Dr. David Grodberg is a happy man: the 2008 dental meeting he organizes with local dentist Dr. François Clous was a big success. “We had 53 dentists, the most we’ve ever had for one week, with a total of 118 people including families,” he explains. In past years there has been a second week of the dental gathering but  Grodberg says that was simply “too exhausting.”

This year’s guest speaker was Dr. Lou Graham who spoke on the topic of “Recent Innovations in Restorative Dentistry,” during the week of January 21-25. “People attended almost every session, he was a great speaker,” nods Grodberg in appreciation. This year was also challenging in new ways: the host hotel for the meeting since its inception had been The Christopher in Pointe Milou, which closed last spring, leaving Grodberg to find new meeting facilities and deal with a potential housing crisis. “Half of the dentists used to stay at the Christopher, there was a real sense of camaraderie there. They could sit by the pool and discuss dentistry.”

This year many of the dentists were in villas (Grodberg worked with Sibarth, Marla, and The New Agency) as well as hotels such as Village Saint Jean, the Tropical, and Emeraude Plage. The new meeting space was the meeting room at the Capitainerie, next to the Port offices on the main dock in Gustavia. “It was wonderful there, very comfortable, and in a dramatic location,” says Grodberg. “We had a wine-tasting— wines from Le Gout de Vin with hors d’oeuvres from the Wall House—for 80 people with the French doors open onto the terrace overlooking the port.”

There was also a dinner for 86 at Le Tamarin. “Cooking for 86 people at the same time can be hard,” says Grodberg, “it was lovely there under the trees, with live music and dancing. Everybody loved it.” The 2008 dental conference sold out quickly, with many repeat customers. “They love the beauty of the island, and the safety here,” points out Grodberg, “as well as the quality of the speakers. During the year I get an average of two letters per week from dentists who would like to speak here. The attendees also get see things from a broader scope: specialists hear about what’s going on in the rest of the profession.”
 
Next year’s dates have been set: January 19-23, 2009 with Gary M.Reiser, DDS, speaking on the “Planning & Surgical Treating Site Specific Restorative Based Periodontal Problems.” Details can be found at http://www.stbarthdental.com/ (a site created by dentist Dr. Richard Weledniger, who attends the conference every year). Smile! (reprinted form St Barth Weekly n°137 February 1, 2008)