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Beyond the Bite

The Official Blog of the Florida Dental Association

Category: CE/Florida Dental Convention

THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU GO…TO FDC2023!

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1. ON-SITE BADGE PICKUP HOURS & LOCATIONS

  • Wed., June 28 – 4-9 PM (Hotel Lobby)
  • Thurs., June 29 – 7 AM-8 PM (City Hall Lobby) or 4-9 PM (Hotel Lobby)
  • Fri., June 30 – 7 AM-6 PM (City Hall Lobby)
  • Sat., July 1 – 7 AM-3 PM (City Hall Lobby)
  • If you are registered as “Exhibit Hall Only,” you will pick up your badge at the first-floor rotunda outside the Exhibit Hall on Thurs., 10 AM-5 PM, Fri., 8 AM-5 PM or Sat., 8 AM-1 PM.

2. FREE OFFSITE PARKING & SHUTTLE SERVICE

  • Free parking and shuttle service to the Gaylord Palms will be available for attendees at ESPN’s Wide World of Sports (700 S. Victory Way, Reunion, FL 34747). Please allow ample time, at least one hour prior to course start, for parking and shuttle service.
  • Shuttle Hours:
    • Thurs., June 29 – 7 AM-11:30 PM
    • Fri., June 30 – 7 AM- 11 PM
    • Sat., July 1 – 7 AM-6 PM

3. FDC2023 FREE MOBILE APP

  • Download the mobile app by searching “FDC2023” in the Apple App store or Google Play one week prior to FDC. To view your personalized course schedule and course/event location you must be logged into the app with your registration ID and last name.
  • You can also download handouts, search exhibitors, view the event schedule, access the Gaylord Palms maps and more with the app! Be sure to turn on your notifications for on-site updates.

4. COURSE HANDOUTS

  • Course handouts will be available within your online registration dashboard two weeks prior to FDC.
  • In an effort to “go green,” FDC will not provide handouts onsite. Please print, download on your mobile device or view in the mobile app on-site.
  • Note: some handouts may be too large to view within the mobile app. Please download and save to your device or print ahead of time.

5. EXHIBIT HALL

  • Exhibit Hall Hours:
    • Thurs., June 29 – 11 AM-6 PM
    • Fri., June 30 – 8:45 AM-6 PM
    • Sat., July 1 – 9 AM-2 PM
  • View the current exhibitor listing and find FDC-exclusive exhibitor coupons at exhibithall.floridadentalconvention.com.

PUPPY BREAK IN THE EXHIBIT HALL

Are you feeling stressed or overwhelmed? Take a break from your busy day and visit adorable puppies at our Puppy Cuddle Break on Friday, June 30 from 3-5:45 PM in the Exhibit Hall and experience the joy and comfort of cuddling with these furry friends. Adoptions will be available for those who feel a connection.

6. SOCIAL EVENTS INCLUDED IN YOUR REGISTRATION

  • Make plans to attend the social events included in your registration*
    • Thurs., June 29
      • Welcome Cocktail Reception – 4-6 PM (a drink ticket for this event will be loaded on your badge)
      • LIVE! at FDC Party– 8-11 PM
      • Guitarist in Wreckers – 10 PM-1 AM
    • Fri., June 30
      • Alumni Receptions – 5-7 PM
      • Out of This World Party – 7:30-10:30 PM
      • The After Party – 10 PM-1 AM

* Events are not included in the free “Exhibit Hall Only” registration.

7. ATTENDEE LUNCH VOUCHERS

  • If you have purchased a Thursday morning and afternoon course or have signed up to be a speaker host, you will receive a $20 lunch voucher for Exhibit Hall concessions. Vouchers can be used in the Exhibit Hall on Thursday through Saturday, 11 AM-2 PM.
  • Your lunch voucher will be automatically loaded onto your badge. Just tap and go during checkout to use.

8. CE VERIFICATION/REPORTING

  • Per the Florida Board of Dentistry, you must be present in a course 50 of 60 minutes to receive 1 hour of CE credit. Your badge will be scanned when you enter and exit a course to calculate your hours attended.
  • Your CE certificate will be emailed to you by Monday, July 3. CE certificate printing stations will be available on-site Thursday and Friday, 9 AM-6 PM and Saturday, 9 AM-5:30 PM.
  • CE credit will be reported to CE Broker for all Florida-licensed attendees by July 29, 2023.

