Education Implanted

KARACHI: The 2nd Federation of Implant Dentistry Pakistan (FIDP) Implantology Conference’ 2014 was held at DHA Golf Club, Karachi. The mega event was organized in collaboration with Dental News Pakistan, as the media partner, and various National and International Organizations and Companies. After much debate within the Pakistan Implantology circuit, the aim of the conference was unanimously set to achieve the following goals; to set path for FIDP to become  one of the leading and prestigious implantology organizations of the world, to encourage world leaders to participate and train clinicians and students in Pakistan, to support and encourage the Pakistani professionals to excel and strive to improve their skills, and lastly to encourage the FIDP members to participate in global events such as the ICOI symposia. Dental professionals in Pakistan have lacked the expertise and key awareness in the Global Field of implantology. “To place an implant is not a problem; to successfully place one is.” said, Dr. Irfan Qureshi President FIDP. Speaking to Dental News, Dr Sameer Qureshi, Finance Secretary FIDP said: “The costs of Implant treatment in Pakistan are relatively lower when compared to the West; but patients are still being offered conventional solutions like dentures. It is certainly time for us to take the Pakistani Dental Expertise to the global standard”. The event, which was the second after the inaugural conference in 2012, was supported by the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI), Pakistan Dental Association (PDA) and The Palestenian Dental Association, saw attendance by dental implantologists and experts from Asia, Europe and the US. The key speakers of the event included, Dr. Jin Kim DDS, MS (UCLA), BDS, MS (Australia). Dr. Kim is a Diplomate of the American Board of Periodontology, Oral Implantology and Implant Dentistry. He is also a lecturer at the UCLA, School of Dentistry and Fellow of the International Congress of Oral Implantologists (ICOI) and American Academy of Implant Dentistry (AAID). Dr Kim spoke about the maxillary Sinus Lift, and during one of the post conference Hands On workshops, demonstrated the lateral window sinus graft. The panel of speakers also included Dr Marwan Qasem from the Palestine. Dr Qasem is a DDS, Fellow in Implantology at NYU and the Co-founder and Acting Chairman of the PADI (The Palestenian Association of Dental Implantology). Dr. Qasem spoke on sinus augmentation and participants, during one of the post conference workshops, were allowed to practice the procedure, under supervision, on a live patient. Another key member of the speakers panel was Dr. Henriette Lerner, Doctor Medic.(D.M.D) University of Medicine, Temeschburg, Faculty of Dentistry, Romania and Diplomate of the ICOI. Dr. Lerner is an authority on Minimally Invasive Implantology. On the speakers list was Dr. Muhammad Assaf from the Palestine. Dr Assaf is a graduate in Dental Surgery from Cairo, Egypt and has done his certification and PhD in Periodontology. He is one of the founders of the PADI and a member of the board of consultant since 2011. Dr Assaf focused on the modern periodontal implications in Implant Dentistry and also conducted two hands on workshops; the first focusing on Root Coverage and the second on Esthetic Crown Lengthening. The FIDP 2014 was a massive success, and the organizers of FIDP have now announced the event to be an annual feature.