By: Mandy King
Client Support Associate

I had the opportunity to attend my first GORP (Graduate Orthodontic Residents Program) this year in St. Louis along with Shannon Patterson and Anthony Copple. Here are a few things I took away from time spent with our industry’s current orthodontic residents and other vendors.

Orthodontic residents are rock stars! They have a drive for success and a passion for their future. As they took time out of their schedules to stop at our booth, I was able to chat with several of them about their plans and where they see themselves after residency. Many have narrowed down a general location, some are open to going anywhere, and several want to find the opportunity that is the perfect fit. I think the one common denominator was that they are all so excited about the career path they have chosen and look forward to sharing that joy with their future patients.

GORP is a great time for residents to come together and celebrate their journey and where they are headed in their professional careers. They are all working hard to achieve the same goal, so for residents from all over the country to be in one location is incredible. Being able to sit back and observe them meeting one another, talking about residency, and simply having fun together was priceless. Several of the residents expressed to me that GORP is an event that they feel like every resident should attend. They are able to take a step back to breathe and relax for a few days, while still being immersed in learning about the path they have chosen.

I think I can speak for the majority of the vendors at the event when I say we were all there for one purpose – to get to know the next generation of orthodontists and to share our knowledge about the industry or products with them. There is just something about being able to meet people face-to-face that allows you to connect with them and understand who they are as individuals.

While GORP might be known as one big party, it is so much more than that for residents. It is a time for being refreshed. It is a time for learning about the industry and what they can expect once they begin their careers. It is a time that we as vendors can take to hang out with the residents we work closely with to form relationships that will better help us serve them.

Thank you all for a great first time at GORP and I look forward to seeing you all again in the future!