The Chicago Midwinter Meeting president on why dental expos are getting harder and how AI and 3D printing are reshaping dentistry.

In this episode of Digital Dentistry Decoded, Dr Ahmad Al-Hassiny sits down with Dr Phil Schefke, President of the Chicago Dental Society, for a candid conversation about where the dental industry and its biggest events are heading. They get into why expo attendance is getting harder every year, what is really driving the shift, and why Phil believes any clinician who does not keep pace with AI and 3D printing risks being left behind.

Phil shares how the CDS runs the Chicago Midwinter Meeting, why companies still choose Chicago to launch new products, and how his own organization has started using AI in the office. The two also dig into 3D printed ceramic crowns, the reimbursement squeeze in the US, the rural dentist shortage, and where dentistry could go over the next 20 years.

A wide-ranging read on the industry from someone who runs one of the largest dental meetings in the world.

New to digital 3D printing? Our 3D Printing and Design bundle walks you through bringing it in-house: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/bundles/3d-printing-and-design-online-course-bundle/

Read our full Chicago Midwinter Meeting and LMT Lab Day 2026 recap: https://instituteofdigitaldentistry.com/news/chicago-midwinter-meeting-lmt-lab-day-2026/

CHAPTERS

00:00:00 Introduction to Digital Dentistry Decoded

00:00:57 Guest Introduction - Dr Phil Schefke from the CDS

00:02:34 Inside the Chicago Midwinter Meeting

00:07:00 Phil's Role and Path in Organized Dentistry

00:09:34 The Digital Wave and Industry Trends

00:12:24 Stay Current or Be Left Behind

00:13:31 One Lifetime of Change in Dentistry

00:16:47 Why In-Person Meetings Still Matter

00:21:07 What Is Driving Falling Expo Attendance

00:26:52 AI in the Practice and an AI Receptionist

00:30:38 3D Printing, Pressed CAD and Printed Crowns

00:32:28 The Reimbursement Squeeze in America

00:35:15 New Graduates and the Rural Dentist Shortage

00:38:21 The Next 20 Years of Dentistry

00:39:55 Why Companies Launch Products in Chicago

00:43:01 Closing Thoughts and Joining the CDS

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