ITI World Symposium 2017: Record attendance of 4,800

The International Team for Implantology (ITI) held the ITI World Symposium 2017 from May 4 to 6 in Basel, Switzerland. A total of more than 4,800 dental professionals from 90 countries attended the ITI's flagship event, making it the biggest international implant dentistry congress ever. The focus of the three-day scientific program was on "Key factors for long-term success".

The scientific program was presented by more than 100 speakers and moderators from all over the world who provided keen insights into diverse aspects of current treatment methods and new technologies. The presentations ranged from 45-minute in-depth plenary lectures covering the entire treatment cycle from diagnosis through treatment to aftercare, to highly concentrated 15-minute talks in a series of six lively breakout sessions. The faculty combined the field's established leading speakers along with a broad range of talented specialists from all of the ITI's 27 Sections. In order to ensure as broad an understanding as possible of the knowledge being presented, simultaneous translation was provided into 11 different languages.

The event kicked off with a half-day Pre-Symposium Corporate Forum presented by Straumann, botiss and Morita. In his key note address, world-renowned researcher and pioneer in the field of artificial intelligence and biomechanical engineering, Prof. Kevin Warwick provided fascinating insights into the potential future directions of healthcare. A large industry exhibition and poster presentation kept participants occupied during coffee and lunch breaks. These activities were complemented by the traditional evening social program that included the ITI reception and the legendary Straumann party that allowed people to relax and network after a full day of science.

"I am delighted with the results of this World Symposium at every level", said Daniel Wismeijer, Chair of the Scientific Program Committee. "The attendance figures speak for themselves. It is clear that the ITI is meeting a strong need for reliable evidence-based information and it is my belief that practitioners are going home carrying many new keys in their pocket ready for use in daily clinical practice."

Stephen Chen new ITI President

At the ITI's Annual General Meeting 2017, held the day before the ITI World Symposium, Dr. Stephen T. Chen (Melbourne, Australia) was officially inaugurated as ITI President. Taking over from Prof. Dr. David L. Cochran (San Antonio TX, USA), who led the organization for the past four years, Stephen Chen has a strong track record in ITI education, having served both as member and Chair of the ITI Education Committee for more than 10 years. He is ideally positioned to take the ITI's education projects to the next level – in particular the new ITI Curriculum, a standardized modular program of structured learning for dentists that will be rolled out later this year.

ITI Honorary Fellowship for Daniel Buser

At the same meeting, the ITI awarded Prof. Dr. Daniel Buser (Bern, Switzerland) an ITI Honorary Fellowship in recognition of his untiring efforts on behalf of the ITI and implant dentistry as a whole over the last three decades. He is the 16th ITI Fellow to be awarded this honor since 1993.

The next ITI World Symposium will take place in 2020.

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 37 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 630 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.