List of Dental Events in Nevada - 2026

Nevada dentists face one of the stricter CE calendars in the country — 20 hours annually, not every two years. Practices that leave CE planning to Q4 end up scrambling: travel costs spike, hands-on workshops are already full, and the choices left are driven by availability rather than clinical fit.

The good news: Nevada is one of the best states in the U.S. to fulfill CE requirements. Las Vegas alone hosts 7+ major national dental conferences in 2026 — more than most U.S. cities — spanning general dentistry, pediatric dentistry, implants, digital workflows, and aesthetic dentistry. This guide covers every major dental event in Nevada 2026, from national conferences at Caesars Palace to regional dental society CE programs in Reno, so you can build your calendar early and attend the events that actually move your practice forward.

Key Takeaways

• Las Vegas hosts 7+ major national dental conferences in 2026, more than most U.S. cities
• Nevada dentists must complete 20 CE hours annually — one of the highest annual requirements in the country
• Events in 2026 span clinical skills, digital dentistry, implants, aesthetics, pediatric dentistry, and practice management
• Both Las Vegas (Southern Nevada) and Reno (Northern Nevada) have active dental society CE programs throughout the year
• When your entire team is at a conference, Arini's AI receptionist ensures calls are still answered and new patient appointments still get booked

Why Nevada Dentists Should Plan Their CE Calendar Early

Nevada's 20-hour annual requirement — compared to most states' biennial 20-hour cycles — means there's no multi-year buffer if you fall behind. A practice that lets CE slide into Q3 is already approaching deadline territory.

Three scheduling realities make early planning in Nevada especially important:

• Popular hands-on sessions sell out months in advance. AGD's workshop tracks, BDG Think Tank's cadaver lab courses, and ICOI's specialty sessions reach capacity well before the event dates. Waiting until spring to book a June conference means missing the sessions with the highest clinical value.
• Las Vegas conferences cluster in Q2 and Q4. Four of the seven major 2026 conferences fall in October — which means overlapping travel windows if you haven't planned team coverage in advance.
• Multi-day conferences take the front desk offline. When the entire team travels to Las Vegas, incoming patient calls go unanswered and new patient scheduling stalls. Planning for coverage is as important as registering for the conference itself.

Nevada Dental CE Requirements in 2026

Nevada dentists must complete 20 CE hours every year — one of the highest annual requirements in the U.S., where many states use a biennial cycle instead. Here is what the Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners requires for license renewal:

• 20 CE hours per year for dentists (40 per biennial renewal period)
• 15 CE hours per year for dental hygienists (30 per biennial renewal period)
• 2 hours of infection control annually (or 4 hours biennially)
• CPR certification must be current throughout the renewal period
• 2 hours of substance use disorder training — required once within 2 years of initial licensure on or after January 1, 2024
• Up to 50% of hours can be completed via home study per renewal period

Source: Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners

Nevada's annual CE cycle means there's no room to let requirements pile up. Planning your conference attendance at the start of the year is the most reliable way to stay on track.

Quick-Reference: Dental Events in Nevada 2026 at a Glance

Why Nevada Is a Premier Destination for Dental CE

Nevada's 2026 dental conference lineup is unmatched in scope and frequency — no other U.S. state concentrates this many national organizations in a single year. Las Vegas's purpose-built convention infrastructure at Caesars Palace, Resorts World, and the Las Vegas Convention Center makes it the default choice for flagship events.

Las Vegas's unique position as a global conference destination means that dental organizations — from the Academy of General Dentistry to the International Congress of Oral Implantologists — consistently choose it for flagship annual events. The result: Nevada-based dental professionals can fulfill a large portion of their annual CE requirements without leaving the state, while still accessing top-tier clinical education, live technology demonstrations, and national-level networking.

Nevada has two distinct dental markets worth noting. The Las Vegas metropolitan area (Southern Nevada, population ~2.3 million) concentrates the major national conferences. The Reno-Sparks area (Northern Nevada, population ~500,000) is served primarily by the Northern Nevada Dental Society and its regional CE programs. This guide covers both.

