March Proofs Editor's Notes

By Kevin Henry, Editor

It was exactly one month ago today that I wrote in my editor’s notes, “Think about it … even in last year’s tough economic times, Chicago was a very good show for many companies. Now fast forward a year … the economy is on the rebound … and there’s a new venue … and a more compact buying time for dental teams on the show floor, with one less day on the schedule. Could this be the greatest Midwinter Meeting ever? Absolutely; it has the potential.”

Now in the middle of March with the Hinman Meeting fast approaching (has it really been two years since the tornado struck downtown Atlanta?), I’m still not exactly sure what to think about Chicago. The new venue was very nice and there were plenty of food options nearby when lunchtime came around, but was the Midwinter the greatest thing since sliced bread? I think it depends on what day you’re discussing and where your booth was located. The first day’s registration lines were insane, but the people didn’t pack the exhibit hall. On Friday, I heard several exhibitors say they had enough business on that one day to cover the trip and expenses. On Saturday, it seemed quiet again.

It’s the age-old debate — what makes people come into the exhibit hall? If it’s new products, then someone forgot to tell attendees in Chicago that there were plenty to see. In this article, I write about some of the interesting ones I saw. CLICK HERE to read the article.

For this e-newsletter, I talked with Dr. Michael Stablein from the Chicago Dental Society to get his impressions of the meeting. You can read my interview with him by CLICKING HERE and then add your own thoughts at the bottom of the interview.

Speaking of trade shows, I’ve included a link in our video section so you can get a taste of PennWell’s DDS Tech Fair, coming to a computer screen near you on April 30 and May 1. PennWell is the parent company of Proofs, and this virtual trade show is pretty darn cool. It’s free, contains CE for attendees, has Dr. Gordon Christensen as the keynote speaker, and also has an exhibit hall where people can visit booths and download product information. I encourage you to attend DDS Tech Fair on April 30 and May 1 and see what some of your customers are seeing in these “virtual booths.” You can register for free at www.ddstechfair.com.

Yes, this installment of Proofs brings you a video section, and includes some information on two newer products (Premier’s Traxodent and the Under Armour mouthguard), so check it out.

Read on, this is your e-newsletter…