Chicago midwinter Dental meeting 2024
“This company is our biggest client, so no pressure or anything”, my team member had shared with me as I prepared to interview a key opinion leader on a new product launch. This was the first of two interviews I was tasked with during my time at the Chicago Midwinter Dental Meeting and I couldn’t believe that I was the hygienist utilizing my knowledge to ask questions representing the dental community. So wild! Let’s back up to the beginning of the conference and briefly address why I was there.
This conference, unlike past ones I have attended, was purely business related. I am now working as a consultant with Endeavor Business Media and I was brought to the conference to not only conduct product interviews, but to network with other companies that were seeking content creation through writing and videos. This was my first business related conference and to say I was extremely nervous would be an understatement. However, I knew this was the first of many opportunities to come and I was motivated at the fact that I was utilizing my research knowledge and communication skills in ways I never had when practicing in the operatory. During my time at the conference, I was surrounded by an incredible team of sales representatives, account managers, event coordinators, editors, and digital content creators. Partnering and collaborating with these team members was the catalyst for me to begin establishing myself within the dental community.
Day one of the conference consisted of various meetings, lots of handshakes, and exchanging of business cards. From an introverted standpoint, I like to think I have come a long way with networking and am getting more comfortable with doing so. Standing on the showroom floor, interacting with other dental professionals, and getting to “pick the brain” of numerous dental product companies is something that I recommend for every dental professional- my own business responsibilities aside. This really gives an insight as to what is currently going on in dentistry and new trends and products that are launching. Being on the forefront of this and witnessing new product launches that you can bring back to your practice is what working in dentistry and healthcare is all about! This is what is fun and keeps daily practice exciting. I ended Day one with a cocktail hour provided by Perio ProtectÒ where they introduced their various products as well as gave attendees the opportunity to meet the influential leaders that helped develop the company. Day one was a success- my feet were feeling the love from my business attire and I was asleep before my head could hit the pillow.
Day two of the conference started with breakfast provided by Philips to launch their new product. Later that day, I was going to be conducting a brief interview with a key opinion leader asking questions regarding this product. This was to ultimately provide practitioners with a better understanding of how this product could be implemented into their practice. Following this event, I attended a small breakfast meeting with OraPharma to discuss their product and review details of the interview I was to conduct with their key opinion leader later that afternoon. Both meetings provided me the opportunity to speak from a dental hygiene perspective and the interviews I was to conduct later that afternoon would challenge me to utilize both my clinical experience and research mindset to ask thought provoking questions. Up until my interviews later that afternoon, I spent more time on the showroom floor, networking with various companies and hearing about new products to improve patient care.
My time to interview had arrived and I had the mindset of “faking it until I make it”, because I had no experience with doing what I was just about to do. I reminded myself that regardless of how things go, I am trying my absolute best and not only that, but I am trying things outside of my comfort zone. It would be easy to stay in the operatory and not pursue my dreams, but anything worth doing or having is hard. Putting myself out there, meeting new people, and asking interview questions under a ridiculously bright light is even harder. But I’m writing the narrative that I want my future children to see- that you really can do anything you want. Manifest that dream, dang it.
So with that, I conducted those interviews like I had been doing it for ages. I had the best time and truly felt in my element. Did I feel like I was going to pass out and couldn’t feel my hands half-way through one of them? Sure did. I got through it though and surprised myself with just how capable I was. Day two ended on a high note and I wrapped it up having dinner with a group of the loveliest women.
Chicago Midwinter- you did not disappoint me. I was forced out of my comfort zone, hundreds of miles away from my husband and our two fur buddies. But I went into the meeting wanting to get more comfortable networking, meeting more dental partners and friends, and dip my big toe in the water of product interviewing, and I did just that.