This past weekend, the Partners Dental Solutions team made our way to Atlantic City for the 2026 MASO Annual Session, hosted September 17–19 at the historic Caesars Palace. This year's theme, "Betting on the Future of Orthodontics," felt especially fitting given the location. It was in Atlantic City back in 1952 that MASO held its very first Annual Session, and 74 years later, the Middle Atlantic Society of Orthodontists returned to where it all began, this time with a packed program on AI, clinical innovation, and practice management to match. For us, it was a weekend full of connection, conversation, and a good reminder of just how much momentum is building across the orthodontic community.
One of the true highlights of the weekend was the chance to mingle with so many orthodontic residents. From Thursday's resident lecture and reception through the exhibit hall conversations that followed, it was exciting to feel the energy and buzz these future clinicians brought into the room. Conversation after conversation centered on our custom MARPE appliances, with residents leaning in to ask thoughtful questions about how the appliances work and how they fit into real-world clinical workflows. Their curiosity was contagious, and honestly, it's one of our favorite parts of events like MASO. Watching the next generation of orthodontists get hands-on and genuinely engaged with new technology is exactly the kind of energy that keeps the field moving forward.
MASO put on a wonderful event from start to finish. With 14 speakers covering clinical topics and practice management, and nine hours of continuing education on the table, there was plenty of substance to the weekend. But what stood out just as much was how well the event balanced that education with genuine camaraderie. Between sessions, attendees had the chance to unwind with fun games and prizes, and Friday evening's Wild West Social Event added an extra dose of fun to the mix. That kind of programming kept the energy high throughout the exhibit hall and made it easy for serious clinical conversations and lighthearted moments to happen side by side, which is exactly the balance a great professional event should strike.
Being in the room at MASO is a reminder of why in-person connection still matters so much in this field. It's one thing to read about a new appliance or workflow; it's another to talk through it face-to-face with the people who will be using it in practice, whether they're seasoned clinicians or residents just beginning to build their approach. Conversations like the ones we had this weekend, about custom MARPE appliances, about workflow integration, about what's next for the specialty, are exactly what help turn curiosity into confidence, and confidence into better outcomes for patients down the line.
We're grateful to MASO for another memorable Annual Session and to everyone who stopped by to talk shop, ask questions, and share in the energy of the weekend. Whether it was a resident exploring custom appliances for the first time or a longtime colleague catching up on the latest workflows, every conversation added something to the momentum building across our community. We're already looking forward to the next opportunity to connect, keep learning, and keep betting on the future of orthodontics together.