Interview: “We are excited for the first IDEC!”

Indonesia is a major emerging market, and not only in the dental industry. Is this reflected in the decision to establish a regional-focused dental congress and exhibition?
In addition to its potential as an emerging market, Indonesia boasts significant natural and human resources. Indonesia has more than 32,000 dentists, whose potential must continue to be encouraged and enhanced, especially in the field of scientific development. This is one of the main reasons we have invested in putting together IDEC, to help nurture the development of all the dental professionals in Indonesia. The conference topics were chosen to help Indonesian dentists maximise their time at the conference and help them to improve their practice and patient care. We hope that the event will become a reference for other countries.

What can attendees expect from the inaugural event?
We are excited for the first IDEC! We really hope that our attendees will gain more knowledge and a better understanding of the latest technologies in dentistry and the development in dental services. Both sections of the event, the conference and exhibition, will come together to provide dental professionals with the perfect mix of insights into the business aspect of the dental market and its latest products and services, as well as the educational aspect, with dental experts presenting the latest developments in research and practice.

As a trade show host, one rarely has the opportunity to start from scratch. How did you approach the show to make it unique?
Indonesia is a country with great cultural diversity. With IDEC, Indonesia has a significant opportunity to showcase local cultures, in the form of traditional dances and information related to our heritage. We are working together with the Ministry of Tourism of the Republic of Indonesia to host a cultural night for our overseas exhibitors and visitors on the Friday evening of IDEC 2017.

Among manufacturers and companies, there seems to be a great deal of enthusiasm about the show. What feedback have you received so far?
We have received an overall positive response stating that exhibitors have a strong belief in the market potential of Indonesia as a large country within ASEAN, with many dental faculties and professionals. They have committed to participating in IDEC and look forward to setting up meetings and kicking off new partnerships with all the different facets of dentistry in Indonesia.

Currently, the majority of dental equipment used in Indonesia is imported from abroad. Do you think that events such as IDEC will stimulate the local dental market and encourage the emergence of local manufacturers, for example, in the long term?
It is the case that at present we still use imported goods. The impact of IDEC, especially in introducing new developments of the international dental industry to local producers, may help spark ideas and innovation within Indonesia and in the long term encourage the domestic industry to meet more of the domestic market demand and create more mutually beneficial partnerships with overseas companies.

How many exhibitors and visitors do you expect?
To date, 130 exhibitors from 12 countries—most representing several brands—will be showcasing the latest products and services at IDEC. Visitor and attendee registration is currently ongoing and we expect to have about 5,000 participants from every part of Indonesia join us.

Will IDEC be an annual or biennial event in the future?
In the future, IDEC will be held every two years to ensure that dental companies and professionals have an opportunity to come together on a regular basis to collectively share ideas and discover the latest developments in dentistry from both local and international competitors in the industry. Aside from IDEC, PDGI organises many smaller regional events within Indonesia. By hosting IDEC every two years, we are looking to balance out having all of these smaller events and one central event for every dental professional in the nation.

What did you aim at when composing the scientific programme—are there any trending topics that you wanted to address with the choice of lectures?
Held under the theme “Modern science and technology for the future of Indonesian dentistry”, the event is intended to encourage dental professionals to improve their skill set and to become better informed about the latest issues regarding dental science to enhance their daily practice in dentistry. To this end, we have also scheduled several limited-attendance hands-on workshops alongside the main conference. Dental professionals can take advantage of these sessions to pick up practical tips in areas such as dental photography, minimally invasive gingivectomy, reciprocating motion in endodontics and much more.

In your opinion, what are the main challenges regarding the oral health care industry in the country?
In my opinion, the Indonesian health care sector faces two main challenges. First is the mindset regarding oral health, the result of which is that most of the population of Indonesia do not take proper care of their teeth. Secondly, the disparity of resources among the many provinces and islands for oral health care services is a challenge we need to find ways to overcome.

Jakarta is one of the most fascinating cities in the world. Could you give attendees some tips on making the most of their time in the host city after hours?
Jakarta has many interesting places to visit. I would recommend the Monumen Nasional, Museum Gajah and Taman Ismail Marzuki for first-time visitors to the city. One can also enjoy the beauty of Jakarta free by experiencing the city on a bus tour.

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