The Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics (CARDP) has a tradition, going back to 1962, of conducting an Annual Scientific Meeting. The Annual Scientific Meeting, in fact, is the principal raison d’être that drives the Academy to disseminate important clinical and research based dental knowledge to its members. The members of the Academy benefit greatly as does the public that they serve.

Today, we are a world away from 1962. Back then, there existed sparse access to quality continuing education. If anyone wanted to advance in the Art and Science of Dentistry individually, it involved considerable travel effort and expense in a search for personalized mentorship knowledge and enhanced training. A solution to the limitations of obtaining advanced dental education was borne out of the vision of a group of motivated and dedicated Dentists who formed a collaboration that would funnel the resources required to bring continuing education to a geographically accessible focal point. Thus, The Canadian Academy of Prosthodontics was created, followed by, a number of years later, The Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry. In 1992 these two paralleling Academies merged to become what is now The Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics.

Aside from the primary objective of circulating knowledge among its members, a secondary benefit of holding a collective Annual Scientific Program quickly became apparent: a unique climate of support and collegiality developed within a group of like-minded Dentists gathering from cities and provinces across the country. Year by year, as the knowledge base grew, so did the fraternization of its colleagues. CARDP Members are more than a mere roster of names, they are true supporters and friends.

Things have radically changed since the 1960s, in the way knowledge is shared. Thanks to technology, it is now possible to obtain continuing education electronically via the world-wide-web without ever leaving home, or by ordering DVDs or downloading short-burst, concentrated instruction videos. In the lecture hall, computer driven digital presentations can produce stunning, interactive performance-based experiences that captivate an audience. We have so many choices now, from the myriad of convenience-based learning methods to the time tested melting pot where people gather to learn, to become stimulated and to engage in conversation, to agree or examine why they disagree. The meeting place remains a favorite method of interaction, for the benefit of each and all. This is at the core of The Annual Scientific Meeting.

The Annual Scientific Meeting is hosted every four years in Montreal, QC, Toronto, ON, Halifax, NS and Vancouver, BC. It is the role of the Scientific Program Chair and the Program Committee to put forward a lineup that will inspire, motivate, teach and, moreover, entertain.