Big draw for International Dental Conference in Colombo
Tuesday, 2 July 2013 00:00
-
- {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The FDI/CDA/SLDA Joint International Conference and 80th Anniversary Annual Scientific Sessions of the Sri Lanka Dental Association were concluded in Colombo last week.
The three-day conference brought together over 1,000 dental professionals from 21 countries and was the first-ever joint international conference organised by the World Dental Federation (FDI) and the Sri Lanka Dental Association (SLDA). Themed ‘New Challenges in Dental and Oral Health Care’, the aim of the conference was to address current issues faced by dentists in helping people to develop good oral hygiene.
Speaking at the launch event Dr. Suresh Shanmuganathan, President, SLDA said: “This is indeed a memorable and a very important milestone event for a prestigious national organisation such as the Sri Lanka Dental Association, especially as it celebrates its 80th anniversary. We are excited about the opportunities that this Conference will create for knowledge and experience sharing. We are greatly honored to have Presidents of FDI World Dental Federation, Commonwealth Dental Association, and Asia Pacific Dental Federation for this landmark event which itself is a singular honor to SLDA.”
Dr. Vipula Wickramasinghe, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Dental Association, said: “Our members, have the opportunity of meeting with and learning from a wide panel of internationally renowned dental professionals and I am sure that this will be a stepping stone in our way forward to create a nation where oral hygiene is a way of life and not a luxury.”
As Principal Sponsor of the conference, Sri Lanka’s trusted brand for oral health care, Unilever’s Signal plays a major role during the entirety of the conference. Unilever has been in partnership with the FDI World Dental Federation since 2004 and during this time, the partnership reached at least one million people through 40 health improvement projects in 37 countries.
Dr. Orlando Monteiro da Silva, President of the FDI World Dental Federation, said, “The work we are doing through this partnership is extremely important. We know that the most common disease worldwide is tooth decay, affecting millions of people; men, women and children. Nine out of 10 people in the world are affected by tooth decay and gum diseases. I’m determined to continue to support the work of the partnership and I am confident that together, we can measurably improve oral health around the world.”
Manojee Dabare, Category Head Oral Care, Unilever Sri Lanka, said: “It gives us great pleasure to extend our support to the SLDA and be associated with an international conference of this magnitude. We are confident that these three days will create dialogue amongst dental professionals of international caliber and their Sri Lankan counterparts, all for the betterment of the fields of dentistry and oral care in the country.”
“We have made it our goal to protect Sri Lankan smiles and the Signal Sina Bo Wewa camps are one of our major initiatives in this regard. Over the last eight years we have reached out to many families through free treatment, advice and sampling all of which have succeeded in educating and inculcating good oral habits at home. Furthermore, Signal has also taken steps to instill good oral habits through the Night Time Brushing campaign. This has helped to educate children and adults alike on the importance of brushing their teeth twice a day,” she added.
The SLDA also organised a scientific program to coincide with its 80th anniversary. This program covered topics such as dental implantology, fixed prosthesis, aesthetic dentistry, endodontic, orthodontics, tooth sensitivity, ceramics and minor oral surgery. A series of lectures, seminars, symposia and workshops was conducted by world reputed experts in the field of dentistry.
Additionally, over 50 stalls were on display at this year’s trade exhibition taking place alongside the conference at the BMICH. These trade stalls gave local and international dentists the opportunity to interact with manufacturers and distributors of oral care products.
The SLDA has been working with Signal for over 30 years, and has embarked on a number of projects across the island during this time period. Together, the two organizations have been able to address a number of oral health related issues and work towards ensuring a nation that considers oral health an important aspect of life.
