Building team spirit with future orthodontists

3M Unitek recently staged a 3-day conference for 69 post-graduate orthodontic students and their Professors and Lecturers from Australia and New Zealand at Sails in the Desert resort at Ayres Rock in Central Australia.

"Our intention was to provide students with an intellectually and physically challenging event to encourage them to work as a team and to develop life long relationships," said Gabriele West, Business Development Manager at 3M Unitek.

The clinical program was carefully conceived by the Professors and Lecturers from each university to give the students the experience, perspectives, insights and to share the collective knowledge of all participants.

To build on this exchange of information and ideas, each afternoon was devoted to a series of physically challenging and competitive team activities affectionately know as "Survivor: Ayres Rock".

On the first day, the group split into teams and donned their team colours representing sporting clubs from each state and New Zealand. They were given bamboo poles, rope and a map and instructed to carry these to the next destination as they would need them to make a raft.

The competitive spirit quickly arose with teams running across the Dunes in 33 degree heat carrying their poles and urging their team to be first.

It wasn't all hard work with many opportunities to share thoughts and tips while sampling the local cuisine, culminating in a magical "Black Tie and Sandshoes" night under the stars in the middle of the desert.

"All of the students (and particularly those from Adelaide) thoroughly enjoyed their time, both from an educational and social point of view," said Dr Craig Dreyer from the University of Adelaide. "The camaraderie and friendships that developed were most welcome and should stand the test of time."

3M Unitek was delighted to provide the opportunity for the future Orthodontists of Australia and New Zealand to meet and exchange ideas that will benefit the profession in the future.

"Everyone was impressed with the planning, creativity and professionalism of Catalyst Exhibition Design + Marketing who worked tirelessly to ensure that nothing was left to chance and everyone had a great experience," Ms West said.