The 10 Best Dental Conferences of 2026

The 2026 dental conference calendar is packed. Between national meetings, specialty conferences, and regional events, there are enough options to fill every month of the year. The hard part is figuring out which ones are worth your time and registration fees.

We’ve put together a curated list of the best dental conferences happening in 2026, organized by type so you can find what fits your specialty and schedule. One big change this year: the ADA discontinued SmileCon after 2025, so that’s off the calendar. More on that below.

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Major national conferences

These are the big-tent dental meetings that draw thousands of attendees, cover multiple specialties, and feature massive exhibit halls.

Yankee Dental Congress

Dates: January 29-31, 2026

Location: Boston, MA

Website: yankeedental.com

CE credits: Yes (state-approved)

New England’s largest dental meeting attracts 25,000+ attendees. The Yankee Dental Congress covers general dentistry, hygiene, assisting, and office management with a wide selection of CE sessions and hands-on workshops. The exhibit hall is enormous. If you’re anywhere in the Northeast, this is the conference closest to mandatory.

Chicago Midwinter Meeting

Dates: February 19-21, 2026

Location: Chicago, IL

Website: cds.org/midwinter-meeting

Cost: Free for CDS members, up to $899 for non-ADA members

The Chicago Dental Society’s Midwinter Meeting is one of the most established dental conferences in the country. Strong education programming, an exhibitor hall full of the latest technology, and solid networking events. Historically well-attended, and the free registration for CDS members makes it accessible.

Hinman Dental Meeting

Dates: March 12-14, 2026

Location: Atlanta, GA

Website: hinman.org

The Hinman Dental Society has donated over $11 million through scholarships and educational support. The meeting itself is known for clinical programming and practical CE. Atlanta’s a nice bonus if you’re bringing family along.

CDA Presents the Art and Science of Dentistry

Dates: May 14-16, 2026

Location: Anaheim, CA

Website: cda.org

CE credits: Up to 8 hours per day

Cost: $0-$1,050

The California Dental Association’s flagship event. Over 180 courses, 130+ speakers, and 450+ exhibitors at the Anaheim Convention Center. If you’re on the West Coast, CDA Presents is the dominant conference. The CE credit density per day is hard to beat.

Florida Dental Convention

Dates: June 25-27, 2026

Location: Gaylord Palms Resort, Orlando, FL

Website: floridadental.org

CE credits: Up to 20 hours

FDC 2026 runs under the theme “Plug In, Amplify, and Rock Your Practice.” Three days of educational sessions, networking, and a large exhibit floor. The Gaylord Palms location in Kissimmee/Orlando makes this one of the more enjoyable venue settings on the conference circuit. The Florida Dental Association consistently puts together a strong program for the entire dental team.

Greater New York Dental Meeting

Dates: November 27-December 2, 2026

Location: New York, NY

Website: gnydm.com

Cost: Free pre-registration; $50 closer to event

One of the largest dental gatherings worldwide, and it runs for nearly a week. GNYDM is where you go to evaluate vendors, compare technology side by side, and plan equipment investments for the coming year. Free pre-registration keeps the barrier low. The 2025 edition drew over 32,000 dental professionals.

Specialty conferences

Focused events for specific disciplines within dentistry.

LMT Lab Day Chicago

Dates: February 19-21, 2026

Location: Hyatt Regency Chicago, Chicago, IL

Website: lmtmag.com/lmtlabday

The largest gathering of the dental laboratory community in North America. Lab Day runs simultaneously with the Chicago Midwinter Meeting (same dates, different venues), so if you’re already in town for Midwinter, you can hit both. Over 275 exhibitors, two exhibit halls, 4,600+ attendees, and three days of seminars.

Academy of Osseointegration (AO) Annual Meeting

Dates: March 5-7, 2026

Location: Washington, DC

Website: osseo.org

Theme: “Make a Difference: Transforming the Lives of Our Patients and Ourselves”

AO brings together specialists and generalists working in implant dentistry. The meeting covers emerging research, evidence-based science, and advanced clinical techniques in implants and tissue replacement. Moved from Seattle (where it was in 2025) to DC for 2026.

IADR General Session

Dates: March 25-28, 2026

Location: San Diego, CA

Website: iadr.org/2026iags

Cost: $280-$1,430

The 104th International Association for Dental Research General Session. If your work leans toward research, this is where the new science gets presented. Oral and poster presentations, hands-on workshops, keynote addresses, and expert-led symposia. The San Diego venue doesn’t hurt either.

American Association of Endodontists (AAE) Annual Meeting

Dates: April 15-18, 2026

Location: Salt Lake City, UT

Website: aae.org

CE credits: Up to 28.5 hours

Cost: $316-$1,375

AAE’s annual meeting at the Salt Palace Convention Center. With up to 28.5 CE hours available, this is one of the most CE-dense specialty conferences on the calendar. Workshops, continuing education, and networking for endodontic professionals.