Major National Dental Conferences in Las Vegas 2026

THRIVELIVE 2026 — April 29–May 2

Organizer: THRIVELIVE

Location: Resorts World Las Vegas, Las Vegas, NV

CE Credits: Multiple CE credits across sessions

THRIVELIVE 2026 runs April 29 through May 2 at Resorts World Las Vegas and is one of the broadest-scope dental events on the 2026 calendar. Sessions span clinical and technology tracks, business development, health and wellness, marketing, software and systems, team development, compliance, and DSO/multisite operations. It's designed for both solo practitioners looking to improve clinical skills and group practice leaders focused on operational growth.

The conference combines CE education with the entertainment infrastructure of Resorts World, making it a practical choice for practices that want to send the entire team. Topics like software systems and team development are particularly relevant for practices evaluating or implementing new patient communication tools.

Best For: Dental groups, DSOs, and practices that want clinical CE and business or operational education for the entire team in one event.

Register: thrivelive2026.com

AAPD Annual Meeting 2026 — May 21–24

Organizer: American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry

Location: Las Vegas, NV

CE Credits: Multiple CE credits

The AAPD Annual Meeting is the premier national gathering for pediatric dental professionals. The 2026 meeting runs May 21–24 in Las Vegas and draws thousands of pediatric dentists and pediatric dental residents from across the country. Attendees access clinical updates, hands-on workshops, an exhibit hall featuring the latest pediatric dental technology, and significant networking opportunities.

For pediatric-focused practices in Nevada, the AAPD Annual Meeting is the single highest-value CE event of the year. Its location in Las Vegas in 2026 means Nevada practitioners can attend without cross-country travel.

Best For: Pediatric dental practices and residents — the premier national event for this specialty, with clinical programming not available at general dentistry conferences.

Register: aapd.org/education/aapd-2026/

AGD Annual Scientific Session 2026 — June 24–27

Organizer: Academy of General Dentistry

Location: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

CE Credits: 100+ CE hours available

The AGD Annual Scientific Session is one of the highest CE-yield conferences in the country. Held June 24–27 at Caesars Palace, the 2026 session offers more than 100 CE hours across general dentistry clinical education, hands-on workshops, advanced clinical techniques, and dental team programming. That volume makes it possible to complete the majority of a Nevada dentist's annual 20-hour requirement at a single event.

General dentists, dental assistants, hygienists, and office managers all have tracks designed for their roles. For general practices in Nevada, this is arguably the most efficient single-event CE investment of the year.

Best For: General dentists seeking maximum CE efficiency — 100+ CE hours makes it possible to satisfy Nevada's full 20-hour annual requirement at a single conference.

Register: agd.org/agd-meeting

DS World 2026 — September 24–26

Organizer: Dentsply Sirona

Location: Las Vegas, NV

CE Credits: Up to 15 CE credits

DS World 2026 runs September 24–26 in Las Vegas and is the flagship event for digital dentistry and dental technology. The conference features 60+ hands-on sessions covering digital workflows, technology innovation, and clinical main stage content. With up to 15 CE credits available, it's a strong option for practices investing in digital dentistry tools and workflows.

DS World is designed for the entire dental team — dentists, hygienists, dental assistants, and practice managers all have relevant programming. Its hands-on session format distinguishes it from lecture-heavy conferences and is particularly valuable for teams looking to implement new technologies in their practice.

Best For: Practices actively investing in digital dentistry technology or looking for hands-on training with dental workflow tools.

Register: dentsplysirona.com — DS World

ICOI World Congress 2026 — October 1–3

Organizer: International Congress of Oral Implantologists

Location: Caesars Palace, Las Vegas, NV

CE Credits: CE credits available

The ICOI World Congress runs October 1–3 at Caesars Palace and is the preeminent international conference for implant dentistry. It brings together implant dentists, oral surgeons, periodontists, and clinicians from around the world for evidence-based sessions, clinical workshops, and networking with global implantology leaders.

For Nevada-based implant specialists or general dentists building out implant services, the ICOI World Congress represents a significant clinical education opportunity. Its international scope means attendees access research and techniques not typically covered at domestic-only events.

Best For: Implant dentists, oral surgeons, and periodontists building or expanding their implant programs — with access to international research and clinical techniques.

