Some people mark the passage of time by the school calendar or by the December holidays but as an exhibitor at Yankee Dental we mark it by looking ahead to the last week in January. How quickly the time flies! I’ve lost track of the number of years we’ve been exhibiting at the show but we started when it was held at the Hynes…
Exhibiting at Yankee is not for the weak. It is not only costly but exhausting. Being “on” for 3 days straight all while standing on your feet might make one wonder why someone would want to do this year after year. Let me tell you why….
We are a New England based dental consulting company. We service the management needs of dentists and dental teams throughout New England. Our dental clients and their teams come to that show. We not only get to meet potential new dentists and staff but get to spend time with the teams we work with or have worked with over the last 15 years. Our booth is often crowded…with people stopping by to say hello or those checking in with the Summit team. We love the connections we make and look forward to seeing the teams we work with…. especially when we see clinical teams out of scrubs and in “street” clothes!
It is for this reason that we continue to exhibit at Yankee. Yes…attendance is down and yes it is no longer in the beloved Prudential area but it is what we think of as “our playground” This is where our practices come to learn and grow. Not being there would seem like something was missing in our schedule. Almost like we missed the party.
Learning is different, for sure, as the opportunities to sit at home or at work and watch webinars and videos increases. Vendors no longer need to be seen to stay in business. And yes…we spend a fair amount of time visiting with existing clients and not looking for new ones. But nothing can or will replace a face to face opportunity, a sit down with old friends or the opportunity for people to ask questions at a course or lecture. When I speak at Yankee I am delighted when dentists or staff approach me after the seminar to ask questions that they may have been uncomfortable asking during the presentation. These opportunities are invaluable to us!
So yes, I understand why many no longer travel to Boston to attend the show. But I hope that you might ask yourself what you could be missing. Perhaps running into with a colleague or classmate you haven’t seen in a while or to try out new products you are considering adding to your practice. The opportunity to learn about new products and services or to take a class or two. But here’s what I know…the Summit Team is resting up for what we hope will be another fun, tiring but successful show. Please stop by booth #818 and say hello.
~ Nancy Kagan
Summit Dental Partners
