Dental News - Passport to world-class aligner line-up in Valencia

Dental Tribune International

Thu. 29. February 2024

save

VALENCIA, Spain: The European Aligner Society (EAS) has welcomed a record number of delegates to its fifth congress, which is taking place in Valencia. Around 1,200 dental professionals from 69 countries have converged on Spain’s third-largest city, making this event EAS’s largest to date.

Delegates have been attracted by the comprehensive three-day programme on aligner therapy and digital dentistry, delivered by 39 speakers. There are augmented plenary sessions, workshops and AlignerLab Innovations day, as well as a parallel programme for orthodontic teams. This is focused on key topics such as patient workflow, practice set-up, 3D printing and staff well-being. A new feature at the congress is the AlignerLab Innovation Village, where top companies in the industry are hosting workshops and masterclasses on specific treatment aspects and offering practical digital experiences and face-to-face meetings with industry experts.

The amassed experience and collective expertise of the invited speakers make this congress a mecca for dental professionals with a hunger for advanced clinical knowledge and an ambition for business growth. In the coming days, Dental Tribune International will be reporting on the sessions, interviewing the great and the good of aligner orthodontics and sharing news about the latest innovations being showcased at the congress.

Impressions from Valencia

The fifth EAS congress was hosted at the Valencia Conference Centre. (Image: EAS)

Jerko Bozikovic's lecture focused on managing stress and time effectively to achieve efficiency and balance, both personally and professionally. (Image: EAS)

At the exhibition, attendees had the opportunity to test the latest products in aligner therapy. (Image: EAS)

Through numerous lectures and workshops, the event aimed to enhance attendees’ knowledge and clinical skills in aligner orthodontics. (Image: Dental Tribune International)

DentalMonitoring is a pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence for oral care.(Image: Dental Tribune International)

Align Technology is the main sponsor of the event. (Image: Dental Tribune International)

Left to right: Jerko Bozikovic, Iro Eleftheriadi, Andrea Bazzucchi, Gina Theodoridis, Rooz Khozravi and Lina Craven. (Image: Dental Tribune International)

Life is better when you smile. (Image: EAS)

Dr Andrea Bazzucchi teaches widely on the use of Invisalign. (Image: EAS)

From left to right: Jerko Bozikovic, Dr Iro Eleftheriadi, Dr Andrea Bazzucchi, Dr Rooz Khozravi, Dr Lina Craven and Dr Gina Theodoridis. (Image: EAS)

Dr Leslie Joffe, executive secretary of the EAS, expressed delight at the success of yet another congress. (Image: EAS)

Dr Jose Gandia, president of the fifth EAS congress, gave the opening address in front of a full auditorium. (Image: EAS)

Dr Gina Theodoridis was the scientific chairperson of the congress and will be the president of the sixth congress in May 2025 in Rhodes, Greece. (Image: EAS)

The AWorld App, developed by the United Nations, aims to inspire and support individuals in embracing a sustainable lifestyle. (Image: Dental Tribune International)

From left to right: Dr Tommaso Castroflorio, immediate EAS past president; Dr Gina Theodoridis, EAS scientific chairperson; and EAS president Dr Jose Gandia. (Image: EAS)

Delegates during one of the plenary sessions. (Image: EAS)

Dr Tommaso Castroflorio, president of the fourth EAS congress, reminded the delegates that technology is a tool and that biomechanics principles are the pillars on which a successful therapy is based on. (Image: EAS)

Dr David Raickovic focused on aligner biomechanics, with an emphasis on anchorage assembly and the sequence of movements. (Image: EAS)

From left to right: Drs Kamy Malekian, Juan Carlos Perez Varela, Tommaso Castroflorio, Gina Theodoridis, Manuel Roman, Arturo Vela, Jose Gandia, Ki Beom Kim and Chris Laspos. (Image: EAS)

The 2024 honorary members. From left to right: Drs Nikhilesh Vaid, Juan Carlos Rivero Lesmes and Leslie Joffe. (Image: EAS)

Eighteen physicians were awarded the clinical excellence certificate. (Image: EAS)

The City of Arts and Sciences is one of the most visited sites in Valencia. (Image: EAS)

Fostering clinical excellence

After the success of the first 15 candidates to sit the new European Board of Aligner Orthodontics (EBAO) examination, EAS registered 31 clinicians for the clinical master membership of EBAO examination, which took place on the first day of the congress.

There are two pathways to achieving EABO certification in two stages: the EBAO Proficiency Award and the EBAO Clinical Excellence Award. Eight clinicians have submitted the initial two cases for the former, and 21 clinicians have submitted a further three or five cases for the latter. For more information about the clinicians who have recently received certification, please visit www.eas-aligners.com/ebao/.

Green credentials

Congress delegates have been invited to download the United Nations’ AWorld app, which was developed to encourage living in a more sustainable way in a modern world, with less paper and less plastic. It was created in support of ActNow—the United Nations campaign for individual action on climate change and sustainability.

The app incentivises people to take sustainable action through everyday habits and actions, which they can log and track. It also provides them with their impact metrics, educational journeys, tips and quizzes and engages them using eye-catching visuals and solutions-oriented content.

EAS is keen to foster more projects which encourage sustainability and is embracing ways to reduce wastage. So, at the fifth congress, Align Technology has provided all the delegates with water flasks that can be refilled at water cooler stations throughout the venue.

EAS is also aiming for a paperless event. There are no printed versions of the congress programme—it is all provided on the event app—and most of the materials, including the roll-up banners, have been fabricated from recyclable constituents.

For more information, please visit www.eas-aligners.com.