Annual Scientific Meeting

The Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics (CARDP) has a legacy going back to 1962 of conducting an Annual Scientific Meeting. In fact the holding of the Annual Scientific Meeting is the entrusted “raison d’etre” of the Academy, whose primary purpose is to disseminate important clinical and research based dental knowledge to its members. The members of the Academy benefit greatly from this exercise, as does the public that they serve.

The present is a world away from 1962. In 1962 there existed sparse access to quality continuing education. If any single practitioner wanted to advance in the Art and Science of Dentistry, it was quite difficult, requiring considerable travel effort and expense in a search for personalized mentoring. A solution to the limitation of obtaining advanced dental education came from the vision of a group of motivated and dedicated Dentists who would come to form a collaboration that would provide the resources required to bring continuing education to a geographically accessible focal point. It was this way that The Canadian Academy of Prosthodontics was born and then followed a number of years later by The Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry. In 1992 these two paralleling Academies merged to become what is now known as The Canadian Academy of Restorative Dentistry and Prosthodontics.

Besides the primary objective of disseminating knowledge to the members, a secondary benefit of holding a collective Annual Scientific Program quickly became apparent. The realization set in that a unique development of support and collegiality occurred among this collective group of like-minded Dentists who would gather from cities and provinces across the country. The interaction became almost as important as the Scientific Meeting itself. Year by year as the knowledge base grew, so did the fraternization of its members. CARDP today is much more than a roster of attendees, it is an organization firstly for learning but also for friendship and for the support of colleagues.

Things have radically changed from the 1960’s in the way that knowledge is disseminated. Technologically today it is possible to obtain continuing education electronically though the world-wide-web without even leaving home or by downloading short-burst, concentrated video instruction. As well, in the lecture auditorium, the technology of computer-driven digital presentations can produce stunning, interactive performance-based experiences that can captivate and mesmerize an audience. Today we have choices for learning; from a myriad of convenient internet-based learning methods, or the time-tested melting pot where people gather together to learn, to become stimulated and to engage in conversation and agreement or to examine disagreement. Both choices are valid but it is the meeting place that is still the format that is most favoured; people gathering together, to learn together and to interact together for the benefit of each and all. Plus members have the advantage to view videos of the meeting presentations after the conference. This is the basis of The Annual Scientific Meeting.