Greater St. Louis Dental Society

What Greater St. Louis Dental Society does

The Greater St. Louis Dental Society (GSLDS) is a nonprofit professional dental association founded in 1856 and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri, serving dental professionals in the St. Louis metropolitan area. Its core product and primary revenue engine is the Mid-Continent Dental Congress (MCDC), an annual two-day convention now in its 84th year, held at St. Louis Union Station. The congress combines continuing education (60+ courses from 30+ speakers, providing up to 12 ADA CERP-recognized CE credits), the Midway Exhibit Hall with 130+ exhibiting dental companies, networking events, and social programming such as the Laugh Lab comedy night, drawing 2,200+ attendees annually. The supporting technology stack is minimal: a WordPress event website (mcdcstl.org), an online registration platform (prereg.net) operated by Eleventh & Gather, an exhibitor portal (mapyourshow.com), and a free mobile meeting app for schedules and CE verification.

The society operates a diversified event-driven revenue model across three streams: tiered attendee registration fees (GSLDS member dentists attend free as a membership benefit introduced in 2014, while non-member dentists pay $425-$725 and auxiliary staff $125-$220, with student registration complimentary); exhibitor booth sales in Standard, Prime, and Premium tiers; and sponsorship packages ranging from $6,000 Silver Bullet to $10,000 Golden Eagle tiers, plus à la carte sponsorships for coffee breaks, lanyards, the mobile app, and social events. Customer segmentation is primarily by dental professional role (dentists, hygienists, assistants, office staff, students) on the attendee side and by company type (manufacturers, distributors, specialty practices) on the exhibitor side. The organization runs with 1-10 employees, partners with St. Louis Union Station as venue host and Eleventh & Gather for registration management, and is governed as an independent member-based nonprofit with no parent company or outside equity ownership.

Name

Greater St. Louis Dental Society

Legal name

Greater St. Louis Dental Society

Website

https://mcdcstl.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Greater St. Louis Dental Society is a nonprofit professional dental association that runs the annual Mid-Continent Dental Congress, a two-day convention in St. Louis combining ADA CERP-recognized continuing education, a 130-exhibitor trade show, and networking events for 2,200+ dental professionals.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Creve Coeur, Missouri

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Registration Fees: The organization generates revenue through attendee registration fees at varying price points based on membership status and attendee type. GSLDS member dentists receive complimentary registration as a membership benefit, while non-member dental professionals pay $425-$725 for dentist registration and $125-$220 for auxiliary staff. Student registration is complimentary.
2. Exhibitor Booth Sales: Revenue is generated from dental industry companies purchasing exhibit booth space in the Midway Exhibit Hall. Booth options include Standard, Prime, and Premium levels. The congress attracts 130+ exhibiting companies reaching 2,200+ dental professionals.
3. Sponsorship Packages: Companies can purchase sponsorship packages at various levels (Golden Eagle Sponsor at $10,000, Silver Bullet Sponsor at $6,000) and à la carte sponsorship opportunities including badge lanyards, coffee breaks, app sponsorship, and social event sponsorship to gain brand visibility among attendees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Greater St. Louis Dental Society operates the Mid-Continent Dental Congress (MCDC), an annual two-day dental convention at St. Louis Union Station that combines 60+ continuing education courses, a 130+ exhibitor Midway Exhibit Hall, and networking/social events for 2,200+ dental professionals. The society, as an ADA CERP recognized provider, sells tiered attendee registrations (member dentists attend free), exhibitor booth packages, and corporate sponsorship packages to dental professionals and dental industry companies. The 84th annual MCDC is scheduled for September 24-25, 2026.

Product overview

Greater St. Louis Dental Society operates the Mid-Continent Dental Congress (MCDC) as its primary product—a comprehensive two-day annual dental convention held at St. Louis Union Station. The core offering consists of the MCDC conference itself, which combines continuing education (60+ courses, up to 12 CE credits available), the Midway Exhibit Hall (130+ exhibitors showcasing dental products and technologies), and networking/social events including the Laugh Lab comedy night. Supporting services include the MCDC Meeting App for event navigation and CE tracking, CE Verification System for credential management, Registration Services with tiered pricing by attendee type, Hotel & Travel Booking assistance, and various Sponsorship Packages for dental companies. The society also offers Specialist Sponsorships targeting dental specialty practices seeking brand visibility.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Mid-Continent Dental Congress (MCDC) Annual two-day dental convention offering continuing education courses, expansive Exhibit Hall, networking opportunities, and social events for 2,200+ dental professionals. The 84th annual event features 60+ courses, 30+ speakers, and 130+ exhibitors.
• Midway Exhibit Hall Trade show component of the MCDC featuring 130+ exhibit booths from dental companies showcasing the latest products and technologies in dentistry, with 10 hours of unopposed exhibit time and a complimentary happy hour.
• Continuing Education Courses Continuing education credit courses offered at MCDC, with the Greater St. Louis Dental Society designated as an ADA CERP recognized provider offering up to 12 CE credits. Topics span implants, restorative dentistry, hygiene, practice management, and emerging technologies.
• MCDC Meeting App Free mobile application providing course locations and times, speaker information, CE certificates, exhibitor listing, maps, and other meeting resources for MCDC attendees. Available on app stores prior to the annual convention.
• Sponsorship Packages Corporate sponsorship opportunities including Golden Eagle Sponsor ($10,000), Silver Bullet Sponsor ($6,000), Social Event Sponsorship ($10,000), Coffee Break Sponsorships, Lanyard Sponsorship, App Sponsorship, Coffee Truck Sponsorship ($2,500 per day), and Happy Hour Sponsorship ($325) for dental industry companies seeking brand visibility.
• Exhibitor Booth Packages Exhibitor booth packages including Standard, Prime, and Premium levels for the Midway Exhibit Hall. Booths are 10'x10' with a furniture package, offering 10 hours of unopposed exhibit hall time and access to a complimentary happy hour.
• Attendee Registration Services Online registration system for MCDC attendees with tiered pricing categories including GSLDS member dentists (complimentary), hygienists ($150-$220), assistants ($125-$195), office staff ($125-$195), ADA dentists ($425-$460), military dentists ($150-$185), non-ADA dentists ($725-$760), and students (free). Early-bird rates available before August 27.
• MCDC Laugh Lab Social Event Thursday evening social event featuring a comedy performance by Dr. Brady Smith. Includes complimentary appetizers, one complimentary drink, 90 minutes of stand-up comedy, meet-and-greet opportunities, and photo opportunities. VIP section available with reserved seating.
• Hotel & Travel Booking Services Convention rate hotel reservations at St. Louis Union Station Hotel (Curio Collection by Hilton) at $189 plus tax per night, including parking information, directions, and nearby hotel options. Group code GDS26 required for the discounted rate.
• CE Verification System Online system for verifying continuing education credits earned at MCDC. Attendees receive a 4-digit code at course completion for obtaining CE certificates via the meeting app or website.

