YDC 2026
By Buzzbox Media · Last reviewed August 3, 2026
What is YDC?
One of the top 3 largest dental meetings in the US with 28,000 attendees and 323 exhibitors. Yankee draws heavily from the New England and Northeast corridor, a wealthy, practice-dense region with high purchasing power. If you sell dental equipment, supplies, imaging, or software, this is a must-attend for Northeast market penetration.
What are the key facts about YDC?
- Host organization: Massachusetts Dental Society
- Primary specialty: dentistry
- Scale: mega
- Geography: US National
- International attendance: ~5%
- See all Dental conferences
Which device categories fit YDC?
Which buyer stages does YDC fit?
What does YDC charge for booth space?
YDC publishes an exhibitor prospectus, and the figure below is an estimate read from it rather than a quote. View the prospectus ↗
What does an all-in 10×10 inline booth cost?
| Estimated all-in total | $8,000-$15,000 |
Buzzbox Media estimate covering space rental plus standard show services. Not a quote and not the organizer's number. Does not include travel, staffing, booth display, or marketing materials. Confirm current pricing with the organizer.
Planning the YDC booth itself? Read our guide to medical conference booth design for booth types, union labor rules, and the corner upgrade.
Who attends YDC?
~28,000 attendees including dentists, hygienists, assistants, office staff, students, and exhibitor personnel. 323 exhibiting companies. One of the largest dental meetings in the US, second only to the Greater New York Dental Meeting and CDS Midwinter Meeting. Strong New England and Northeast attendance.
- Purchasing authority: ~45% of attendees
- Effective buyers: ~12,600
- Cost per effective buyer: $0.91 ($11,500 all-in ÷ 12,600 buyers)
- International attendance: ~5%
Where is YDC held?
- Venue: Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC), Boston, MA
- Management company: Massachusetts Dental Society (in-house, Freeman as service contractor)
Who else exhibits at YDC?
Approximately 323+ exhibitors typically attend YDC. Your competitors are here.
Is YDC worth exhibiting?
Why Exhibit
One of the top 3 largest dental meetings in the US with 28,000 attendees and 323 exhibitors. Yankee draws heavily from the New England and Northeast corridor, a wealthy, practice-dense region with high purchasing power. If you sell dental equipment, supplies, imaging, or software, this is a must-attend for Northeast market penetration.
Why Skip
Regional draw limits value for companies already strong in the Northeast. If you need national reach, ADA Annual Meeting or CDS Midwinter Meeting cover more geography. The show runs Thursday-Saturday, which can be challenging for staff scheduling.
What should exhibitors know before YDC?
Yankee is the kickoff dental show of the calendar year (late January). Many exhibitors use it to debut new products before CDS Midwinter in February. BCEC is a union venue. Budget for Freeman drayage and labor. The Massachusetts Dental Society runs a tight ship with strong CE programming that keeps attendees on-site.
What is the Buzzbox Score for YDC?
9.7 / 10 (Exceptional)
9.7 out of 10. One of the strongest exhibiting opportunities in our index. Carried by editorial value (9.4: solid exhibitor rationale and honest "who should skip" guidance). The lightest dimension is exhibitor experience (8.4, Freeman-managed (established operator)). One of the top 3 largest dental meetings in the US with 28,000 attendees and 323 exhibitors.
How we score
Six weighted factors, each scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band. Every show on this list cleared a relevance bar to be included, so 7.0 is the floor; the number tells you how far the leaders pull ahead.
Standout (9.3): 45% purchasing authority (moderate), 87:1 attendee ratio, and mega-scale floor (28,000 attendees).
Strong (8.8): $47.75/sqft, slightly above the $42.50 median and ~$0.91 per qualified buyer.
Strong (8.6): booth pricing published, exhibitor prospectus available, and exhibitor count disclosed.
Strong (8.4): Freeman-managed (established operator), non-union venue (simpler, cheaper move-in), and mega-show logistics are well-rehearsed.
Standout (9.4): solid exhibitor rationale, honest "who should skip" guidance, and the flagship / largest show in its niche.
Standout (9.4): mega-scale and stable, ~323 exhibitors, and 28,000 attendees.
When are the YDC exhibitor deadlines?
| Deadline | Date |
|---|---|
| Insurance Deadline | 2025-12-31 |
| Meeting Dates | 2026-01-29 to 2026-01-31 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a booth cost at YDC?
YDC publishes an exhibitor prospectus, and read from it an all-in 10×10 booth works out to roughly $8,000-$15,000, covering space rental plus standard show services. Travel, staffing, and booth display are additional. This is an estimate read from a published prospectus, not a quote, so confirm current pricing with the organizer.
How many people attend YDC?
YDC draws approximately 28,000 attendees. ~28,000 attendees including dentists, hygienists, assistants, office staff, students, and exhibitor personnel. 323 exhibiting companies. One of the largest dental meetings in the US, second only to the Greater New York Dental Meeting and CDS Midwinter Meeting. Strong New England and Northeast attendance.
When and where is YDC 2026?
YDC 2026 takes place January 29-31, 2026. The venue is Boston Convention & Exhibition Center (BCEC), Boston, MA. Massachusetts Dental Society hosts the meeting.
How many YDC attendees have purchasing authority?
About 45% of YDC attendees hold purchasing authority, which works out to roughly 12,600 effective buyers out of approximately 28,000 attendees. Effective buyers multiplies total attendance by the share of attendees who hold purchasing authority. Both inputs are estimates drawn from organizer reporting and our own exhibitor research, so read the figure as directional rather than exact.
Who exhibits at YDC?
Approximately 323+ exhibitors typically attend YDC. The device categories that fit this floor are dental equipment, dental supplies, imaging equipment, dental software, dental implants, and orthodontic supplies.
How does Buzzbox Media score YDC?
YDC carries a Buzzbox Score of 9.7 out of 10 (Exceptional). The score weighs six factors: audience quality, cost efficiency, data transparency, exhibitor experience, editorial value, and growth trajectory. Each factor is scored on a 0 to 100 rubric then normalized to a 7.0 to 10.0 band, and every conference in our index cleared a relevance bar to be listed, so 7.0 is the floor. On this record the highest is editorial value at 9.4 and the lowest is exhibitor experience at 8.4.