Reconnecting with People
Inside Dental Technology delivers updates on digital workflows, materials, lab techniques, and innovation in dental technology through expert articles and videos.
June 1, 2021
Volume 12, Issue 6, June 2021
Page(s): p. 6
With trade shows grinding mostly to a halt for an entire year and little certainty about when they will return in full force, many manufacturers in the industry have been left to sit and wait. Ivoclar Vivadent, however, chose another option: bringing the trade show experience to you.
"We decided to invest in a way to take our products, technology, and educational opportunities directly to our customers," says Donald Bell, Vice President of Marketing for Ivoclar Vivadent. The result is the 2021 Dental Innovation Tour, featuring a 40-foot mobile unit crisscrossing its way through 40 cities in the US and Canada. The showroom is outfitted with Ivoclar Vivadent's latest digital technologies and material offerings, including PrograMill milling units, PrograPrint 3D printers, 3Shape scanners, IPS e.max materials, direct restorative solutions, and the award-winning Ivotion Digital Denture System. Bell says the experience is "very impactful."
"Our objective is to bring our innovation and educational programs to dental professionals across North America," Ivoclar Vivadent President Christian Brutzer says. "This way, we can connect and cultivate relationships with our broad base of customers with personalized educational events to heighten awareness of Ivoclar Vivadent's digital technologies, CAD/CAM materials and complete restorative, prosthetic, and removable workflow solutions."
While digital experiences have proven to be very viable during the pandemic, Bell and his team decided that face-to-face connections were too important to go without for any longer.
"At some point, people want to get out and see each other," Bell says. "They want to have conversations face-to-face. They want to touch and feel products. We want to reconnect with our customers in a more personal way that is really needed in the industry right now."
The Dental Innovation Tour includes personal tours through the mobile showroom as well as on-site education programs and evening events in compliance with COVID guidance and protocols.
"We are taking what we would put in a show and delivering it all over North America," Bell says. "People attend trade shows to learn and to capture CE. Just providing access to the product is not enough; we want to help you learn how to use it."
The tour started in April in Texas before moving to California in May and early June. Also this month, it will come through Washington state, Utah, and Denver.
"It was great to see our customers enjoying the CE programs and learning about our new technology," says Elie Makdissi, territory sales manager for Ivoclar Vivadent. "We also got to enjoy a few laughs together as well."
Javier Luna, CDT, Owner of Creative Smiles, Inc., in San Antonio, Texas, praised the event.
"Thank you to Ivoclar for a first-class presentation and for the tremendous high-tech seminar and awesome Dental Innovation Tour," Luna said.
While virtual events have proven to be convenient and effective, much of the industry is hoping that live trade shows can return in full force sooner than later. Until then, however, Ivoclar Vivadent is determined to continue taking a proactive approach to connect with dental professionals.
"We as a society, and specifically in our industry, are still geared around people connecting with people," Bell says. "One of the biggest fatigue factors throughout the pandemic has been the isolation of people and industries that are accustomed to congregating and gathering. It might give us a greater appreciation for the opportunities we have when we meet in person again. At Ivoclar Vivadent, we are trying to get back to normal, and normal is seeing people."
For more information:
Dental Innovation Tour
dentalinnovationtour.com
800-533-6825
