Presentation Formats

The 2021 ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition will feature educational sessions, poster presentations and ADEA TechExpo presentations. 

Below, you will find information about the duration, audiovisual requirements, room set and suggested scope of each presentation format, as well as submission rubrics and other information.  

Format: Workshop (Educational Session)

Duration: 60 minutes

Number of speakers: Maximum of two plus one moderator

Room set: Crescent rounds

AV package: Standard   

  • One LCD projector and stand
  • One laptop computer
  • One large screen (16:9 screen size)
  • Lectern with microphone
  • Head table with microphones.

Learning Experience: Experiential and interactive.

Scope: The speakers guide participants to solve problems, share ideas, role play or generate answers to “how-to” questions.

Audience Interaction: Speakers are expected to launch activities with minimal lecturing and presentation. A maximum of 10 minutes is dedicated to wrap-up and participant Q&A.

Rubric: Educational Programs RubricPDF

Format: Small Group Discussion (Educational Session)

Duration: 45 minutes

Number of speakers: One

Room set: Full rounds

AV package: None

Learning Experience: Less structured yet informative.

Scope: The session is centered on a single specific and timely topic, question or issue facing dental education today.

Audience Interaction: The small group (approximately 10 to 15 people) discussion session is held in a less traditional educational setting to help create a comfortable environment that encourages all participants to freely discuss their ideas, ask questions and contribute.

Rubric: Educational Programs RubricPDF

Format: Seminar (Educational Session)

Duration: 60 minutes

Number of speakers: Maximum of two plus one moderator

Room set: Theater style

AV package: Standard   

  • One LCD projector and stand
  • One laptop computer
  • One large screen (16:9 screen size)
  • Lectern with microphone
  • Head table with microphones.

Learning Experience: The session addresses one critical issue, technique, or model in a clear and concise manner that is easy for the audience to understand.

Scope: This seminar may present the topic in broad overview or focus in more detail on no more than three aspects of the topic. It should not attempt to cover “A to Z” for any subject.

Audience Interaction: At least 15 minutes, interspersed during the program, are dedicated to interaction with the participants such as think-pair-share, audience polling and Q&A.

Rubric: Educational Programs RubricPDF

Format: Seminar (Educational Session)

Duration: 60 minutes

Number of speakers: A 60 minute seminar should include no more than 10 Short Talks. 

Room set: Theater style

AV package: Standard   

  • One LCD projector and stand
  • One laptop computer
  • One large screen (16:9 screen size)
  • Lectern with microphone
  • Head table with microphones.

Scope: Short Talks provide a format for sharing ideas in five minute segments during a session centered on a particular educational theme. The Short Talks format supports the ADEA Scholarship of Teaching and Learning (SoTL) by providing ADEA members an opportunity to share teaching and learning innovations with a national audience—sparking further conversation, networking and development of teaching innovations. 

Submitting Short Talks: Submit your Short Talk session as a 60 or 90 Minute Seminar. Provide a few specific examples of five-minute sessions that you plan on being part of the session. You do not need to include all individual Short Talk titles or names of possible presenters at this point.

Notification emails will be sent to educational session submitters in late August. If your Short Talks session is accepted by the ADEA Annual Session Program Committee, you will need to finalize your speakers and individual presentation titles by November 1, 2015. Instructions will be provided to all accepted Short Talk session submitters. 

Rubric: Educational Programs RubricPDF

Format: New Idea Session (Educational Session)

Duration: 20 minutes

Number of speakers: One

Room set: In Exhibit Hall

AV package: Standard   

  • One LCD projector and stand
  • One laptop computer
  • One large screen (16:9 screen size)
  • Lectern with microphone
  • Head table with microphones.

Learning Experience: Piques participants’ interest and introduces unique, unusual or innovative ideas.

Scope: Presenter explores a newly formed idea with the audience. The selection committee seeks ideas and concepts that elicit a “wow factor” from the audience.

Audience Interaction: These sessions will be held in the Exhibit Hall so that participants can enjoy one or two short sessions.

Rubric: New Idea RubricPDF

Format: Poster (See poster format descriptions below)

Duration: Time assigned (usually 2-3 hours)

Number of presenters: One presenter is recommended; all presenters must be registered attendees. There is no limit on the number of poster authors.

Room set: 4’x8’ poster board in  the Exhibit Hall

AV package: Poster board easels and thumbtacks or pushpins are provided; no AV equipment is provided.


Educational Research Posters:
Presentations address problems or issues in dental or allied dental education. Topics accepted for this category typically include admissions, alumni/student demographics, clinical research, educational research, teaching methodologies, new technologies, instructional systems, evaluation, clinic administration, information systems, communication systems, health services, quality assurance and faculty development.

Rubric: Educational Poster RubricPDF


Student Poster Competition:
ADEA holds a competition for student posters at each ADEA Annual Session & Exhibition. Awardees are provided a stipend at the end of the meeting. For a poster to be eligible, a student must be the primary author. Students must be full-time in predoctoral or allied dental programs, and must not hold full-time faculty positions. Student posters are evaluated by seasoned association members.

Format: ADEA TechExpo

Duration: Time assigned (usually 2-3 hours)

Number of speakers: One or more

Room set: Individual table spaces (2' x 4') in the Exhibit Hall; each table area will have a sign listing the title of the presentation.

AV package: Electrical outlets, monitor, computer and Internet connectivity.

Learning Experience: Interactive.

Scope: Tabletop demonstrations or presentations of software and hardware; the ADEA TechExpo format does not support poster presentations.

Audience Interaction: ADEA TechExpos take place one-on-one or in small group settings that promote open exchange of ideas between presenters and participants..

Rubric: ADEA TechExpo RubricPDF