As the incoming president of the Chicago Dental Society (CDS), Dr Philip L. Schefke, clinical assistant professor at the Midwestern University College of Dental Medicine in Downers Grove in Illinois in the US, is leading preparations for a refreshed Chicago Dental Society Midwinter Meeting. The 2026 event, to be held from 19 to 21 February at McCormick Place in Chicago in the US, will introduce enhanced registration, expanded amenities and a reimagined exhibit hall. In this interview with Dental Tribune International, he explains how attendee and exhibitor feedback have shaped the meeting’s new features, educational programme and networking opportunities—and why the 2026 Midwinter Meeting will be a standout event for dental teams from across the globe.