BrenĂ© Brown, New York Times bestselling author, speaker, researcher, and podcaster will be headlining ADA’s SmileCon 2022 in Houston.

New York Times bestselling author Brené Brown, PhD, is the headline speaker for the opening session of SmileCon 2022, taking place on October 13 in Houston.

Brown is a researcher, author of 6 NYT bestsellers, and the host of the weekly Spotify original podcasts Unlocking Us and Dare to Lead.

Brown has spent the past 2 decades studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy, and her TED Talk on the Power of Vulnerability is one of the top five most-viewed TED Talks with more than 50 million views.

She is a research professor at the University of Houston, where she holds the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. She is also a visiting professor in management at the University of Texas at Austin McCombs School of Business.

“I believe that you have to walk through vulnerability to get to courage, therefore – embrace the suck,” said Brown. “I try to be grateful every day, and my motto right now is courage over comfort.”

SmileCon 2022 is the American Dental Association’s joint meeting with the 2022 Texas Dental Association Meeting and the 2023 Greater Houston Dental Society’s Star of the South Dental Meeting. It takes place from October 13-15 at the George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston. Registration for the meeting opens on June 1.

In addition to featuring Dr. Brown’s comments, the Opening Session will highlight stories from ADA members, honor award winners, and include other moments that celebrate the dental profession.

“We’re truly honored to announce Dr Brown will join us at SmileCon,” said Cesar Sabates, DDS, ADA president. “Dr Brown’s work around authentic self and vulnerability, as well as leadership, is in complete alignment with where we need to go as an organization. With her contribution to our Opening Session, and in her hometown of Houston no less, we’re looking forward to a powerful event that reflects a new day for dentistry.”

Photo: Randal Ford