GET STEP-BY-STEP DIRECTIONS AT THE GAYLORD PALMS

  • Need help navigating to your FDC courses at the Gaylord Palms? Download the “Gaylord Hotels” app in the Apple App store or Google Play upon arriving at FDC.
  • Select the hotel “Gaylord Palms” and then click “Find My Way” to have the app access your location and give you step-by-step navigation to your courses.

Find out more at www.floridadentalconvention.com.

Oh Great, I’ve Got This Kid with Oral Pathology … What Do I Do with That?!

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By Dr. Ben Curtis

Has this ever happened to you? I know I am not the only one! As a pediatric dentist, this is one area where I use to be nervous and concerned, but I know is an opportunity for my office to shine. I integrated an all-tissue laser into my pediatric practice five years ago and it has been a game changer for my patients and my office.

This case is of a 5-year-old child who has a mucocele, a ruptured salivary gland that has formed a cyst of saliva that persists or gets larger. Fig. 1 is before treatment and Fig. 2 is two weeks post-treatment. These lesions are almost always caused by trauma and are quite common in early childhood. Kids of this age are not known for leaving things alone and they tend to bite and suck on these swellings, which makes them worse. The traditional surgical treatment involves a scalpel, lots of gauze to control hemorrhage and sutures to close the surgical site. Well, that sounds terrifying on a 5-year-old child! Not fun, right?

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Then comes the all-tissue laser and changes everything! With an all-tissue laser, we can provide a more minimally invasive surgical approach with minimal bleeding, no sutures and excellent healing … and dare I say, fun for me as the doctor! Could this be a win-win situation for both the patient and the doctor? Yes! I have been able to help countless patients who have these oral pathology lesions with the all-tissue laser in a simple in-office procedure that takes me less than 10 minutes. This procedure has become my most favorite pediatric procedure to preform, and it is all do to the all-tissue lasers help!

Today’s FDA is Available to Read Online NOW!

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The May/June 2022 issue of Today’s FDA is available online for FDA members NOW! Check it out for great articles about the Florida Dental Convention (FDC) and what to know before you go, artificial intelligence (AI) in today’s dentistry and, of course, special edition FDC speaker previews. So, what are you waiting for? Head to floridadental.org/publications or just click the cover image below to read the issue.

Oh Great, I’ve Got This Kid with Oral Pathology … What Do I Do with That?!

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By Dr. Ben Curtis

Has this ever happened to you? I know I am not the only one! As a pediatric dentist, this is one area where I use to be nervous and concerned, but I know is an opportunity for my office to shine. I integrated an all-tissue laser into my pediatric practice five years ago and it has been a game changer for my patients and my office.

This case is of a 5-year-old child who has a mucocele, a ruptured salivary gland that has formed a cyst of saliva that persists or gets larger. Fig. 1 is before treatment and Fig. 2 is two weeks post-treatment. These lesions are almost always caused by trauma and are quite common in early childhood. Kids of this age are not known for leaving things alone and they tend to bite and suck on these swellings, which makes them worse. The traditional surgical treatment involves a scalpel, lots of gauze to control hemorrhage and sutures to close the surgical site. Well, that sounds terrifying on a 5-year-old child! Not fun, right?

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Then comes the all-tissue laser and changes everything! With an all-tissue laser, we can provide a more minimally invasive surgical approach with minimal bleeding, no sutures and excellent healing … and dare I say, fun for me as the doctor! Could this be a win-win situation for both the patient and the doctor? Yes! I have been able to help countless patients who have these oral pathology lesions with the all-tissue laser in a simple in-office procedure that takes me less than 10 minutes. This procedure has become my most favorite pediatric procedure to preform, and it is all do to the all-tissue lasers help!

Dr. Ben Curtis is an FDC2022 speaker and will be presenting two courses on Thursday, June 23. “Integrating Laser Dentistry into Your Pediatric Care” will be at 9 a.m. and “Lumps and Bumps, Oh My! Successful Removal of Pediatric Soft-tissue Pathology with an All-tissue Laser” will be later that day at 2 p.m. For more information and to register, visit floridadentalconvention.com.