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With the playing of the Turkish national anthem and the handover of the presidential chain of the FDI from Dr Orlando Monteiro da Silva to the president elect, Dr Tin Chun Wong, as only two of the highlights, the FDI Annual World Dental Congress was officially opened today at an opening ceremony in Istanbul. Local flavour was added through performances by Turkish percussionist Burhan Öçal and his group, followed by Fire of Anatolia, a dance show that offered a fusion of Anatolian dances, modern dance and ballet.
The audience was addressed by the Turkish Minister of Health, Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, who took the opportunity to thank the organisers for their great efforts in hosting another outstanding event in Istanbul. Earlier today, thousands of visitors from all over the world were already swarming around the halls and exhibition areas of the Istanbul Congress Center.
In total, more than 12,000 dental professionals are expected to attend the four-day event, which has been organised by the Geneva-based organisation and the Turkish Dental Association. There will be more than 160 lectures and presentations, as well as other events related to oral disease prevention and management. In addition, local and global manufacturers are presenting their latest products and services at the World Dental Exhibition on Level 5.
“The FDI and TDA jointly chose the congress theme ‘Bridging continents for global oral health’. It highlights the opportunities of both congress and venue for dental practitioners, auxiliaries, manufacturers of dental and oral health equipment and products, dental service industries, such as insurance, and national governments,” commented outgoing FDI President Monteiro da Silva in his speech at the opening ceremony. “The congress will see some key debates in politics; for example, the implications for the dental profession of the Minamata Convention on Mercury to be signed in October. This is of interest to dentists because of its special provisions for dental amalgam.”
According to Monteiro da Silva, the congress will see the launch of new initiatives intended to help improve oral health worldwide, such as the Observatory for Oral Health Prevention and Control project and the FDI’s Strategy for Africa.
“This Annual World Dental Congress is a reflection of what the FDI represents in the world today: relevant, influential, well-informed, ubiquitous,” Monteiro da Silva said.
The congress will continue tomorrow with presentations on preventive dentistry and implantology, among other topics. Clinical methods and technologies will be discussed at the Dental Tribune Study Club Symposium in the exhibition hall at Booths B32 and B66. Between 11:00 and 18:00, well-known experts will present on minimally invasive cosmetic dentistry and the benefits of CBCT.