Register: icoi.world/upcoming-events/

The Closing Institute Full-Arch Boot Camp — October 1–3

Organizer: The Closing Institute

Location: Las Vegas Convention Center, Las Vegas, NV

CE Credits: CE credits available

The Closing Institute Full-Arch Boot Camp runs concurrently with ICOI World Congress — October 1–3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. It focuses specifically on full-arch implant case presentation, growing full-arch case numbers, and team training for full-arch workflows. Unlike broad clinical conferences, this event is highly specialized: it's designed for implantologists, oral surgeons, and the dental teams that support full-arch cases.

For practices actively building or scaling a full-arch implant program, this boot camp format provides practical, team-based training that translates directly into case volume improvements.

Best For: Implantologists and oral surgeons focused on growing full-arch case volume — the most specialized event on the 2026 Nevada calendar for this practice type.

Register: theclosinginstitute.com

IAPA Annual Conference 2026 — October 15–17

Organizer: International Academy of Physiologic Aesthetics

Location: Hilton Resort & Spa Lake Las Vegas, Henderson, NV

CE Credits: CE credits available

The IAPA Annual Conference runs October 15–17 at the Hilton Resort & Spa at Lake Las Vegas in Henderson, Nevada. It focuses on physiologic and aesthetic dentistry through lectures, panel discussions, and hands-on workshops. Henderson is adjacent to Las Vegas, making this event accessible to Southern Nevada practitioners without a long commute — but the Lake Las Vegas resort setting provides a different experience than a Strip-based conference.

For practices focused on aesthetic dentistry or physiologic approaches, the IAPA conference offers specialty programming that larger general dentistry conferences don't cover in depth.

Best For: Dentists focused on aesthetic dentistry and physiologic approaches — specialty programming not typically available at general CE conferences.

Register: theiapa.com/annual-conference/

Nevada State and Regional Dental Society Events

Dental CE events for Nevada dental professionals don't begin and end with the national conferences. Both the Southern Nevada and Northern Nevada dental societies run regional programs throughout 2026 that make it easier to accumulate hours close to home.

Southern Nevada Dental Society (SNDS)

The Southern Nevada Dental Society serves Las Vegas and the surrounding Southern Nevada region with year-round CE programs for its members. SNDS events include dinner meetings, online CE courses, and social and volunteer events. Online CE is available for members who need to complete hours outside of in-person events.

Contact: (702) 901-1495 | sndsonline.org

SNDS is a non-profit component of the Nevada Dental Association (NVDA) and provides local dentists access to CE without the travel commitment of national conferences. For Southern Nevada practitioners, SNDS membership is one of the most practical tools for staying current on annual CE requirements throughout the year.

Northern Nevada Dental Society (NNDS)

The Northern Nevada Dental Society serves the Reno-Sparks area and Northern Nevada with regional CE courses, member networking, and professional development events throughout 2026. A confirmed event is scheduled for May 12, 2026, with additional events throughout the year.

Contact: (775) 337-0296 | nndental.org/events

For Reno-area dental professionals, NNDS is the primary local resource for CE and peer connection outside of the large Las Vegas conferences. NNDS is also a component of the Nevada Dental Association, which maintains a library of available CE courses statewide. For Nevada dental association events 2026, visit nvda.org/events for the full statewide calendar.

Ongoing Hands-On CE Courses in Nevada

BDG Think Tank — Monthly Courses, Las Vegas

BDG Think Tank operates a year-round hands-on training facility in Las Vegas — approximately 15 minutes from the Strip — and adds new courses every month throughout 2026. Its course catalog focuses on advanced surgical techniques, including implant surgery, periodontal plastic surgery, zygomatic implants, and live surgery and cadaver lab formats.

The facility seats 30–40 participants per course, keeping the learning environment focused and practical. The live surgery and cadaver lab components are not available at most large conferences, making BDG Think Tank a distinct CE option for clinicians building advanced implant or surgical skills throughout the year.

For Nevada dental professionals who want hands-on surgical training outside of the annual conference calendar, BDG Think Tank provides consistent access without requiring out-of-state travel.

Best For: Nevada-based clinicians who want year-round access to hands-on surgical and implantology training — the only Las Vegas option for live surgery and cadaver lab CE.

