Conference Insider: VMX will celebrate “champions of care” in 2026

The annual Veterinary Meeting & Expo (VMX) hosted by the North American Veterinary Community (NAVC) will return to Orlando, Florida, in early 2026 with the theme “World Classic— Celebrating the Champions of Care.” Attendees from around the globe can access approximately 1200 hours of Registry of Approved Continuing Education–approved continuing education (CE), networking opportunities, an exposition hall, and entertainment that includes some well-known special guests.¹

“Our veterinary professionals embody everything it means to be world-class. Like true champions, they rise to challenges with courage and heart—delivering gold-level care to the animals we love,” Gene O’Neill, CEO of NAVC, said in a news release.¹ “VMX 2026: World Classic will celebrate the passion, precision and perseverance they bring to their work every day. We can’t wait to welcome our veterinary community back to Orlando in January 2026 for our most exciting conference yet.”

The 2026 VMX event will take place from January 17 to 21, 2026, at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. Special guests include the following²:

• Actor Patrick Dempsey will deliver the event’s opening address on January 17, 2026. He will discuss his career in TV and film, his love for animals, and his commitment to the Dempsey Center in Auburn, Maine, which provides counseling and care for patients with cancer and their families.
• Musician Riley Green will perform a concert exclusive to VMX attendees on January 18, 2026. The country music artist and outdoorsman will play his hits for veterinary professionals.

• The stars of Nat Geo’s TV show “Critter Fixers: Country Vets,” Vernard L. Hodges, DVM, and Terrence Ferguson, DVM, will be featured during the VMX closing ceremony on January 21, 2026. The pair will discuss how to bring your passion forward and how you can be a champion in practice and in life, sharing their own stories.

Nearly 30,000 veterinary professionals attended the 2025 event, which drew attendees from 87 countries and featured more than 700 exhibitors.1 In a dvm360 interview at the 2025 VMX in Orlando, O’Neill described the annual event as the “crown jewel” in the organization’s portfolio.³

“It is the largest educational expo event in the world for veterinarians, and we take great pride in that. But there also comes a responsibility with that, too,” O’Neill said.³

CE sessions are open to veterinarians, veterinary technicians and nurses, and practice managers, covering a wide range of topics. Tracks that cover clinical practice topics for small, large, exotic, zoo, and aquatic animals are among the CE session options. Other topics focus on artificial intelligence, low-cost clinics, animal conservation, wildfire cases, customer service representatives, and more.¹

The NAVC will present 2 signature recognition programs at VMX: the VETTY Awards and the Pet Pitch Competition. These special events within VMX will highlight new “champions of care.”

Presentation of the 2025 VETTY Awards will be held during a reception on January 19, 2026. The international award program celebrates marketing excellence for animal health care products, programs, and services. Awards will be presented to “talented, creative professionals” who contributed to the industry’s successes, according to O’Neill.⁴ “Their passion for helping animals truly makes them the ‘Torchbearers of Care,’ ” he said.

The 2026 Pet Pitch Competition and its companion Startup Circle provide a unified platform for startup businesses to showcase themselves. Three finalists in the Pet Pitch Competition will pitch their ideas to a “Shark Tank”–like team of veterinary experts live at VMX before a winner is announced. These finalists and additional startups are provided with a fully furnished booth in the Expo Hall at a lower price than a commercial booth to allow them an introduction to the veterinary industry at VMX.⁵

REFERENCES

1. VMX 2026 program now live: “World Classic—Celebrating the Champions of Care” offers 1,200 hours of continuing education for veterinary professionals. News release. North American Veterinary Community. July 16, 2025. Accessed November 5, 2025. https://navc.com/wp-content/ uploads/2025/07/NAVC-Press-Release-Kick-off-VMX-2026.pdf
2. VMX 2026 entertainment: celebrating our veterinary community. North American Veterinary Community. Accessed November 5, 2025. https://navc.com/vmx-event/ entertainment/
3. O’Neill G, Crossley KC. NAVC celebrates the arts at VMX. dvm360. January 27, 2025. Accessed November 5, 2025. https://www.dvm360.com/view/ navc-celebrates-the-arts-at-vmx
4. Celebrating the torchbearers of care in animal health care marketing. News release. North American Veterinary Community. September 9, 2025. Accessed November 5, 2025. https://navc.com/ vetty-awards-accepting-entries-animal-health-marketing/
5. Attention veterinary startups: apply for the VMX 2026 Startup Circle and Pet Pitch Competition! North American Veterinary Community. Accessed November 5, 2025. https://navc.com/ vmx-event/startup-circle-pet-pitch/