Dr Dhoble, next year, India will host the FDI World Dental Congress for the third time. The previous editions drew tens of thousands of participants. What are the main priorities for the Mumbai event?
Whenever I share that India will host the FDI World Dental Congress for the third time, I feel a great sense of pride, followed by a strong sense of responsibility. The Indian Dental Association is committed to preparing a congress that will reflect the scale, diversity and ambition of the global dental community when delegates gather at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai in 2027.

Our main priority is the scientific programme. We want it to address both current clinical needs and the direction in which dentistry is moving. Artificial intelligence, digital workflows, prevention, public health and global oral health policy are among the areas that will be under discussion.

Beyond the scientific programme, we want every delegate to experience the warmth of Indian hospitality. Travel, accommodation, the venue, cuisine and networking should all support a smooth congress experience. India has the infrastructure and organisational capability to welcome a global dental audience, and our aim is for delegates to leave Mumbai with new knowledge and lasting memories.

What can participants expect from the 2027 congress?
Scientific sessions will remain at the heart of the congress, but we are also building an experience that extends beyond the lecture halls. We plan to introduce wellness and sports initiatives to give delegates an opportunity to focus on their own well-being, something dentists may overlook. We want delegates to gain continuing education credits, but also to recharge and reconnect with colleagues.

We are also planning innovation hubs that will go beyond traditional exhibition spaces. Rather than only seeing technologies on display, delegates should be able to experience them in action. For example, a session on artificial intelligence-supported diagnostics could be followed by a demonstration showing how the technology may be applied clinically.

The aim is for the delegate experience to feel complete: intellectually challenging, professionally relevant and personally memorable. We want the Mumbai event to be a meaningful gathering of the dental profession—not just a congress.

How will the exhibition and innovation-focused initiatives create meaningful industry engagement?
The exhibition in Mumbai is expected to be large, and the focus will be on connecting innovation, education and clinical practice. Too often, the exhibition and the scientific programme feel like separate parts of the same event. We want to bring them closer together so that delegates can move between lectures and the exhibition floor and encounter not only products but also ideas and practical solutions.

We are working with industry partners to create interactive innovation zones where clinicians, researchers, entrepreneurs and industry leaders can discuss real challenges and possible solutions. The emphasis should be on collaboration and learning.

I am also looking forward to showcasing India’s innovation story. In recent years, India’s dental manufacturing and technology sectors have grown considerably, and Indian companies are developing products and solutions that are gaining wider recognition. If delegates leave Mumbai with a clearer understanding of India’s contribution to dentistry, that will be an important achievement.

How will the congress support young dentists?
India is home to a large community of young dental professionals who are curious, ambitious and eager to contribute. For the Mumbai congress, we are designing the experience so that young clinicians and researchers will be visible and involved. To support this commitment in practical terms, the programme for young dentists will include mentorship by experienced international clinicians, as well as leadership development and opportunities to present research on a global platform.

Young dentists are not only the future of the profession; they are already shaping it. They are often the first to adopt new technology and to ask difficult questions about access and equity in oral healthcare. My hope is that a young dentist from any smaller town or city in India will be able to step into the congress and feel that he or she belongs and that the global dental community recognises his or her potential.

“We want the Mumbai event to be a meaningful gathering of the dental profession—not just a congress.”

Why is Mumbai a fitting host city for a global congress?
When people ask me why Mumbai, I tell them to spend a few days here and they will have their answer. Mumbai has an energy that is difficult to describe but easy to perceive. It brings together people from different cultures and walks of life, all with a shared sense of purpose and possibility.

Mumbai also makes sense from a practical perspective. It is one of India’s most connected cities and has strong international air links and the infrastructure needed for an event of this scale. Jio World Convention Centre offers a suitable setting, and with support from the government of Maharashtra, we are well positioned to welcome delegates from around the world.

For me, Mumbai is vibrant, diverse and full of character. First-time visitors can feel at ease there while still being drawn into the city’s energy and sense of possibility. That is the experience we want to create for the 2027 congress: delegates will come for the science, learning and professional exchange, but we hope that they will also leave with memories of a city that welcomed them and connected them with colleagues from across the world.

What lasting impact do you hope that the congress will have?
Within India, I hope that the congress will support a stronger national conversation about access to oral healthcare. We need to continue working towards integrating oral health into primary healthcare and addressing the barriers that prevent many people from receiving even basic dental care. If the 2027 congress can help advance that discussion and encourage practical progress, that would be one of its most important legacies.

At a regional level, I would like to see stronger partnerships across South Asia and Southeast Asia. Many countries in the region face similar oral health challenges, and there is value in sharing knowledge and developing solutions together.

Globally, the congress reflects the increasingly diverse and collaborative nature of dentistry. Leadership, research, innovation and clinical excellence are no longer concentrated in a few traditional centres; they are emerging from every part of the world. India hosting the 2027 congress is part of that evolution. My hope is that the Mumbai event will bring different voices together, strengthen international partnerships and help the profession improve oral health for communities around the world.

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