The Stay the Programme Fixes
The ADA 2026 Scientific Session runs Thursday 8 October to Saturday 10 October at the Indiana Convention Center. The venue publishes a forecast of 4,000 attendees. Registration opens Wednesday 7 October from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. That Wednesday window puts the first arrivals in beds the night before the programme starts.
The ADA Schedule of Events runs registration 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The exhibit hall runs 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday with the Happy Hour inside it from 5 to 6 p.m., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Clinical courses fill 17.25 hours across five blocks. Saturday closes at lunchtime.
A delegate who attends the full programme holds Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights and checks out Saturday. The House of Delegates meets 10 to 13 October, so the Saturday night carries demand behind the clinical programme.
The venue publishes 7,100 hotel rooms in downtown Indianapolis and 4,700 rooms connected to the convention center by skywalk. A 4,000-attendee forecast at one room each is 56 percent of the downtown stock on a single night.
Two September Dates
The ADA asks attendees to book a hotel room by 18 September for the best selection and availability, and states that limited options may remain after that date. Housing questions route to ADA@maritz.com.
Registration carries a second date. A full refund on registration fees, less a $50 processing fee, required a written request by 18 September at 5 p.m. Central. Advanced pricing runs to 28 September at 5 p.m. A member dentist conference pass moves from $699 to $1,099, a nonmember dentist pass from $1,049 to $1,649, and a dental team pass from $349 to $549.
One date governs the room. The other governs the delegate.
One Registration Record
The Dental Practice Group Discount applies to three or more member dentists or team members from one dental practice. They must sit on a single registration record on a Conference Pass. Three passes take $50 off each pass, four take $100 off each, and five or more take $150 off each.
Registration records are non-transferable and name substitutions are not permitted. A practice that books as one record arrives with a fixed rooming list.
What the Arrival Pattern Asks of the Desk
The arrival afternoon falls on Wednesday. Thursday follows with an 11-hour registration day from a 7 a.m. open and a General Session at 7:45 a.m. Guests leave for the hall on a fixed morning clock. Housekeeping and the front desk work the same window as the registration desk.
The venue governs the room work. Rooms are refreshed once daily. A room set is included in the room rental only when the specification reaches the event coordinator at least 25 days before the first move-in day. The mark fell on 13 September for an 8 October programme. Set changes and room turnovers carry an additional labour charge with a four-hour minimum.
Sodexo Live! holds exclusive food and beverage rights inside the complex. No food or beverage may be brought in or sold without written consent from management. The food and beverage outlets are cashless, with a reverse ATM in the Speedway Corridor.
The Skywalk Window
Skywalks lock down on a published rule of thumb around 11 p.m. and reopen around 6 a.m. A delegate on the covered route plans a late dinner against that window. The venue publishes 200 downtown restaurants within walking distance of the hall.