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Howard Speaks: Why Dentists are Cheering the End of SmileCon and Calling for the ADA to be Replaced

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Howard Speaks: SmileCon is Dead 

by Dr. Howard Farran, DDS, MBA, founder, CEO and editor-in-chief of Dentaltown magazine

Let’s skip the dental anesthesia and get straight to the nerve: the ADA just killed SmileCon. Not paused. Not rebranded. Dead. After 2025, in Washington D.C., no more annual meetings.

The ADA’s statement: In 2021, the ADA launched SmileCon as a big, bold reimagining of the annual meeting, designed as an offering of inspiration, delight and connection for dental professionals. With the support of so many, SmileCon has become a place where education and empowerment take flight for thousands of attendees each year. However, the ADA’s meeting strategy continues to evolve, and there is an important change to the future of SmileCon. After careful consideration, the ADA has decided that SmileCon will conclude after our 2025 event in Washington, D.C. This decision was driven by changes in attendance trends and rising costs, and we want to further evaluate how best to create meaningful future experiences.

You’d think the biggest dental association in the U.S.—the same one charging dues like it’s still 1995—could keep its flagship event alive. But nope. They quietly pulled the plug and buried the news under a “strategic vision” press release, like we wouldn’t notice.

Well, dentists noticed. And they’re pissed.

Because SmileCon wasn’t just a trade show. It was a connection point, a reminder that behind every crown, root canal and insurance claim, there’s a real human being with a handpiece—and a profession worth fighting for.

But the ADA? They’re not listening to those humans. They’re listening to consultants.

Here’s what they said: “This decision is the result of years of research into the changing expectations and needs of our members.”

Translation: Attendance tanked, costs ballooned and someone upstairs saw a spreadsheet that didn’t smile back.

Here’s what they didn’t say: The event model got bloated, the ROI shriveled up and the ADA forgot who it was serving.

Let’s be real. The writing was on the wall. Exhibitor halls were shrinking, big sponsors were ghosting and most of the CE could be watched in boxers from your living room. When a national meeting starts feeling like a half-filled hotel ballroom with stale coffee and recycled speakers, something’s wrong.

But instead of fixing it—leaning into what made the event valuable, shaking up the format, slashing bloat—they nuked the whole damn thing.

Dentists on Dentaltown, LinkedIn, and every group chat I’m in are asking the same questions: Who made this decision? Was there any vote? What’s replacing it? And most importantly, what the hell are we paying for?

One doc put it best: “You killed the main meeting without a single whisper from members. Who asked for this? Who benefits?” Spoiler: not the boots-on-the-ground dentist grinding six days a week in Tulsa, Tampa or Tacoma.

Another pointed out the absurdity of the ADA being in Chicago—one of the most expensive cities in the country—while pretending to represent average dentists drowning in student loans and PPO cuts. Maybe that’s the next strategic vision—ditch the skyscraper office and start acting like an actual member-driven org.

I’m not romanticizing SmileCon like it was Woodstock. It had its problems. But you don’t torch the building because the AC broke.

This isn’t just about one event dying. It’s about trust. Dentists are sick of being treated like customers, not members. We pay dues. We want representation. We want transparency. And damn it, we want a seat at the table when legacy institutions start slashing legacy programs.

So, ADA: What’s next? You’d better start talking, and fast. Because if this is the future of organized dentistry, a whole lot of us are going to start asking whether we need you at all.
Dentaltown Magazine
September 2025
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