The 3rd International Faculty of Dentistry Conference (IFDC), organized by the Faculty of Dentistry at King Abdul Aziz University (KAUFD), witnessed the largest number of participants in its history, with nearly 2,000 attendees and approximately 3,000 participating doctors, researchers and scholars. The four-day conference was launched at the Jeddah Hilton by Prince Misha'al Bin Majed, governor of Jeddah, on March 12–15 under the kind patronage of Prince Khalid Al-Faisal, governor of Makkah Region. Dr. Abdul Ghani Bin Ibrahim Mira, dean of KAUFD and also conference chairman, said that this year's conference was very remarkable with the huge turnout of participants and visitors. The side exhibition had about 25 exhibitors where top doctors and keynote speakers from local institutions and international faculties alike showcased the latest on dentistry. An average of six daily workshops were held during the conference. Dr. Mira said that his faculty aims to enrich the field of dentistry in the Kingdom by organizing such an event, which highlighted new advances in the field of research and treatment. It also brought to light the latest technologies to aid those working in the field and advance their knowledge. The dean also noted that the 3rd IFDC was a great chance to exchange knowledge and experience with well-known experts, adding that the organizing committee brought together 170 speakers from the US, Europe and Gulf countries. “The conference had several workshops that presented and explained new technologies and techniques in various branches of dentistry. It also held a high-caliber exhibition of the latest international technologies in materials and equipment,” said Dr. Mira. The participants and visitors had the opportunity to meet with various deans who came from different dental faculties in the Kingdom to discuss the most important issues pertaining to the advancements of the dental profession in the Kingdom, the dean also said. A number of social events were also held in conjunction with the conference. Dr. Ali Bin Saad Al-Ghamdi, KAUFD director and assistant of Postgraduate Studies and Scientific Research, said that the faculty has recently opened Ph.D. programs, with one male and one female student approved at the program's initial phase. He said it will be expanded gradually according to agreements signed with the Tufts University of the United States and the King's College in London. Programs, workshops and e-learning for the doctoral program will be developed so as to give students the opportunity to conduct research under the supervision of these two institutions. “It is the first agreement of its kind where students will be awarded a doctorate from both these prominent American and British medical institutions,” Dr. Al Ghamdi said. The conference workshops and seminars dealt with different issues including implant dentistry vs. tooth retention, skeletal anchorage in orthodontics, histocompatibility of bioceramic nanoparticulate, dental caries and salivary characteristics in children, management of oral cancer, endodontic irrigation, screw-retained vs. cement-retained implants, embryonic stem cell differentiation to bone and cartilage and trigeminal neuralgia – newer surgical techniques. Dr. Bashir Shakib Al Jabri, one of the exhibitors at the exhibition, said in the next five years the Kingdom will see a boom in the field of dentistry and the dental equipment of hospitals and universities, in addition to public and private clinics. He estimated the investment in such a field to be worth approximately SR2 billion with around 17 dental faculties. This number is expected to increase with the establishment of new colleges and hospitals, he said. The Saudi dentistry services market is in demand and this specialized medical service is considered the most important area of treatment of all age groups who suffer from tooth decay and gum diseases. “The percentage of Saudi people who suffer from such dental diseases is high, so both governmental and private efforts are given to reduce this ratio,” Dr. Al Jabri said. __
