Angela McNeight DMD MS, Leadership Development Committee Chair
The Leadership Development Committee of the FDA is excited to announce its annual Leaders Emerging Among Dentistry (LEAD) Event taking place Friday, Jan. 20, 2023, at the Tampa Airport Marriott. This half-day program from 1-5 p.m. provides leadership training to enhance your abilities and interpersonal skills to help you become a stronger leader in your practice and your community. The first half of the program will focus on discovering your communication style and conflict resolution through interactive leadership coaching by renown leadership consultant, Velma Knowles. She will provide a new perspective on your communication style and give tools to adapt your style for greater connection, leading to greater team collaboration and increase in employee morale. The second half of the LEAD event will include interactive, round-table discussions focused on real-life leadership challenges and current trends in the dental landscape. The day will also be sprinkled with informational presentations on FDA governance, advocacy, and Foundation programs to share what is being done at all levels of the organization.
So, you’ve been to leadership events before and you’ve received training on some of the above-mentioned topics, and you may be thinking…why should I go to this particular event? What makes this event different? While all methods of self-improvement should be applauded, the fact remains that leaders change over time. As you grow in your practice and become more confident in your leadership skills, it is important to re-evaluate your strengths and receive additional training on areas of your skill set that may be a struggle. As much as leaders change, teams and their needs change as well. The challenges dentists face today are different than the challenges faced even a few years ago. Through the self-reflection and goal-setting portions of this event, you will receive tangible skills that you can incorporate into your day-to-day life. Investing time in yourself will bring invaluable insight to your interactions with your team, your community, and your colleagues. After the event, attendees have the opportunity to attend a leadership reception with FDA House of Delegates members to network and learn more about the behind-the-scenes of the FDA.
If you are looking to get more involved in dental leadership, become a more effective leader, or just learn more about organized dentistry, this is the event for you. LEAD is a free event for FDA member dentists as well as Florida dental students. The FDA has a limited number of grants available to assist with travel costs. For more information, access to the hotel room block, and to register, please visit floridadental.org/lead. Registration is limited to the first 50 registrants.
Beyond the Bite 