief executive officer of Bay-Houston Towing Company and later as president of Fisk Telephone Systems. In 1994, Lovell and Jeff Kluger wrote Lost Moon, the story of the courageous mission of Apollo 13. Lovell also appeared in several segments of Tom Hanks' acclaimed documentary From the Earth to the Moon. (8 to 10 a.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

Exhibit Hall Opens: Browse through more than 250 dental exhibits. This is the place to see the latest advances in materials and products for the dental industry. The floor opens at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, July 17, and closes at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, July 19. (10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Friday; and 7 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel).

Exceptional Esthetics Workshop (P12): Bruce W. Small, DMD, MAGD, will present an all-day, hands-on course to help attendees learn or improve their clinical skills with composites and ceramics. Using typodonts and electric hand pieces, all participants will prepare many types of preparations and place different restorative materials. New polishing systems will be introduced, as well as other materials that will facilitate the clinical placement and increase the longevity of esthetic restorations. Attendees will get up-to-date with all of the new materials and methods and discuss their limitations and clinical applications. Dr. Small will also provide many practical tips that will save attendees time and money and allow them to deliver better quality dentistry. (8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

Cosmetic Dentistry Forum: Ask Questions to a Panel of Experts (L04). Mike Malone, DDS, FAGD, John F. Weston, DDS, and Martin H. Zase, DMD, MAGD, will host a panel discussion on cosmetic dentistry focusing on tooth whitening, anterior direct restorations and porcelain veneers. Attendees will then be able to ask questions on all aspects of cosmetic dentistry. Drs. Zase and Malone are past-presidents of the AACD, and Dr. Weston is a current member of the AACD Board of Directors. All three are members of the Board of Accreditation Examiners and are well-published and lecture internationally on cosmetic dentistry. (1–5 p.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

FRIDAY, JULY 18
Wake Up Call Breakfast: Enjoy a continental breakfast and get to know some of dentistry's top speakers. Attendees will have an opportunity to interact with Drs. Bruce Small, Louis Malcmacher, Henry Gremillion, Jack Hahn and Howard Glazer. The participating dentists will answer questions about their dental practice, clinical challenges and experiences. (7-8 a.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

Dental Team Breakfast: Dentists and patients know them as the people who help get the job done in the clinics, labs, and dental offices. Dental staff members, enjoy a continental breakfast at the annual meeting's first ever dental team breakfast. Fasten your seatbelt and enjoy the ride. Christine Cashen delivers a fast-paced, hilarious program with useful content that makes her a sought after speaker worldwide. Whether it's Oprah, the Today Show or Ellen, television producers know that a "makeover" program will assure great ratings. (7:30–8:45 a.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

Smile Design: Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, and Something Red? (L13). What needs to be considered prior to starting an esthetic case? Is the Golden Proportion really "golden?" These and other questions will be answered by Douglas Lambert, DDS during this course. Dr. Lambert will also present information about the role of macro-esthetics and micro-esthetics, simple dental anatomy, color and shade selection, phonetics, material choices and perio-esthetics. (9 a.m.–noon, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

Selecting Dental Biomaterials and Techniques Employed in Preventive, Restorative, and Pulp Therapy in Pediatric Dentistry (P07). Marcio Guelman, DDS and Robert E. Primosch, DDS, MS, MEd will present a lecture to present topics including, at home and in office fluoride therapy and sealants, bonding agents and glass ionomers. Participants will also get an overview of composites compomers and RMGI, including anterior and posterior proximal preparation designs and prep design related to stainless steel crowns and luting agents. (8 a.m. – 5 p.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

SATURDAY, JULY 19
The Cutting Edge of Caries Management (L25). Do you consider your burs to be your cutting edge in managing tooth decay? If so, you are missing out on the greatest leap dentistry has made in the last decade. Minimally invasive dentistry is no longer a term used by the academic dentists who refer to themselves as "cariologists." The dental profession now has a large collection of diagnostic aids as well as a myriad of treatment modalities for controlling the caries process. During this course, Brian Novy, DDS will focus on providing participants with the knowledge and tools to successfully treat dental caries following a simple medical model. Participants can expect to leave with a different view of how they think about tooth decay. (9–11 a.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

The Diode Laser: Using The Light Touch in Dentistry (P32). Eugene L. Antenucci, DDS, FAGD, From soft tissue management to the removal of caries and the restoration of teeth, dental lasers have numerous applications in dentistry, and add a powerful dimension to the delivery of care. Lasers in dentistry represent a mature technology which is being widely used by dentists worldwide. In this presentation, Eugene Antenucci, DDS, FAGD, will focus on a "workhorse" laser in the restorative dental practice - the diode laser. The discussion will cover laser physics - how lasers do what they do; different types of laser wavelengths used in dentistry; and how lasers integrate into clinical restorative practice. Numerous soft tissue applications will be presented, with specific guidelines for laser use. Participants will also have an opportunity to use the Diode laser on a wide range of soft tissue procedures. (9 a.m. – noon, Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

Difficult Denture Patients: Real World Solutions Hands-On Workshop (P36). Can you actually have fun with prosthetics? Gregory Folse, DDS says yes! During this hands on experience course, attendees will learn how to ensure exact impression borders. They will discover how to conduct a 5-10 minute Occlusal Rim Technique and how to precisely and repetitively take an accurate bite. Dr. Folse will teach them how to decrease denture chair time and ensure the experience is enjoyable. (2–5 p.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

Convocation Ceremony: During the formal cap and gown ceremony, AGD members will be recognized for their commitment to continuing dental education and to lifelong learning. The ceremony symbolizes the AGD's dedication to excellence in dental education. The 2008 Distinguished Service Award will also be presented during the convocation. (4:30 p.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

AGD Premier Celebration: The AGD Premier Celebration in the Hemisphere Ballroom at the Walt Disney World Dolphin is an event that has something to please all attendees, from hot jazz to contemporary rock and every musical taste in between. Each unique club has its own distinct look and sound. With be five clubs under one roof attendees will be able to club hop without ever leaving the ballroom. (8-11 p.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

SUNDAY, JULY 20
Cosmetic Pearls for the General Practitioner (L36): For dentists looking to include more cosmetic dentistry procedures into their practices, this is the course for them. Martin Zase, DMD, MAGD will offer tips on how to do cosmetic dentistry better and more efficiently. Participants will review basic adhesive dentistry techniques while explaining a unique method of performing microdentistry. In addition, they can expect to learn the mini-prep, opaquing, adhesive and reparative techniques with composites and porcelain and learn to hide or disguise porcelain and composite margin. (8 a.m. - 4 p.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

Mastering the Mechanics of Cleaning and Shaping: Making Endodontics a "Walk in the Park" (P38): Founder and director of the Center for Endodontics, John West, DDS, MSD, will present a workshop on endodontics. Dr. West is recognized as on of the premier educators in clinical and interdisciplinary endodontics. (8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

House of Delegates Closing Session: Delegates will elect several new officers for the 2008-09 year. In addition, they will be deliberating on the AGD's emergency preparedness plan, discussing recommendations for a new definition of general dentistry and several policies that impact general membership. (8 a.m., Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel)

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