EDITORIAL
Continuing medical education in European dentistry
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25241/stomaeduj.2019.6(1).edit.1
Author: Hande Şar Sancakli
Dear readers,
As an FDI regular member, on October 19, 2018 the Romanian Society of Stomatology (RSS) received a notification on behalf of Enzo Bondioni, FDI Executive Director that the FDI Council appointed Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hande Şar Sancaklı as CE Programme Director for Europe, as a replacement of Professor Alexandre Mersel. Her term of office started in September 2018 and will last until September 2020, with a possibility of renewal in September 2020.
As a member of the Editorial Board of the Stomatology Edu Journal, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hande Şar Sancaklı co-ordinates the work of editors in the Central and Eastern European countries.
In order to correctly inform our readers, for the 2019 first issue of the Stomatology Edu Journal, we have formulated a series of questions that we have addressed to the new CE Programme Director for Europe, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hande Şar Sancaklı so as to be able to better understand the activity of the ERO Working Group Continuing Medical Education in Dentistry.
You are the new Director of the ERO Working Group – Continuing Medical Education in Dentistry. What are the goals you are considering?
Beside Chairing the FDI ERO Working Group – Continuing Medical Education in Dentistry since 2014, I have been appointed as the new FDI Continuing Education Director for Europe right after the FDI 2018 General Assembly in Buenos Aires. Taking over the responsibility of the CE programme directory successfully run by Prof. Dr. Alexandre Mersel, I will support our member NDAs‘ CE events for them to assume their responsibility to perform their role with respect to the continuing education of the dental profession. Beside supporting our members both by fundamental and clinical practice-based educational activities, I will highlight our motto “Leading the world into optimal oral health” as active representatives of FDI; we need to globally improve sustainable oral health so as to reach our target. And undoubtedly one of these targets is the intent to conduct research into the knowledge about the connection between oral and general health. Therefore besides clinical dental education, we shall be pointing out the vitality of the Continuing Medical Education for the advocacy of global health and raising awareness of the dental profession with respect to the relationship between oral health and general health; one of our program goals is to strongly support improving to way these priorities are addressed by organizing CE events among our NDAs.
You attended the FDI Congress in Buenos Aires. How do you assess the quality of the papers presented?
What are the topics of interest to oral health specialists?
FDI WDC has a broad scope mainly addressing the general practitioners at global level. Aside from the researchbased institution’s congresses, FDI WDC calls clinicians and academics to present their research and cases enabling the publication of the abstracts in the International Dental Journal (IDJ) which is the official peer-reviewed, SCIEindexed journal of FDI. Thus, all abstracts are peer-reviewed and qualified at a required scientific level. Generally, we have submissions under all clinical branches, both scientifically and clinically related abstracts and also prevention and public health-related subjects. However, concerning all the recent submissions most of them are related to clinical cases especially including novel materials and techniques used.
Why should oral health professionals in Europe attend the World Dental Congress?
Beside a very rich scientific programme, in all our congresses we have “Meet the Expert” and “Hot topic” sessions which address top-attracted topics presented by the world-known distinguished peer lecturers that you can benefit from in your clinical and academic experience. Moreover, World Dental Congresses provide a great opportunity to network with the peers of the dental world. Many distinguished worldwide contributors, lecturers from all regions of the world can be seen as valuable resources for updating our professional knowledge and best-practices. Contributors also have chances to experience a possible collaboration for networking in today’s dental world.
What qualities will the Education Committee look for in the summaries presented at the World Dental Congress in San Francisco?
As every year before, for 2019, we, the education Committee members will peer-review all the abstracts related to the required topics both at their scientific and clinically relevant base. All abstracts of the posters and oral presentations should be eligible by the journal and the congress publishing criteria.
What is the added value of attending an international congress compared to national dental congresses?
Within today’s rapidly changing and evolving dentistry world, advancing new technologies and brand-new treatment approaches absolutely arises and at the same time requires an increase in the quality of the treatment and dentistry.
Thus, we have to be up-to-date both on the knowledge basis and the contemporary path of our profession. Beside the above mentioned educational and academic opportunities, attending the world’s largest and more wide scope dental congresses you will have the chance to attend one of the most significant dental exhibition taking place with FDI WDC.
Meeting the leading major dental industry suppliers and dental companies, you can discover the innovative dental products and equipments for your clinical practice in today’s fast-paced dental revolution.
How do you think the Dental World Congress contributes to the dentists’ continuing education?
I can explain my comments addressing both academics and general practitioners. Researchers attending the congress have the chance to present their research or their clinical cases in front of distinguished experts of related clinical specialty and dental professionals all around the world. Beside that there is an opportunity to meet researchers and clinicians of the same or similar fields of interest allowing one to receive positive feedback and constructive criticism about their research. Moreover, the exchange of knowledge and ideas on the research field of interest will provide them with a possible future collaborations across the world.
What is your opinion about the fact that the FDI/ERO – WG Continuing Medical Education in Dentistry could evaluate and allocate CE points to some of Europe’s print and online journals?
FDI ERO WG Continuing Medical Education has modified and re-established its vision during the last 5 years mostly on the progression of the medical-related education in dentistry to assist filling the gap between the basic medical and dental education especially in the continuing dental education programmes. Our priority undoubtedly should focus on supporting the educational activities specifically on the continuing medical education subjects. Concerning this aim, all our printed and online publications will surely serve and support the strengthening of our mission. As FDI and its European Regional Organisation – ERO, we highly appreciate all our member associations and countries’ educational activities and publications serving as contributions to the continuing dental and medical education levels of European dentistry.
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