Dr. Harry-Sam Selikowitz on FDI Annual Congress

Dr. Harry-Sam Selikowitz, Chair of the Science Committee at FDI, spoke with Dr. Chiraz Guessaier about the recent FDI Annual Congress as well as his role in adopting the new oral hygiene definition and policy statements.

Highlights 

Overall, the meeting was successful in formulating and adopting eight new policy statements due to the efforts of various committees.

At the meeting, various committees met to discuss their areas of concern. The Science Committee covered topics including phasing-down amalgam, dental materials, antibiotic resistance, and are working on scientific updates in the fields of genetic testing and nano technology.

The scientific program of the congress, which was well attended, involved sessions over 4 days and had a diverse array of subjects such as non-surgical periodontal treatment and advances in the use of laser dentistry.

The World Oral Health Forum panel discussion took place and focused on the Minamata Convention. For dentistry, the Minamata Convention, refers to the phasing-down of mercury in amalgam which has been ratified by 30 countries and 50 are needed and it is expected that this will happen this year. (Norway and Canada has not ratified yet). To fulfil the requirements of this agreement, newer dental materials must be developed. There must also be shift in dentistry, as an industry, and dental professionals towards the prevention of dental caries.

A new definition of “oral health” was adopted at this year’s meeting after an inclusive process where also dental associations from different countries shared their definition.