ITI Annual General Meeting in London.

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, welcomed more than 160 Fellows to this year's Annual General Meeting in London, UK.

ITI Study Club concept as a powerful driver of growth

In his report to the Fellows, ITI President Professor Dr. Daniel Buser stressed the strong growth of the ITI, which welcomed its 10,000th member last year and now has more than 12,800 members worldwide. According to Professor Buser, this growth was mainly driven by the ITI Study Club concept, which was introduced in 2010 and has become a great success all over the world.

ITI Study Clubs are aimed at general practitioners and provide a valuable opportunity for members to meet and get to know colleagues practicing in the same city or area. Non-ITI members can attend up to two meetings as a guest. Currently, there are more than 650 ITI Study Clubs worldwide.

Professor Dr. David L. Cochran elected President-elect

The General Assembly of Fellows accepted the Board of Director's proposal to elect Professor Dr. David L. Cochran President-elect of the ITI. He will succeed Professor Dr. Daniel Buser, whose four-year term of office as President of the ITI will end in April 2013.

Professor Dr. David L. Cochran has been a Fellow of the ITI since 1992 and has been actively involved in the organization and in shaping its development. As Chair of the ITI Research Committee, he was a member of the ITI Board of Directors from 2003 to 2007 and was elected to sit on the Board as a member at large in 2011.

David Cochran is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Periodontics at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, Dental School (USA). He is a member of many professional dental organizations and is currently President of the Academy of Osseointegration (AO).

ITI Honorary Fellowship presented to Professor Dr. Dr. Dieter Weingart

Professor Dr. Dr. Dieter Weingart has been awarded an ITI Honorary Fellowship for outstanding merit and his commitment to the organization. As President of the ITI from 2005 to 2009, he played an important role in developing and implementing the strategic goals of the organization as defined in the "ITI Vision 2017". Professor Weingart has been a Fellow of the ITI since 1992 and was Chairman of the German ITI Section as well as a member of the ITI Development Committee and the ITI Education Core Group. He sat on the ITI Board until 2011. Professor Weingart is Chairman of the Department of Oral, Maxillo and Facial Plastic Surgery at the Klinikum Stuttgart, Katharinenhospital, Germany.

Scientific seminar with 380 participants

As in previous years, the Annual General Meeting was accompanied by a scientific seminar, which - for the first time - was open to all ITI Members and non-Members and was extended to a full day. Run under the title "Dilemmas in Implant Dentistry", internationally renowned experts discussed potential challenges in implant dentistry and presented latest evidence-based findings. Next year's scientific seminar will again be open to all interested professionals.

The next ITI Annual General Meeting will be held on April 27, 2013 in Bern, Switzerland. More information on the ITI is available at www.iti.org.