Let's Talk Turkey

Are you ready for The 2013 annual world dental conference in istanbul?

Editor Kevin Henry recently sat down with a representative from the FDI to talk about the upcoming meeting in Istanbul and asked the question that's on everybody's mind: Is it safe?

By Kevin Henry, Editor

Kevin Henry: What are you expecting in terms of attendance in Istanbul?

FDI: With registrations already in the region of 6,000, six weeks still to go, and onsite registrations as well, anticipated attendance is well over 10,000.

KH: What effect (if any) is FDI expecting the political tension in the area to have on the meeting?

FDI: None as things stand right now. We have, with our Turkish hosts, been monitoring events and the situation has returned to normal. A legal procedure has been launched over the property development project around Taksim Square, which, if you recall, was the original reason behind the demonstrations. As for the wider protests, our Turkish hosts have pointed out that "the events were actually a late bloomer of ‘occupy events' that started all over the world last year and got a wide participation from Turkish citizens. Although things seemed to be getting out of hand because of the response of the police officers, sensible Turkish citizens did not allow that and continued their non-violent protests."

KH: How many exhibitors are you expecting and how big is the exhibit hall?

FDI: As of July 12th, there are 243 exhibitors equally balanced between national and international. The exhibition space covers nearly 6,000 square metres.

KH: What are some of the ways the FDI will be working with exhibitors to drive traffic to the exhibit hall?

FDI: The Poster sessions, an integral part of the Scientific Programme, take place inside the Exhibition space. This year, a record number were submitted. The congress newspaper Worldental Daily also plays a key role in highlighting the exhibition and increasing traffic flows. Participants at Industry Symposia will also undoubtedly be advised to visit the booth of the relevant company.

KH: What are some of the meeting's highlights that FDI is pushing out to attendee- as well as those who are considering coming to Istanbul?

FDI: Hot topics this year include digital practice, dental erosion and dentin hypersensitivity. A full-day programme has also been developed for dental auxiliaries. There are two sessions of the World Oral Health Forum, one on dental materials following the successful negotiation of the Minamata Convention on Mercury. The other World Oral Health Forum session will address oral health within the context of the global initiative on noncommunicable diseases (otherwise known as chronic diseases) launched by the United

Nations in 2011, and opportunities of integrating oral health issues at regional and national level. This year's programme also boasts hands-on sessions, FDI's innovative ‘meet the Expert' sessions as well as a wide array of world-renowned speakers. National Turkish sessions are also part of the programme.

The DTA's take on International Affairs

At first glance, the 2013 FDI Congress and Exhibition is shaping up to be a very good meeting. Istanbul is a secular country and a great jumping-off point for the Middle East and southern Europe. This is an area of the world with a strong demand for oral health products, but has not hosted many large international dental meetings. Exhibition sales have been very strong and the Dental Trade Alliance (DTA) is hosting a number of American companies in the DTA U.S. Pavilion. The FDI has really done a good job of reinventing themselves and making their oral health scientific reports more relevant to industry. The academic programs and lectures being presented are of a very high standard. Industry representatives are taking notice of these scientific studies.

While there have been protests in Istanbul this spring, reliable observers maintain that the protests are mostly contained to the square where the government was planning to remove a popular park and green space. The hotels, convention center, and most popular destinations remain unaffected by the protests in the main square. The FDI Meeting should proceed without any impact or delays. Local attendance should be very strong and exhibitors expect to meet many local distributors and authorized buyers from this region.

This year's program boasts hands-on sessions, FDI's innovative Meet the Expert sessions, and a wide array of world-renowned speakers.