The 2026–2027 dental convention calendar
From New York in November to Orlando in June, here is when and where America's major dental meetings happen next, as listed by their organizers.
Every year, tens of thousands of dentists, hygienists, assistants and lab technicians leave their offices for a few days to sit in lectures, practice on models and walk exhibit halls full of new equipment. Those meetings are where much of the profession's continuing education happens. They are also where a lot of the tools you later see in the chair are first shown to the people who will use them.
The season at a glance
Here is the coming season in date order, as each organizer currently lists it. Dates change, so treat the official sites as the final word.
- Greater New York Dental Meeting: November 27 to December 1, 2026, Javits Center, New York City. Exhibits open November 29.
- Yankee Dental Congress: January 28 to 30, 2027, Thomas M. Menino Convention & Exhibition Center, Boston.
- Chicago Midwinter Meeting: February 25 to 27, 2027, McCormick Place West, Chicago.
- Hinman Dental Meeting: March 18 to 20, 2027, Georgia World Congress Center, Atlanta.
- AACD Scientific Session: March 31 to April 3, 2027, Hollywood, Florida.
- Florida Dental Convention: June 24 to 26, 2027, Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center, Orlando area.
- ADA SmileCon: no next edition announced. The ADA ended the SmileCon brand and says its annual meeting is paused, apart from its House of Delegates, until further notice.
Different meetings, different jobs
The big regional meetings in New York, Boston, Chicago and Atlanta are broad. They teach the whole dental team, from implants and orthodontics to infection control and office management, and they put hundreds of exhibitors on one floor. The Florida convention plays a similar role for the state. The AACD meeting is narrower and more focused: it is built around esthetic and restorative dentistry, the core of cosmetic work.
The ADA's national meeting is the outlier this season. After years of lower attendance and rising costs, the association stopped holding SmileCon and has not named a successor date.
Why a patient should care
Technology does not walk into a practice on its own. Digital scanners, chairside milling, 3D printing and AI-assisted imaging spread because dentists see them, try them and take courses on them. Techniques spread the same way. A new approach to smile design or a better bonding workflow usually reaches your mouth after it has been taught, debated and practiced at meetings like these.
Attendance alone does not make anyone a better dentist. What matters is what they learned and whether they kept practicing it. Still, continuing education is one of the clearest signals of a dentist who keeps up.
What to ask at your consultation
- What continuing education have you taken recently in the treatment you are recommending?
- Which tools in your office are new in the last few years, and why did you choose them?
- How do you decide whether a new technique is proven enough to use on patients?
Good answers are specific. A dentist who can explain why they adopted something, and why they skipped something else, is showing you judgment, not just a shopping list.
Sources
Educational content, not individual medical advice. Every mouth is different, so talk to a licensed dentist about your own teeth. The Real Miami Dentists is powered by 5 Star Smiles.
