STRASBOURG, France: Members of the European Parliament (MEP) and leaders of European dental supplies organisations that represent 18 European countries recently met in Strasbourg to discuss key concerns affecting their industry. The meeting, which was organised by the Association of Dental Dealers in Europe (ADDE), took place during a European Parliament session.

The ADDE informed MEPs about the current state of and activities in the dental industry. They also discussed common concerns, including the forthcoming Medical Device Directive recast, the challenges in determining a common Unique Product Identifier (e-labelling) and the guarantee and warranty responsibilities of member companies.

The central topic of the meeting was the draft Radiation Protection Directive. “Whether X-ray imaging is done by dentists or radiologists is now a concern to be discussed with the involved actors,” said Dr. Thomas Ulmer, MEP Germany. According to the ADDE, the current regulations are too strict and not reasonably realisable for practising dentists. The main problem is that the current regulations do not differentiate between dental practices and radiologic clinics, causing complications in everyday work flow. MEPs and industry/trade leaders agreed to continue building stronger links between the parties drafting the legislation and those enacting them in every-day primary-care dental settings.

“This is the second in a successful series of meetings that are building a constructive dialogue between European politicians and representatives of the dental suppliers organisations,” Dominique Deschietere, ADDE President, said in concluding the meeting.