Member Perks Alert! Mid-Continent Dental Congress Special Rates!

As a GSLDS Member or Affiliate Member, you receive FREE registration to the Mid-Continent Dental Congress. And this year, member dentists' staff receive REDUCED registration fees! Register the whole team today!
Visit the MCDC Website for More Info

Special Guest Dr. Brady is Bringing the Laughs to the 2026 MCDC Social Event

Viral dentist-turned-comedian Dr. Brady will be gracing the stages of the Mid-Continent Dental Congress this year at the Laugh Lab Social Event! Dr. Brady brings his own brand of humor to the table with his outrageous tales from the dental trenches. Prepare to laugh until your face hurts.
Register to Attend!

Developing a Coach Mindset

Register today for a special CE event on August 13, 2026 from 6pm to 8:30pm at the CityPlace 3 Training Room. Sandwiches and refreshments will be served prior to the lecture. Lecture provides 2 hours of CE.
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Nominate Your Colleague For Our Annual GSLDS Awards

Here's your chance to recognize one of your colleagues for their commitment to dentistry. The awards that are handed out annually include the Gold Medal Award, the Award of Merit, and the Humanitarian Award. Learn more about each of these awards and complete your nomination form by clicking the button below. Please submit your nominations by August 19, 2026 and email the form to Meg at meg@stlouisdental.org.
More Details & Nomination Form

New CE Broker for Missouri Dentists

GSLDS member and Past President, Dr. Danielle Riordan, recorded a brief How To video to help members navigate the new system.
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Make a Difference Today

Help the New Dentists reach their goal of $1,500 for 2026.
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Welcome New Members

We are happy to have you as a part of organized dentistry.
New Members

GSLDS Educational Foundation

Donate to the charitable not-for-profit partner of the Greater St. Louis Dental Society.
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Welcome to the Greater St. Louis Dental Society

Founded in 1856, the Greater St. Louis Dental Society (GSLDS) is one of the oldest dental organizations in the world, with more than 1,000 local member dentists. The Greater St. Louis Dental Society is the local component of the Missouri Dental Association and American Dental Association. Every day, the members of the GSLDS work to serve their community and promote better oral health for all. Learn more about membership with the GSLDS.

We are the ADA in St. Louis.

ADA News

MDA News

Dr. Travis Shearer

Jun 27, 2026
Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Travis Shearer Honored with MDA Distinguished Service Award

Dr. Travis Shearer, a former West Plains dentist, has been named the 2025 Missouri Dental Association (MDA) Distinguished Service Award winner. He was honored at the Association’s annual awards banquet hosted during its House of Delegates meeting at Margaritaville Lake Resort, June 27, 2026.

The Distinguished Service Award is presented to a member with a long history of exemplary service and dedication to the dental profession and organized dentistry. This commitment and dedication are reflected in Dr. Shearer’s 31 years of membership and broad record of service—most significantly in public health dentistry.

Dr. Shearer has demonstrated lifelong dedication to the dental profession through more than three decades of public health practice focused on access, prevention, and clinical excellence. From being named one of only six nationwide recipients of a National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Scholarship early in his career to later receiving the NHSC Dentist of the Year Award, his career reflects sustained professional commitment. He has served as Dental Director across multiple community health systems, delivering comprehensive care to underserved populations while advancing prevention-focused models of oral health.

His distinguished service is not only marked by longevity, but by consistency of purpose. He embraced public health dentistry well before it carried significant professional prestige or competitive compensation and remained committed to it throughout his career. His leadership reflects the rare combination of clinical skill, administrative competence, and moral clarity. He has built lasting systems, mentored professionals who carry his values forward, and improved oral health outcomes on a community scale—precisely the type of legacy this award exists to honor.

Dr. Shearer founded and led a pediatric-exclusive dental clinic at Southern Missouri Community Health Center in West Plains, serving rural Missouri children for more than 20 years. While in this role, he mentored young dentists and emerging community health center leaders throughout Missouri and provided leadership as a governor-appointed member of the Missouri HealthNet Oversight Committee to influence statewide dental access and delivery. Prior to practicing in Missouri, he was Dental Director within Indian Health Service facilities on reservation land in Minnesota. 

He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from the University of Nebraska Medical Center-College of Dentistry in 1994. Dr. Shearer has since retired to King City, Mo., with his wife of 34 years, Debra, who has stood by him since being married while in dental school.

For more details, visit the GSLDS Newsroom.

Upcoming Events

Developing a Coach Mindset

In this workshop, participants will learn the benefits of building a coaching culture, the key components of effective coaching, and best practices for shifting from manager to coach. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss concepts in small groups, gaining practical coaching tools and techniques they can immediately apply to strengthen communication, accountability, and employee growth.
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For more events view the Calendar.