By Dana Myers, RDH
These days we’re so lucky to have ready access to so many different CE options. With a whisk of our fingertips at the keyboard, we can quickly conjure up webinars on any topic that strikes our fancy. We can easily locate a variety of professional organizations conferencing near our hometowns. Most importantly, we can also have our minds blown to find a new and different option, a continuing education vacation aboard a Smiles At Sea dental CE cruise. With so much to choose from, this unabashedly-biased blogger is here to tell you the top reasons why you should CHOOSE THE CRUISE!
The Networking!
The networking aboard a Smiles At Sea cruise is so amaz-a-zing, it deserves that extra syllable! Unlike traditional conferences, where once the classes are over everyone disperses into the host cities not to be seen again until the next day, on the cruise ship you get to actually spend time, in person, building relationships with your team, other attendees, speakers, and exhibitors. Whether you’re eating meals, relaxing by the pool, climbing the rock wall on the top of the ship, going out dancing, or even heading off the ship for an excursion you’re meeting and forming friendships with like-minded professionals leading the dental industry!
Attending the Whitening Ball!
The Whitening Ball is the ultimate must-attend celebration on any Smiles At Sea cruise. Hundreds of dental professionals and their guests decked out in all-white outfits, gloriously highlighted in fluorescent glowsticks, descend on the dance floor to the siren sound of the DJ. Attendees, speakers, exhibitors, guests, and crew all get silly together and have a blast, sipping complimentary cocktails and busting moves. Oh yeah, there’s totally a dance contest!
It’s a vacation!
It’s a dental continuing education VACATION! Dude, it’s a CRUISE! That means that while you’re on the ship there’s lots of food, swimming, sunbathing, hot-tubbing, gambling, and live entertainment. Plus, the class schedule is designed to allow you to fully enjoy the real beauty of cruising – getting off the ship to enjoy the ports of call! Take a break from learning and immerse yourself in an unforgettable excursion (like this one when the Smiles At Sea crew did Havana)!
The CE credits!
Smiles At Sea is a nationally approved PACE program provider for FAGD/MAGD credit. The high quality dental continuing education courses cover a variety of hot topics and are presented by industry thought leaders. Earning dental continuing education credits while sailing the high seas to exotic vacation destinations is just plain awesome! How often do you get to watch Havana appear outside your classroom?
The fun atmosphere!
This isn’t your standard dental CE experience! The Smiles At Sea Captain, Elijah Desmond, and his entire crew work hard to create and foster the most fun and positive environment for your dental CE vacation! Lil’ Ray, our perky mascot, will brighten your day grooving to a perpetual soundtrack of upbeat music with mobile speakers. As with any conference, it can get a little chilly in the classroom, so feel free to show up in your onesies! Another great way to get the blood moving is an SRP appointment during class (Shoulder Rub People)!
You can customize!
Say you’ve been dying to go on a Smiles At Sea cruise, but every time the upcoming events are released the dates don’t work with your packed schedule (cue the fist in the air, cursing the heavens, “Why is it legal for my favorite conferences to book on the same weekend!?!?”). Maybe you’re hoping for a specific destination for your team’s ideal dental vacation (mmm, Hawaii…). Better still, maybe you’ve been looking for the perfect team-building trip, “Man, it’d be awesome to do a Smiles At Sea dental CE cruise JUST FOR MY WHOLE TEAM!” We’ve got you covered with Team Retreats! Customize the location, dates, trip length, and speaker, and we take care of all the details! Perhaps you’ve been wondering how to get your own organization or association event on a cruise ship. We can manage that event, arranging all the details, making it Powered By Smiles At Sea!
Dana Myers is a dental hygienist who serves on the Smiles At Sea crew as Exhibitor Concierge, Ship’s Log contributor, and purple-haired fun-enhancer. Don’t miss our upcoming cruises!
