Record number of professionals attend the UK’s largest dental event
The British Dental Conference & Dentistry Show (BDCDS) 2026 has cemented its position as the UK’s leading dental event, with an exceptional year attracting over 10,300 delegates across two inspirational days at NEC Birmingham (15-16 May).
Under the 2026 campaign theme, ‘Shape the future of dentistry’, thousands of dental professionals from across the UK and beyond came together to explore how emerging clinical knowledge, next-generation technologies and practical solutions to everyday challenges are empowering the profession to shape the future of patient care and practice.
The programme featured over 200 world-renowned speakers delivering cutting-edge clinical and business content across 12 theatres, including new additions: the ADI Implant Theatre, Clinical Excellence Theatre, Starting Out and Facial Aesthetics Practice Theatre. Delegates benefitted from more than 150 hours of complimentary eCPD, with sessions tailored for the entire dental team – from practice owners and associates to therapists, hygienists, dental nurses and practice managers.
Networking remained one of the biggest draws for delegates, with thousands of professionals using the two days to reconnect with colleagues, meet new partners and share ideas. From the exhibition floor and conference theatres to the informal spaces in between, the show provided a platform for meaningful connections that will shape collaborations and drive the profession forward.
A few highlights included:
Former investor on Dragons’ Den and Co-founder of Implement AI, Piers Linney MBE, explored one of the most pressing topics facing modern dentistry and small businesses: Artificial Intelligence- Award-winning journalist, bestselling author of How to Fail and host of the chart-topping How to Fail podcast, Elizabeth Day, delivered an inspiring and thought-provoking keynote exploring the powerful connection between success and failure
- Sarika Shah, Practice Principal and Founder of Flourish as a Female in Dentistry, in conversation with Anna Roberts on ‘Inside-out leadership: building emotionally intelligent practices & emotionally connected marketing’
- Dr Prabhleen Anand, Consultant in Paediatric Dentistry at Eastman Dental Hospital, with ‘A whistlestop tour of paediatric dentistry: tips for GDPs from a paediatric dentist’
- Dr David Edwards, Clinical Fellow in Restorative Dentistry at Newcastle School of Dentistry, on ‘How deep is too deep? Reconceptualising caries removal and pulp management’
- Dr Mide Ojo, Principle Dentist at Refresh Dental, on ‘Regenerative dentistry for elite athletes: managing early enamel lesions – Beyond fluoride and fillings!’ discussing new innovations such as Curodont Repair
- Dr Gina Vega, Clinical Director at Bishopsgate Dental Care, on ‘Beyond aesthetics: transforming patients oral health utilising invisalign and digital tools’
Alongside the world-class education programme, delegates explored innovations from more than 400 leading suppliers and manufacturers, taking advantage of exclusive offers, live demonstrations and hands-on training.
The inaugural BDCDS Rising Stars Student Competition, run in partnership with the University of Birmingham School of Dentistry also took place at the Next Generation Conference which saw Melanie Casagrande Rodrigues Jorge crowned the winner for her concept ‘Breaking Language Barriers in Dentistry: AI-Driven Global Communication by 2040.’
The new DentalPod show feature was a triumph and brought together some of the most popular voices in dentistry to debate and discuss hot topics. Speakers including Jason Wong MBE (Chief Medical Officer for England), Milad Shadrooh (The Singing Dentist) and Preetee Hylton (President of the British Association of Dental Nurses) joined leading podcasts such as Your Dental Besties, Dentistry on Purpose and Dental Health Matters for the live sessions and unfiltered conversations.
Senior Show Manager Stewart Turner said: ‘BDCDS 2026 has been an incredible two days. To welcome over 10,300 dental professionals through the doors is testament to the strength and relevance of this event within the profession. The energy across the theatres, exhibition and networking spaces was fantastic, and the introduction of new features including four new show theatres, DentalPod and Rising Stars Student Competition shows that we’re continuing to evolve and deliver for the whole dental community.’
Dental Technology Showcase
Co-located with BDCDS, DTS – the UK’s only dedicated event for dental laboratories – attracted over 1,400 delegates of its own.
The programme featured over 50 industry-accomplished speakers delivering cutting-edge content across 3 dedicated theatres – the DTS Lecture Theatre, Dental Technicians’ Hub and Digital Dentistry Theatre. Delegates benefitted from more than 40 hours of complimentary eCPD, with sessions tailored specifically for dental technicians, laboratory owners, orthodontic technicians, clinical dental technicians and the wider lab team.
The power of networking continued to be one of the biggest draws for delegates, with technicians, lab owners and industry partners using the two days to strengthen existing relationships, forge new connections and exchange ideas. From the exhibition floor and conference theatres to the informal spaces in between, DTS provided a platform for meaningful collaboration across the dental technology community.
A few highlights included:
- Mike Gregory, Clinical Director at Deo-Dental, on ‘Train your dentist to send you the best clinical work’, an insightful session on how clearer communication, trust and shared standards between clinicians and technicians can elevate case quality and improve outcomes
- Jack Marrano, President of Absolute Dental Services, who flew in from the United States to present ‘The changing landscape’, exploring how digital workflows and evolving materials are reshaping the profession
- Nina Frketin delivered an honest and hopeful session on imposter syndrome, exploring why it affects so many dental technicians and how shared experiences can help the profession move forward
- The Digital Dentistry Theatre, delivered expert-led sessions on advanced CAD/CAM workflows, 3D printing and the latest in digital implant dentistry
- Headline speakers Piers Linney MBE (former Dragons’ Den investor) and Elizabeth Day (bestselling author and host of the How to Fail podcast) delivered keynotes in the BDA Theatre, open to all DTS delegates
The new DentalPod show feature was a triumph, bringing together some of the most popular voices in dentistry for live, unfiltered conversations on the hot topics shaping the profession. Highlights included Andrea Johnson, Chair and CEO of Den-Tech, who joined the DentalPod line-up to discuss the GDC’s revised scope of practice for dental technicians and what it means for the profession.
Alongside the world-class education programme, delegates explored innovations from more than 60 leading suppliers and manufacturers, taking advantage of exclusive offers, live demonstrations and hands-on training – from the latest in digital workflows and 3D printing to materials, equipment and business solutions for the modern dental laboratory.
Senior Show Manager Stewart Turner said: ‘DTS 2026 has been another fantastic two days for the dental lab community. The energy across the theatres and exhibition floor was brilliant, and it’s clear that there is a real appetite among technicians and lab owners for dedicated education, innovation and connection. We’re proud to deliver the UK’s only event focused entirely on the dental technology profession and we’re already looking ahead to how we can build on this success.’
BDCDS and DTS will return to NEC Birmingham on 14–15 May 2027, promising another unmissable two days of inspiration, education and innovation for the whole dental team. For updates, visit birmingham.dentistryshow.co.uk and follow @dentistryshowCS on Instagram, and the-dts.co.uk and follow @dentaltechshow on Instagram.
