Second Opinion: Do Not Miss the Exhibits

Second opinions are common in healthcare; whether a doctor is sorting out a difficult case or a patient is not sure what to do next. In the context of our magazine, the first opinion will always belong to the reader. This feature will allow fellow dentists to share their opinions on various topics, providing you with a “Second Opinion.” Perhaps some of these dentists’ observations will change your mind; while others will solidify your position. In the end, our goal is to create discussion and debate to enrich our profession.

–– Thomas Giacobbi,
DDS, FAGD, Dentaltown Editorial Director

We are in the middle of the trade show season as I write this editorial. One of my responsibilities as editorial director is to visit the major trade shows (aka dental conventions) throughout the country so I can stay well informed about the industry. I will share my thoughts on the current state of dental trade shows.

Everyone who has attended a dental trade show is familiar with the shiny new equipment, multitude of materials and catalog of continuing education. Behind the curtain of dental nirvana is the concern that trade shows are ailing. There seem to be more events designed to gather dentists together than ever before; from the grand Chicago Midwinter or the American Dental Association (ADA) annual session, down to the left-handed gold foil operator’s meeting (Yes, the latter is a fictitious example of today’s niche meetings). The sheer volume of meetings divides the shrinking pool of dentists willing to travel into smaller crowds. Additionally, we can obtain continuing education (CE) credits in magazines or on Web sites such as Dentaltown.com, and there is a myriad of product information available on the Internet.

This situation is further exacerbated by the fact that dentists spend less time on the trade show floor when they do take the time to travel. The small- and medium-sized companies that exhibit feel a tremendous squeeze on resources when they add up costs for booth space, hotel rooms, travel expenses and personnel. If they stay home, there is the risk that they will be forgotten, and that they will lose touch with their customers. The organizations that host most of the major shows are state dental societies; they generate most of their operating income from these annual events. In other words, if they didn’t have trade shows, your dues would increase significantly.

So, on one hand we have the exhibitors who want to be there for you at the show, and on the other hand we have the attendee who is stretched too thin when it comes to purchasing materials or learning about new products.

I have noticed a steady increase of aggressive sales tactics by some exhibitors. While I understand the need to make sales and capture the attention of distracted dentists, the carnival atmosphere that is created makes me cringe at times. Many of my colleagues have shared this complaint with me, and they combat the issue by just visiting a couple of ‘must see’ booths and skipping the rest. This is unfortunate because browsing the entire room affords attendees the opportunity to discover something new.

CE is still the primary reason most dentists will visit a trade show. Many states have specific requirements to maintain licensure and dentists will use this opportunity to gather many credits in one trip. Visiting a trade show to attend lots of CE leaves little opportunity to spend quality time on the trade show floor. That leaves lunchtime to visit the exhibits, and the rush of people can be a complete turn off to a leisurely stroll through the exhibits.

In some cases the simple issue of a deductible trip in a nice city proves to be too strong a distraction and the dentists spend very little time at the show. This is not to suggest moving events to different towns; rather a commentary on the fact that some things cannot be controlled through improvements.

Where do we go from here? The atmosphere in the exhibit hall needs to continue moving towards education as a means to make a sale. Large exhibitors already do an excellent job providing short, informational and educational presentations about their products throughout the day. I think there are many more opportunities for others to provide similar presentations in their booths. The most extreme example of this atmosphere happens biennially at the IDS in Cologne, Germany. At this show the exhibits are center stage and CE outside of the exhibit hall is minimal. The large booths have space to give educational programs, socialize with clients and learn more about the company. In Europe, the relationship is established before the sale is made.

Exhibit hall layout is predictable and outdated in my opinion. While the time-tested method of placing the largest and longest contributors to the meeting in the best locations is fair, it also leads to huge traffic problems. The best locations are believed to be the front of the room, but that myth is perpetuated by the fact that the big exhibitors are always in the same place. Most shows will have two or three spots in the room that are choked with people waiting in lines for a demonstration or shopping at a big booth, leaving other areas deserted. I think some of the principles used in space planning for supermarkets and shopping malls should be considered for our dental exhibits. Think of the large companies as anchor stores in the mall or staples (milk, bread, fruit) in the supermarket. We should consider a layout where these large booths are spread throughout the room, with smaller booths in between. Having three or four large booths in one place makes it very difficult to enjoy the show and increases the likelihood of attendees ignoring the little guy in the corner. Remember, customers will always walk to the back of the store for milk and eggs, and buy more groceries along the way.

The ADA has recently completed an experiment with exhibit organization that was widely criticized as a failure. I applaud its attempt to stray from tradition. The ADA Marketplace concept was simple; divide all vendors into four categories so similar items would be consolidated into one area of the exhibit space. Companies that cross over multiple areas were forced to have more than one booth, and some areas were completely ignored by dentists if they didn’t have an immediate need in that area. Stay tuned, the ADA will unveil the World Marketplace in San Francisco this September.

Finally, the issue of exhibit schedule is the most difficult. I think it is important to develop longer periods of time when the exhibits are not competing for attention. This translates into the long lunches that are already common, but often the limited food service available in a convention situation means most of the time is spent searching for food. Perhaps the CE schedule could shift in such a way that one half-day would be exhibits only. This wouldn’t necessarily mean less CE, but it could mean a longer meeting. As an example, the meeting CE could be five days long with three days of exhibits in the middle. Dentists who are CE junkies could come a bit early or stay later and still see the exhibits. Another option would simply provide for dedicated blocks of time that are for exhibits only. In the past, some meetings simply add more exhibit hall hours, but that just thins the crowd more and increases the financial pressures on the exhibitors.

Make a commitment to come out in public at least once a year to visit with your colleagues. Attending trade shows is an important way to support organized dentistry, and a visit to the exhibits supports the vendors that help make the meeting possible. You just might find something new for your office. If you have an opinion to share on this topic, drop me a line at tom@farranmedia.com or post your comments on our Web site, www.dentaltown.com. See you at the show!