Register: bdgthinktank.com

How to Choose the Right Dental Event for Your Practice

Choosing between dental events in Nevada 2026 depends on your specialty, practice goals, and CE needs. Here's a quick framework:

By specialty:

• General dentists — AGD Annual Scientific Session (June, Las Vegas) offers 100+ CE hours and broad clinical programming in a single event
• Pediatric practices — AAPD Annual Meeting (May, Las Vegas) is the national standard for pediatric dental CE
• Implant-focused practices — ICOI World Congress and The Closing Institute Full-Arch Boot Camp (both October 1–3, Las Vegas) run concurrently and cover both clinical implantology and full-arch case volume growth
• Aesthetic dentistry practices — IAPA Annual Conference (October, Henderson) provides specialty-specific physiologic and aesthetic programming
• Technology-forward practices — DS World (September, Las Vegas) with 60+ hands-on digital dentistry sessions
• Full teams and DSOs — THRIVELIVE (April/May, Las Vegas) covers clinical, business, software, and compliance tracks for every role

By CE efficiency:

If your primary goal is meeting Nevada's 20-hour annual requirement efficiently, the AGD Annual Scientific Session's 100+ CE hours makes it possible to satisfy the full year's requirement at a single event. For ongoing CE spread throughout the year, SNDS (Southern Nevada) and NNDS (Northern Nevada) provide local programs that accumulate hours without conference travel.

By location:

Southern Nevada practitioners have direct access to every Las Vegas event on this list. Northern Nevada and Reno-based practices should factor in the travel cost to Las Vegas and consider whether the NNDS regional events can supplement or replace a Las Vegas trip in years when the travel budget is tight.

For additional context on dental events in neighboring states, see the guides to dental events in Colorado, dental events in California, and dental events in Oregon.

Keep Your Practice Running While You're at a Conference

Attending a multi-day dental conference — especially one in Las Vegas — typically means the entire front desk team is unavailable. During AGD's four days at Caesars Palace or AAPD's three days, incoming patient calls go unanswered, new patient inquiries get missed, and appointment slots that could have been filled sit empty.

Dental practices that attended these events found this to be one of the real costs of conference travel: the CE investment makes the team better, but unanswered calls during that period quietly erode revenue.

Arini is an AI receptionist built specifically for dental practices. It answers patient calls 24/7 with a 300ms response latency, handles scheduling using the same block scheduling and staggered appointment logic your front desk uses, and integrates directly with OpenDental, EagleSoft, Denticon, CareStack, Cloud9, Curve Dental, and Dentrix Ascend. It collects insurance information and patient details on the call — not afterward — and is fully HIPAA compliant.

At Kare Mobile, Arini captured $56K in new patient appointments in its first month. At Unified Dental Care, the practice saw a 12% revenue increase after implementing Arini. When the team is at a conference, the phones don't go dark — every call still gets answered, and every new patient still gets booked.

Final Verdict

Nevada's 2026 dental conference calendar is strong enough that most practices can meet their 20-hour annual CE requirement without leaving the state — and the right conference depends entirely on your specialty and practice goals.

Here's how to decide:

• For general dentists who want to fulfill most or all of Nevada's annual CE requirement in one trip: the AGD Annual Scientific Session (June 24–27, Caesars Palace) offers 100+ CE hours and broad clinical programming.
• For pediatric practices: the AAPD Annual Meeting (May 21–24, Las Vegas) is the national standard — the highest-value single event for pediatric dental professionals.
• For implant-focused practices: attend both ICOI World Congress and The Closing Institute Full-Arch Boot Camp concurrently on October 1–3 — both run in Las Vegas and cover complementary aspects of implant care.
• For aesthetic dentistry practices: the IAPA Annual Conference (October 15–17, Henderson) offers specialty-specific physiologic and aesthetic programming not available at general CE events.
• For teams investing in digital workflows: DS World (September 24–26, Las Vegas) with 60+ hands-on digital dentistry sessions.
• For ongoing year-round surgical training: BDG Think Tank (Las Vegas, monthly) — the only Nevada option for live surgery and cadaver lab CE outside the annual conference calendar.
• For full teams and DSOs: THRIVELIVE (April 29–May 2, Las Vegas) covers clinical, business, software, and compliance tracks for every role simultaneously.

