GENERAL INFORMATION

Location

The 157th Annual Session of the Ohio Dental Association will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) complex, Columbus, Ohio at 400 N. High Street, 43215. The headquarters hotel is the Hilton Columbus Downtown Hotel, 402 N. High Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215, (614) 463-1234; the Hilton is connected to the GCCC. Most ODA Annual Session events and courses will be held in the GCCC or the Hilton. ODA staff will be on-site at the GCCC from Wednesday, September 20 through Sunday, September 24.

Free Ce Courses

The ODA Annual Session registration fee includes the ability to earn 18 free CE credits online. All free CE courses can be accessed online from September 25 – December 31, 2023. In addition to the online courses, attendees have the opportunity to earn CE credits while attending the Table Clinics in person on Friday in the Exhibit Hall. All of the online courses offered, as well as the Table Clinics, qualify toward the Ohio State Dental Board’s (OSDB) biennium licensure requirement.

Special Needs

If you have special needs and require accommodation to fully participate in the conference, please contact the ODA Annual Session department at (614) 4862700 prior to Annual Session, and the ODA Registration Desk located in the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC) room A110 during the conference. The ODA complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act requirements for accessibility for persons with disabilities.

Tax Deduction

Deductions are permitted for educational expenses - including registration fees, transportation, meals and lodging. Check with your financial advisor for details.

MOTHERS’ ROOM

The GCCC has a designated nursing mother room located on the Central Atrium. Family restrooms are located in Upper A-Pod (behind room A-210) and another in the Center Lounge restrooms near the South Café & Marketplace. These single-use areas are equipped with a seat, electricity and a lockable door. Mothers’ Rooms can also be used for personal medical needs.

Meditation Room

In an effort to support the holistic wellness of Annual Session attendees, the ODA and its Subcouncil on Diversity and Inclusion have created a space for meditation, reflection and/ or prayer. The purpose of this space is to provide an accommodation for individual spiritual needs. The room is located within the ODA Exhibit Hall, and is available during Exhibit Hall hours.

TWO-HOUR LUNCH BREAKS

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday, most CE courses will break for two or more hours for lunch at various intervals between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m., giving attendees the opportunity to spend time in the Exhibit Hall with no need to travel off-site for lunch – concessions and a dining area are located in the Exhibit Hall and in the main corridor outside the Hall. On Friday, 9/22, free lunch will be available in the Exhibit Hall for all paid registrants.

SEMINAR SEATING & COURTESY

Plan to arrive early: seating for all seminars is on a first-come, first-served basis. Most lecture courses provide both classroom and theatre seating. Also, please set all electronic devices to “silent” during seminars. Seminar room locations will be included in the registration packet mailed to attendees who register by August 4, 2023.

Attire

Business casual dress is recommended for the convention. Dress warmly, in layers, as meeting rooms tend to be cool.

DISCRIMINATION / HARRASMENT POLICY

The ODA has zero-tolerance for any form of discrimination or harassment, including but not limited to sexual harassment by participants or our staff at any of our meetings or events – in person or virtual. If you experience harassment or hear of any incidents of unacceptable behavior, ODA asks that you inform Director of Meetings & Conventions Suzanne Brooks, at suzy@oda.org, (614) 486-2700 ext. 14, so that we can take the appropriate action. The ODA onsite office is located in room A111 of the Greater Columbus Convention Center (GCCC).

Unacceptable Behavior is defined as:

• Harassment, intimidation, or discrimination in any form.

• Verbal abuse of any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, ODA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.

Examples of verbal abuse include, but are not limited to, verbal comments related to gender, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion, national origin, inappropriate use of nudity and/or sexual images in public spaces or in presentations, or threatening or stalking any attendee, speaker, volunteer, exhibitor, ODA staff member, service provider, or other meeting guest.

• Disruption of presentations during sessions, in the exhibit hall, or at other events organized by ODA. All participants must comply with the instructions of the moderator and any ODA event staff.

Photography Release

Annual Session attendees grant permission to the Ohio Dental Association and their agents to utilize, in perpetuity, the attendee’s image or likeness in an effort to promote the Ohio Dental Association and its events or meetings. Attendees waive any right to inspect or approve the finished product or products and the advertising copy or other matter that may be used in connection therewith or the use to which it may be applied.

For More Information

For Annual Session program information, call the ODA Annual Session department at (614) 486-2700. For hotel information and/or reservations, contact your hotel of choice directly. Hotel information can be found on page 46 as well as online at www.oda.org.