While the Marc Cohn song bearing the same name as this Editor’s Letter title was a one-hit wonder out of the 90s, the 2026 ODT Forum will hopefully be another smash in its series. The ODT team is thrilled to return to the region for the fourth edition of the event. It is once again taking place at the FedEx Institute of Technology on the campus of the University of Memphis.

Memphis serves as a fantastic host to the industry based in the area, with the enormous FedEx facility within a stone’s throw and a wealth of both OEMs and service providers ready to support them. It’s second only to the Warsaw region for orthopedic device manufacturing in the U.S. As such, it’s only natural we’d elect to return to the location to revisit with familiar faces, provide another educational line-up, and establish opportunities for members of industry to network. 

Speaking of familiar faces, we’ll kick things off with one from our previous event. Giving the Welcome Address for the second time in a row will be Vernon Hartdegen, vice president of R&D for Trauma, CMF, Sports, and Extremities at DePuy Synthes. He’ll delve deeper into how Memphis became the orthopedic device manufacturing hub it is today. Additionally, as a member of the Greater Memphis Medical Device Council (GMMDC), he has his finger on the pulse of where the industry stands within the region. He’ll offer an update on that as well. 

We’ll then have Dave Sheppard, co-founder and managing director at MedWorld Advisors (and co-author of the Orthopedic Insights column each issue; find it on page 20), will provide his perspective on the current state of the complete orthopedic device industry. His focus will be primarily on the M&A activity happening within the marketplace, but expect him to also offer commentary on areas such as enabling technologies, the shift to the ASC environment, and other leading trends. 

With those speakers setting the stage, the remainder of the program will explore critical areas impacting the industry. Following Dave will be an opportunity to hear from both clinical and industry representatives as they speak to the aforementioned ASC transition. These two stakeholders will discuss what clinicians are seeking from orthopedic device OEMs and how the industry is planning to respond. 

Following a networking break, a panel will focus its discussion on a key innovation driver—osseointegration. With speakers weighing in from several corners of the community, a look at the evolution of osseointegration will be followed by an examination of the emerging technologies that will further enable this critical process. The panel will explore the different production options making an impact, including additive manufacturing and surface treatment advancements. 

In the second half of the day, a networking lunch will be followed up by a discussion of supply chain best practices. The session will provide insights from members of industry to uncover lessons learned following the pandemic challenges. These participants will also have a conversation on resiliency and the methods that can be employed to build it in, such as nearshoring, dual-sourcing, risk-based planning, and supplier collaboration. 

Delivering an update on the myriad changes happening across the regulatory landscape will be a pair of speakers local to the Memphis area. They will take a slightly different approach to this important topic as they share insights on what matters to business leaders. Leaving the “regulatory weeds” for another day, this session will key in on why the current and upcoming changes matter to the C-suite and reveal what’s truly important to them. 

Closing out this full agenda will be a panel that tackles the age-old question of Make vs. Buy. With representatives from both sides of the “aisle”—OEM and supply chain—the conversation should offer insights relevant to all attendees. While the primary focus of the discussion will center on the factors that go into making the decision, the participants will also share experiences from their own history and provide best practices they rely on. 

For those unable to attend this year’s event or for attendees who want to share a session with a colleague, the ODT Forum will be captured for on-demand viewing through either the ODT website or the ODT Forum website. As soon as the videos are available online, we’ll be sure to share that information through the website, newsletter, and social media. Watch for that announcement. 

If you have a question or comment for any of the ODT team, please feel free to stop us at the event and share. We’re always interested in what our readers and attendees have to say. Hope to see you in Memphis!

Sean Fenske, Editor-in-Chief
sfenske@rodmanmedia.com

There’s still time to register for this year’s ODT Forum!