Dental Tribune Italy marks 20 years of success

Dental Tribune Italy

Mon. 19. May 2025

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Dental Tribune International (DTI), based in Leipzig in Germany, has been shaping the global dental publishing landscape since its founding in 2003. Over the past two decades, it has grown to become one of the leading voices in dentistry, reaching dental professionals in more than 90 countries and publishing in 24 languages through its flagship title, Dental Tribune. This year marks a special milestone for the Italian edition of the newspaper, which is celebrating its 20^th anniversary. In this interview, DTI CEO Torsten Oemus, who also founded the company, reflects on the journey, the challenges overcome and the vision that continues to drive the publication’s success in Italy and beyond.

Mr Oemus, how did the decision to expand the DTI publishing project into Italy come about?
Italy has always been a driving force in dentistry, having an extremely high level of aesthetic and surgical skills. Its academic institutions, key opinion leaders and dental companies are admired worldwide and represent a leading force in the global dental market. There is scarcely a dental conference globally where Italians are not among the innovators and where their case presentations do not set the standard of care.

As Dental Tribune was working to establish itself as the global voice of dentistry, it was clear from the beginning that we needed to be represented in Italy and offer our growing network to the Italian dental industry. On a personal note, I must admit that I have always been a great fan of Italy. When the Iron Curtain fell in 1989, I spent my summers hitch-hiking through Italy—so, no one ever needed to convince me to spend more time there.

Torsten Oemus (left) and Patrizia Gatto first met on New Year's Eve of 2005 and have been business partners ever since.

How did the first meeting with Patrizia Gatto, director of TUEOR SERVIZI, which publishes Dental Tribune Italy, come about?
The major question was always how to gain entry to this very competitive and culturally sophisticated market. We needed to find the right partner. Through personal connections in my hometown of Leipzig, I was introduced to Patrizia Gatto, who turned out to be the perfect match, having a strong entrepreneurial background, having built an established editorial organisation in Turin and possessing the taste, contacts and passion for dental publishing. We became publishing partners after just one meeting and introduced the DTI portfolio to Italy.

What were the main challenges in the early years of activity in Italy?
The dental profession is a small, very conservative community that cannot be won over quickly. It takes effort, time and personal involvement to become part of it. However, Gatto and the entire TUEOR team were ambitious, diligent and serious about establishing a new chapter in dental communication in Italy—launching a high-frequency news platform in print and digital from the beginning, along with daily newsletters, specialty sections, continuing education magazines and, soon after, conferences. They were determined to build trust within the Italian dental community, and their efforts paid off quickly. Of course, the beginning is always a challenge—but no risk, no fun!

What editorial vision has guided Dental Tribune since its foundation, and how has this vision evolved over time?
Dental Tribune started with the goal of becoming the world’s dental newspaper—or, as we might say today, a global media platform. The concept was to assemble as many local-language editions as possible into an international network, offering local content with a global perspective—and vice versa. We launched editions in major markets across Europe, the US, the Middle East and Asia. To be recognised as a local newspaper with an international outlook, we have always published in the local language, had local editors and focused on local content.

Today, Dental Tribune reaches more than 1.4 million dental professionals in over 90 countries. While DTI’s digital editions, extensive website, newsletters and DT Study Club online education platform have become key growth drivers, the original vision remains intact.

After 20 years, are you satisfied with Dental Tribune Italy?
I am very satisfied with the strong standing, recognition and appreciation that Dental Tribune enjoys in Italy. The TUEOR team is exceptionally well connected and experienced, covering the entire market across all specialties of dentistry.

I do wish we could feature even more of the outstanding work from Italian dentistry in our international publications because the quality of the Italian magazines is remarkable.

“It was clear from the beginning that we needed to be represented in Italy and offer our growing network to the Italian dental industry.”
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From left: Torsten Oemus, Dr Gianfranco Berrutti and Patrizia Gatto at the 2013 FDI congress in Turkey.

How has Dental Tribune changed over time, both editorially and technologically?
DTI has pioneered many firsts in dentistry. Dental Tribune was the first truly global dental publication and the first to launch an e-paper version, and DTI was the first to create an online education platform—the DT Study Club. We held the first webinars and online meetings in dentistry back in 2007.

We also introduced the first continuing education magazines in fields like digital dentistry, artificial intelligence and dentofacial aesthetics and have hosted online conferences in these areas. We will continue to stay at the forefront of applying new technologies education and development in the dental profession, especially in mobile apps and digital platforms—such as our latest learning app for dental students, wizdom.me, another first in dentistry.

Thanks to our global perspective, readers of DTI publications can always expect to find the latest technologies, products, services, techniques, business strategies and tools featured across our platforms.

How do you see the evolution of the Italian media landscape, and what role might Dental Tribune play in the coming years?
We observe the same trends in Italy as elsewhere: greater consolidation, a shift towards digital platforms and an increasing need for trusted sources. While digital media dominates, there is currently a renaissance of printed media, valued for its superior quality and trustworthiness. After all, dentists do not spend their entire day in front of screens and still appreciate trusted information, education and inspiration in print.

Looking ahead, what are the main goals you hope to achieve over the next 20 years?
Our main goal is to turn our global community into active members and loyal customers across our growing range of information services, continuing education offerings and business consultancy products. DTI will continue to expand its trusted services, supporting dental professionals worldwide in serving their patients better and managing their practices more successfully. The importance of oral health to overall well-being cannot be overstated, and we are proud to contribute to its advancement.