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Golden Eagle SponsorscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Top-tier sponsors at $10,000 level receiving premium booth placement, extensive digital and print advertising, social media recognition, and lead retrieval. Limited to 2 sponsors for maximum visibility.
• Silver Bullet SponsorscoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026$6,000 sponsorship level with complimentary Prime Booth, digital and print recognition, and logo banner placement in the Exhibit Hall.
• Social Event Sponsor (Dr. Brady Laugh Lab)coreGTM or Marketing Partner$10,000 exclusive sponsorship of the Thursday evening comedy event featuring Dr. Brady Smith, including booth, VIP table, and extensive branding throughout the event.
• IvoclarminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpeaker sponsor for the Joshua Austin course (The Mental Dental Connection).
• Patterson DentalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSocial Event Sponsor for the Laugh Lab comedy event and sponsor of Equipment Preventative Maintenance Workshop courses.
• PearlminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSpeaker sponsor for Sheela Roth's AI in Dentistry course.
• Bankhead OrthodonticsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCoffee Truck Sponsor providing complimentary coffee for attendees during morning hours.
• St. Louis Union StationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe historic venue partner hosting the annual congress. A AAA Diamond-rated hotel and convention center with extensive meeting space, exhibit halls, and on-site attractions including the St. Louis Aquarium, Wheel, and multiple restaurants.
• Eleventh & GathercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerRegistration and event management company handling attendee registration, CE verification, and logistical coordination for the congress.
• Heritage Exposition ServicesminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerExhibitor services provider handling shipping, furniture rental, and exhibit logistics.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Greater New York Dental Meeting: Annual dental congress run by the New York County Dental Society, attracting tens of thousands of attendees and hundreds of exhibitors. Same core format (CE + exhibit hall + social events) as MCDC.
• Chicago Dental Society: Regional dental society running the annual Midwinter Meeting, one of the largest dental congresses in the U.S. Closest functional analogue to GSLDS in mission, format, and audience.
• Hinman Dental Society: Regional dental society running the Thomas P. Hinman Dental Meeting in Atlanta. Closely comparable to GSLDS in scale, membership model, and event-driven revenue structure.
• Pacific Dental Conference: Annual dental conference hosted by the British Columbia Dental Association, drawing thousands of attendees and exhibitors. Comparable in format and audience even though geographically separate.
• California Dental Association: State dental association that hosts CDA Presents, a major biannual dental convention with exhibit halls and CE tracks. Directly comparable as a state-level society running a flagship annual congress.
• Yankee Dental Congress: Annual dental congress hosted by the Massachusetts Dental Society. Comparable regional dental society event with a strong CE and exhibit-hall format.
• Texas Dental Association: State dental association that runs an annual convention with CE courses and exhibits. Same nonprofit society model operating a flagship annual meeting.

Broad incumbents

• American Dental Association: National professional association that runs the ADA Annual Meeting and the ADA CERP program. GSLDS's CERP recognition flows from ADA, and the ADA's national meeting is a higher-tier competitor for both attendees and exhibitors.

Others

• MDHA (Missouri Dental Hygienists' Association): State-level professional association for dental hygienists in Missouri. Adjacent rather than direct competitor — shares the same member demographic (hygienists attend MCDC) but focuses on hygiene-specific advocacy and CE.

Regional players

• Philadelphia Dental Society: Regional dental society serving the Philadelphia metro area with membership and CE programming. Comparable in mission and structure but does not run an event of MCDC's scale.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/greaterstlouisdentalsociety
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/stlouisdentalsociety
• Instagraminstagram.com/greaterstlouisdentalsociety

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Greater St. Louis Dental Society