American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) Annual Meeting

Dates: April 16-18, 2026

Location: Aventura, FL (JW Marriott Miami Turnberry Resort)

Website: aacdconference.com

Cost: $1,335-$5,300

AACD 2026 moved from San Diego to the Miami area. Learning sessions, hands-on workshops, and the kind of esthetic dentistry education you won’t find at general conferences. The venue at the JW Marriott Turnberry is a step up from a convention center. The price range is steep, but cosmetic dentistry professionals we’ve talked to say the specialized content and peer networking justify it.

For making the most of conference connections, check out our guide to networking best practices.

American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) Annual Session

Dates: May 1-3, 2026

Location: Orlando, FL

Website: aaoinfo.org

CE credits: 14.25 hours

Cost: $0-$2,505

AAO 2026 moves from Philadelphia to Orlando. The annual session covers the latest orthodontic topics and brings in leading experts for education and networking. Over 14 CE hours available. For orthodontists and their teams, this one’s the annual touchstone.

American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) Annual Session

Dates: May 21-24, 2026

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Website: aapd.org

Cost: $0-$1,695

Four days of sessions, networking, and advances in pediatric dentistry. AAPD moved from Denver to Las Vegas for 2026. The cost range is wide because student and early-career pricing is significantly lower. If pediatric dentistry is your focus, this is the conference that sets the standard.

Regional and international picks

Rocky Mountain Dental Convention

Dates: January 22-24, 2026

Location: Denver, CO

Website: rmdconline.com

Cost: $0-$859 for members

The largest gathering of dental professionals in the Rocky Mountain region. Clinical CE, hands-on courses, and a regional expo. Good option for practitioners in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, and surrounding states.

Pacific Dental Conference

Dates: March 5-7, 2026

Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada

Website: pdconf.com

Cost: $0-$475

CE credits: Yes

One of the largest dental conferences in North America. 200+ open sessions and hands-on courses, close to 300 exhibiting companies across 625 booths. The Vancouver Convention Centre is a great venue, and the city itself is worth a few extra days. Early registration keeps costs down.

AGD 2026 (Academy of General Dentistry)

Dates: June 24-27, 2026

Location: Las Vegas, NV

Website: agd.org/agd-meeting

Four days of hands-on education, clinical lectures, and practice management sessions. AGD is the general dentistry association, so the content targets generalists specifically rather than treating general dentistry as one track among many.

What happened to SmileCon?

The ADA announced in May 2025 that SmileCon would end after its 2025 edition in Washington, DC. The 2026 event that had been planned for Indianapolis was cancelled.

The reason: attendance never recovered to pre-pandemic levels, and the costs of putting on a large-scale annual meeting kept rising. The ADA says it’s exploring new meeting formats and programs, but for now, SmileCon is gone from the calendar.

This matters because SmileCon was the ADA’s flagship event. If you relied on it for annual CE and networking, conferences like the Chicago Midwinter Meeting, Greater New York Dental Meeting, and CDA Presents fill much of that gap.

How to choose the right dental conference

With this many options, a framework helps.

If you want broad general education: Yankee Dental Congress, Chicago Midwinter Meeting, CDA Presents, or the Greater New York Dental Meeting give you the widest range of CE topics and the biggest exhibit halls.

If you’re in a specialty: Go to your specialty’s annual meeting first (AAO for orthodontics, AAPD for pediatric, AAE for endodontics, AACD for cosmetic, AO for implants). Then add a general conference if your CE budget allows.

If CE credits are your priority: AAE offers up to 28.5 hours. CDA Presents offers up to 8 hours per day. Florida Dental Convention offers 20 hours. The credit density varies a lot between events.

If you’re budget-conscious: Chicago Midwinter (free for CDS members), Greater New York Dental Meeting (free pre-registration), and Pacific Dental Conference ($0 early bird) all have low-cost entry points.

If you want an international trip: Pacific Dental Conference in Vancouver, or the IADR General Session in San Diego (technically domestic, but draws a global audience).

FAQ

What are the biggest dental conferences in 2026?

The Yankee Dental Congress in Boston (25,000+ attendees) and the Greater New York Dental Meeting (32,000+ attendees in 2025) are the largest US dental conferences. Internationally, the Pacific Dental Conference in Vancouver draws close to 300 exhibitors.

How many CE credits can I earn at a dental conference?

It varies by event. The AAE Annual Meeting offers up to 28.5 CE hours. CDA Presents offers up to 8 hours per day over 3 days. Florida Dental Convention offers up to 20 hours. Most multi-day conferences offer enough CE to make a meaningful dent in your annual requirements.

Is SmileCon still happening in 2026?

No. The ADA announced in May 2025 that SmileCon would end after its 2025 edition in Washington, DC. The planned 2026 event in Indianapolis was cancelled due to attendance levels that never recovered post-pandemic and rising event costs.

Are there any free dental conferences?

Several conferences offer free or low-cost registration. The Greater New York Dental Meeting offers free pre-registration. The Chicago Midwinter Meeting is free for Chicago Dental Society members. Pacific Dental Conference has a $0 early bird rate. Individual sessions and workshops may carry additional fees.

How do I get my employer to pay for a dental conference?

Focus on the CE credit return and specific skills you’ll bring back to the practice. Frame the cost against the CE credits earned per dollar spent. Include the conference agenda showing sessions relevant to your practice’s current needs. Many practices build conference attendance into their annual professional development budget.