A newly promoted office manager finds uplifting CE courses, supportive peers, and the latest product innovations at the AADOM conference.
Bryenna Morton has worn many hats—and sat in a multitude of chairs—over the course of her 14-year career in dentistry. Beginning as a dental assistant, she then moved on to become a practice receptionist and later tackled the intricacies inherent with being an insurance coordinator.
Even though she has relied upon a wealth of experience gained from the variety of responsibilities she’s had throughout her career, Morton’s recent appointment as practice manager at Central Connecticut Endodontics presented a completely new set of challenges. Right about the same time as her new position, and under the heading of “perfect timing,” she attended her first American Association of Dental Office Management conference (AADOM23).
A New Dental Family
“I feel like I have a new dental family!” Morton said. “I’ve attended other conferences from different organizations before, and there were usually just a few selections that applied to what I was doing on a daily basis at the time. But when I attended AADOM23, I was surprised at how many classes were perfect for my job—I had a hard time choosing which courses to attend because I wanted to go to all of them!”
AADOM23 was a sold-out event, with more than 1,000 attendees. The Orlando, FL, conference offered a unique opportunity to meet mentors, network, and share common experiences, while more than 60 CE courses offered presentations from some of the best motivational speakers in dentistry.
Roundtable Discussions
“In addition to the more traditional lecture courses, AADOM23 offered roundtable discussions with a panel of professionals so that I could ask questions and get answers, instead of just listening to a lecture,” Morton shared, adding that “The Emotionally Intelligent Leader” was the highlight of her AADOM23 experience.
“That class changed how I work in the office,” she recalled, “because it taught me how to be more empathetic. It’s important to take a step back and put yourself in the other person’s shoes in order to manage a problem and come up with a solution.”
The Latest Hi-Tech
AADOM23 also featured over 100 exhibits showcasing the industry’s latest dental innovations. “I was able to see several patient communication systems up close that we’d love to bring into the office,” she added.
Morton, who is working to achieve the FAADOM Fellowship professional designation, said attending AADOM23 was like no other conference she has ever attended. “Being able to connect with so many people who do the same thing that I do is awesome, and I’ve never been able to do that before.”
