Australian Dr Stephen Chen elected ITI President-elect at Annual General Meeting

The International Team for Implantology (ITI), a leading academic organization dedicated to the promotion of evidence-based education and research in the field of implant dentistry, held its Annual General Meeting in Istanbul, Turkey on April 25, 2015.

In his annual report to the General Assembly of Fellows, ITI President Prof. Dr. David Cochran (USA) highlighted the many achievements of an active year for the ITI, primary among them the highly successful ITI World Symposium 2014 and the launch of its cutting-edge e-learning platform, the ITI Online Academy. He reported that with a total of 87,000 visits and more than 1.25 million page views in the five months following its launch, the ITI Online Academy has already exceeded the initial expectations of the organization.

"The ITI Online Academy is clearly meeting the needs of professionals in the field for a quality-driven educational opportunity that is available 24/7", commented Prof. Cochran. "With this tailor-made e-learning platform, we are providing a crucial educational instrument developed in line with the ITI's standards of evidence-based science. And we are justly proud of this excellent and continuously developing tool." Together with the ITI's more than 630 Study Clubs worldwide and its regular national congresses, the addition of the ITI Online Academy clearly underscores the organization's claim as a leading provider of evidence-based education in implant dentistry. The organization currently has more than 17,000 Fellows and Members in more than 100 countries worldwide.

At the Annual General Meeting (AGM), the General Assembly of Fellows approved the ITI Board of Directors' nomination of Dr. Stephen Chen (Australia) as the new ITI President-elect. Dr. Chen will start his term of office as ITI President in 2017. As the Chair of the ITI Education Committee for the last eight years, Dr. Chen has been closely involved in all the ITI's education projects and processes and is therefore ideally positioned to take the organization further along its path. With Dr. Chen's nomination as President-elect, Past-President Prof. Dr. Daniel Buser (Switzerland) leaves the ITI Board of Directors. Also leaving the Board are Prof. Dr. Hans-Peter Weber (USA) and Dr. Dr. Hideaki Katsuyama (Japan). Newly elected as Board members at large are Dr. Eiji Funakoshi (Japan) and Prof. Dr. Dean Morton (USA). Prof. Dr. Daniel Wismeijer (Netherlands), former Board member at large, has taken on a new role on the Board as Chair of the ITI Education Committee.

Prof. Dr. Jan Lindhe distinguished as ITI Honorary Fellow

The ITI has a tradition that recognizes the efforts and dedication of individuals who have contributed significantly to implant dentistry and its related fields. Since the ITI was founded in 1980, 13 ITI Fellows have been distinguished with this honor. As a pioneer in oral tissue regeneration and a world renowned clinical researcher in periodontology, Prof. Dr. Jan Lindhe, Professor Emeritus at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden, is the 14th recipient of this richly deserved distinction. In his long career, Prof. Lindhe played a key role in developing periodontology as a discipline in Europe and has authored more than 400 research publications, text books and book chapters. His publication "Clinical periodontology and implant dentistry", now in its 5th edition, is regarded as a key reference work in the field. "Prof. Lindhe, who has been an ITI Fellow since 1996, is universally respected as an outstanding clinician, educator and researcher", said ITI President David Cochran. "The ITI is very proud to count him among its Fellows and to present him with this Honorary Fellowship." Prof. Lindhe continues to contribute actively to research into periodontology.

The AGM was preceded by a full-day scientific conference with more than 300 participants that focused on the challenges of managing the geriatric patient. The next ITI AGM will take place in Chicago, USA on April 28, 2016 in conjunction with the ITI Congress North America 2016.

About the ITI

The International Team for Implantology (ITI) is an academic association that unites professionals around the world from every field of implant dentistry and related disciplines. It actively promotes networking and exchange among its membership of currently more than 17,000. ITI Fellows and Members regularly share their knowledge and expertise from research and clinical practice at meetings, courses and congresses with the objective of continuously improving treatment methods and outcomes to the benefit of their patients.

In 35 years, the ITI has built a reputation for scientific rigor combined with concern for the welfare of patients. The organization focuses on the development of well-documented treatment guidelines backed by extensive clinical testing and the compilation of long-term results. The ITI funds research as well as Scholarships for young clinicians, organizes congresses and continuing education events, and runs more than 600 Study Clubs around the globe. The organization also publishes reference books such as the ITI Treatment Guide series and operates the ITI Online Academy, a peer-reviewed, evidence-based e-learning platform with a unique user-centric approach.