Dental News - IDEA 2017 concludes with papers by top speakers

Nathalie Schüller

Wed. 20. December 2017

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ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia: With scientific lectures by internationally prominent speakers, including FDI President-elect Dr Gerhard Seeberger, the third International Dental Exhibition Africa (IDEA) came to an end on 16 December. The three-day congress, which took place in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, welcomed attendees from all over the world to one of the largest dental events in Africa.

Seeberger’s presentation, titled “70% earth or body water: Essential factors for success in oral health promotion and care”, focused on water and its vital role for life, health in general and of course oral health. Water is at the heart of any sustainable development. Two billion people in the world live in areas with contaminated water, and 663 million lack access to drinking water. That is why Seeberger informed the audience about the Portable Aqua Unit for Lifesaving (PAUL). This filtration system, developed at the University of Kassel in Germany for humanitarian aid, makes it possible to supply clean water in emergency and disaster situations and wherever it might be needed.

Transportation of water and a lack of electricity often being issues, PAUL offers a solution because it is easy to handle, weighing only 23 kg, and does not need a power source, it being gravity-driven. It does not require any maintenance, uses no chemicals and delivers 1,300 l of water per day. PAUL filters 99.99 per cent of all bacteria and adenoviruses. For all these reasons, according to Seeberger, PAUL could certainly help boost access to potable water and reduce the incidence of diseases related to a lack of safe water. He concluded his presentation by stating that US$1 million invested in safe water saves US$8 million in health expenditure.

In his paper, “Cone beam computer tomography in endodontics: How and why”, Dr Roberto Fornara explained the advantages of CBCT over CT. The main benefit is the far greater amount of information obtained and the consequent increased capability for improved diagnosis and treatment. Fornara, however, reminded the audience that CBCT is not always necessary for a correct diagnosis. In this regard, dentists should keep the importance of patient safety in mind.

Dr Arnaldo Castellucci concluded the scientific session of the day with a lecture titled “Non-surgical and surgical repair of iatrogenic perforations”. He made a point to emphasise that prevention is always the best therapy. “It is important to have knowledge of the root canal anatomy, and no treatments should be performed in endodontics without the use of a mirror and magnification. Furthermore, no treatment should be performed without the use of a rubber dam,” he added.

According to Castellucci, “Every canal has its own history.” Hence, it is important to treat one canal at a time. To dentists who might question his decision to limit his practice to endodontics for the last 40 years, he answered that every patient, tooth and root canal is different. Consequently, he still feels challenged by every new case.

Lastly, the Minister of Industry of Ethiopia, Dr Mebrahtu Meles, closed IDEA by awarding certificates to the presenters and delegates of the dental associations of Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya, as well as Dr Gianfranco Berrutti and Fabio Catellani (both from the Italian Dental Industries Association, which organises IDEA) and the volunteers who made it possible to hold a successful event.