One factor worth planning for regardless of which event you attend: when your team is at a multi-day conference, incoming patient calls and new patient inquiries still arrive. Arini is an AI receptionist built specifically for dental practices — it answers calls 24/7, books appointments with your actual scheduling logic, and captures new patient revenue while your front desk is learning at a conference. At Kare Mobile, Arini captured $56K in new patient appointments in its first month.

Book a Demo →

Frequently Asked Questions

What dental conferences are in Las Vegas in 2026?

Las Vegas hosts at least seven major national dental conferences in 2026: THRIVELIVE (April 29–May 2), AAPD Annual Meeting (May 21–24), AGD Annual Scientific Session (June 24–27), DS World (September 24–26), ICOI World Congress (October 1–3), The Closing Institute Full-Arch Boot Camp (October 1–3), and the IAPA Annual Conference (October 15–17 in Henderson, adjacent to Las Vegas).

What are the CE requirements for dentists in Nevada?

Nevada dentists must complete 20 CE hours per year (40 per biennial renewal period). Requirements include 2 hours of infection control annually, current CPR certification, and a one-time 2-hour substance use disorder training for dentists licensed on or after January 1, 2024. Up to 50% of required hours may be completed via home study. Source: Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners.

Can I complete my entire Nevada CE requirement at a single conference?

Yes. The AGD Annual Scientific Session (June 24–27, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas) offers 100+ CE hours — enough to satisfy Nevada dentists' full 20-hour annual requirement at one event, with hours to spare. If you attend only one conference per year and CE efficiency is the priority, AGD delivers the highest yield of any event on this list.

When is the AGD annual dental conference in 2026?

The AGD Annual Scientific Session 2026 takes place June 24–27 at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada. It offers 100+ CE hours across general dentistry clinical education, hands-on workshops, and dental team programming. Registration is at agd.org/agd-meeting.

What dental events offer the most CE credits in Nevada?

The AGD Annual Scientific Session (June, Las Vegas) offers the highest CE yield — 100+ hours at a single event. DS World (September, Las Vegas) offers up to 15 CE credits with a focus on digital dentistry and hands-on sessions.

Are there dental events in Reno, Nevada in 2026?

Yes. The Northern Nevada Dental Society (NNDS) organizes CE courses and professional events for Reno-area dental professionals throughout 2026, with a confirmed event on May 12, 2026. Visit nndental.org/events for current listings or call (775) 337-0296.

What should I do about my practice's phone coverage during a multi-day dental conference?

Multi-day conferences typically take the front desk offline — which means incoming patient calls go unanswered and new patient scheduling stalls. The most practical solutions are a phone answering service, having a non-attending team member available, or an AI receptionist like Arini that handles scheduling using your existing practice management software. The revenue impact of missed calls during a 3–4 day conference is one of the most overlooked costs in conference ROI calculations.

What is DS World 2026?

DS World 2026 is Dentsply Sirona's annual dental conference, running September 24–26 in Las Vegas. It features 60+ hands-on sessions on digital dentistry and dental technology, with up to 15 CE credits available. It's designed for the full dental team — dentists, hygienists, assistants, and practice managers.

Does attending a dental conference count for Nevada CE credits?

Yes. CE credits earned at accredited dental conferences count toward Nevada's annual CE requirement. Verify that the conference or course provider is an approved CE sponsor — most major national dental organizations (AGD, AAPD, ICOI, etc.) are accredited providers. Contact the Nevada State Board of Dental Examiners to confirm provider accreditation if you're uncertain.

How do I register for AAPD 2026?

Registration for the AAPD Annual Meeting 2026 (May 21–24, Las Vegas) is available at aapd.org/education/aapd-2026/. The AAPD website also has save-the-date information and hotel block details as they become available.

For more dental event guides by state, see dental events in Idaho, dental events in Arizona, dental events in Florida, and dental events in Hawaii.

Arini answers patient calls 24/7 while your team is at a conference — so no new patient appointment goes unbooked. See It in Action →