32nd Asia-Pacific Dental Congress - a great success

Approximately 500,000 dental surgeons in the Asia Pacific region are responsible for providing oral and health care and education to the people of the region. Although 500,000 may seem a large number, this could prove to be a daunting task, especially considering the fact that the region consists of two-third of the world population.

"Dental surgeons in the region have to be continuously kept up-to-date to provide responsible care and education for such a large part of the world's population", said Prof. Prasad Amaratunga. It is in this hope that the APDF organises a large education congress - namely Asia Pacific Dental Congress (APDC) - in one of the member nations.

The inaugural ceremony of the 32nd Asia Pacific Dental Congress (APDC), sponsored by Unilever Sri Lanka's oral care brand Signal, was held last week at the BMICH.

Chairman, Organising Committee, 32nd Asia-Pacific Dental Congress Prof. Prasad Amaratunga was elected the next President of Asia Pacific Dental Federation (APDF). APDF is the largest organisation under the FDI (World Dental Federation). "APDF has member associations from 27 countries of which the Sri Lanka Dental Association (SLDA) is the Sri Lankan member association", said Prof. Amaratunga.

Themed 'Clinical excellence in dentistry through evidence, knowledge and technology', the 32nd APDC was an enormous success according to its organisers, with an unprecedented 55 delegates from member countries attending it. Many seminars, symposiums and workshops were conducted by a large number of local resource persons and fifty foreign speakers.

Stimulating experience

Wendy McCormack - the only dental nurse who had taken part in the congress - is a specialist dental nurse with 26 years in the service of treating patients with special needs. She said that the 32nd APDC has brought her a wealth of information. "It has been the most stimulating experience to share knowledge, skills and even different attitudes with people of various nationalities." She said that she was specially moved by the lecture on Military dentistry which was conducted by Dr. Kosgoda, Consultant Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, General Hospital, Anuradhapura, among many other resource persons.

These separate lectures were conducted by the five different service providing commissions of the SLDA, namely the Commission of Military Dentistry, Dental Education, General Dental Practice, Community Dental Practice and the Commission on Community Oral Diseases.

Wendy said that she is looking forward to sharing all the knowledge she gathered at the 32nd APDC with her colleagues in the UK. Wendy has been sponsored by National Health Service (NHS) to take part in the 32nd APDC for her professional development.

Local participation

According to Prof. Amaratunga all the workshops were full. "It has always been a challenge to get local participation for the congress" said Prof. Amaratunga. In this regard the 32nd APDC has been a huge success. According to him 375 has been the largest number of local attendance at any conference. Approximately 350 foreign individuals participated in the congress and the local participation was at its highest in the congress held in Sri Lanka with over 700 individuals. Workshops on dental implantology, endo dontics, cosmetic dentistry, laser in dentistry, problem solving in prosthetic dentistry, orthodontics and many more provided hands on experience for surgeons using models.

Dr. Lalith Dolamullege of Karapitiya Maxillofacial Unit, who attended workshops on implantology and porcelain laminate veneering, said that the workshops provided the participants with a rare hands-on experience using real implants. "The 32nd APDC is a congress where technology transfer actually happens" said Dr. Dolamullege.

Although Dr. Haja Badrudeen Sirajudeen, Honorary General Secretary, Malaysian Dental Association, has attended previous APDCs, this is his first visit to Sri Lanka. As a participant of the 32nd APDC as well as a member of the organising committee of the previous APDC, conducted in Malaysia he said that APDC's main objective is regional association. "APDC hopes to share and exchange knowledge in terms of research at Ministry of Health and National Dental Association level." APDC facilitates the meeting of member nation representatives to share and exchange dental development in each region.

Great opportunity

He said that the many workshops, seminars and symposiums in various fields of dentistry conducted during the five conference days that followed provided the delegates a great opportunity to update their knowledge with the newest trends and technology in dentistry. He said that this provides a rare opportunity to dental trade exhibitors.

APDC functions as a convergence point to individuals in the field of dentistry and principal dental trade companies of Europe and other developed countries. "Where everyone can go from booth to booth and experience first hand the newest trends in dentistry" said Dr. Haja Sirajudeen. Over 200 dental traders from about 50 companies displayed their newest dental equipment, instruments, dental material along with their latest technology during the 32nd APDC.

"APDC also provides an opportunity for world renowned keynote speakers and experts in their fields, to share their knowledge at the doorstop of the hosting nation", while allowing local individuals involved in the field of dentistry access to such stimulating knowledge sharing, without having to travel out of the country, said Dr. Sirajudeen.

Parallel to the congress, public health awareness programs with a special focus on schoolchildren were also conducted. The winners of an islandwide poster competition on various oral health related themes were also awarded cash prizes at the opening ceremony.

Apart from knowledge sharing and dissemination, the APDC is also involved in charity work. The APDC conducts professional development programs, helps dentists in rural areas and helps to develop dentistry in third world nations. The next APDC is scheduled to be held in the Philippines.

- SP