Congress > Brussels 2002

EAO Congress - Brussels 2002

Brussels, Belgium
September 12-14, 2002
Palais des Congrès (Congress Palace)

Welcome reception, speech of Dr. Rompen
President of the Belgian Society of Periodontology

Dear colleagues, Dear friends,

It is a real pleasure to be among you today, especially because the EAO and the European Federation of Periodontology, the EFP, are working more and more hands in hands.

The EFP started more than a decade ago. There were rumours about such an European idea in the 80’s but the first concrete decision was taken in Marrakech in the 90’s, with the wish to create an European federation and the famous Europerio’s. After this, the general assemblies followed each others until today. We are now 17 full member societies out of 24 countries. This bureau prepares all the work but all decisions are taken by the general assembly, which takes place once a year.

The big word came: “decisions”. You know it as well as I do, the EFP is a federation and not a society and, as such, does not possess any real power over its members, i.e. over all different national societies.

The objectives of the EFP are diverse and multiple.
I selected three of them.

Teaching
The formation of the general practitioners as well as that of the specialists in periodontology was carefully examined and a model was constructed in which all the best of the various countries was adopted, whenever possible. This was done, of course, to maintain and even to elevate the level of teaching in all our countries and to include implantology as part of our curriculum.

The speciality in Periodontology is now officially recognized by six out of the 24 countries of the EFP.

Workshops of the European Academy of Periodontology, the EAP
Seven months ago, I had the pleasure to meet with some of you in Switzerland for the fourth workshop of the EAP. This EAP started first alone but came gradually under the umbrella of the EFP. Concomitantly it also came closer and closer to the American Academy of Periodontology. This structure produces proceedings which are more and more known and referred to around the world.

The dental hygienists
The recognition of this profession is an old problem for several countries: Greece, Turkey, France and Belgium. This profession is intimately related to ours, and this since some decades. In some countries, or states in the USA, the dental hygienists acquire more and more freedom: anesthesia, own practice, etc. In others, like in the Netherlands they ask for a university status with a four year curriculum. The EFP has to follow all of this very carefully and to propose limitations in the work of the dental hygienists in all European countries, to what was previously meant: prevention.

Well dear friends, it is time now to say thank you for your attention and to express my gratitude to the European Association for Osseointegration for its warm welcome.
Have a fruitful meeting.