Editorial_6_1_1
Continuing medical education
Editorials
in European dentistry
Hande Şar Sancaklı
DDS, PhD, Associate Professor
FDI CE Director Europe
Co-Editor-in-Chief (Europe)
Dear readers,
As an FDI regular member, on October 19, 2018 the Romanian Society of Stomatology (RSS) received a notification on
behalf of Enzo Bondioni, FDI Executive Director that the FDI Council appointed Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hande Şar Sancaklı
as CE Programme Director for Europe, as a replacement of Professor Alexandre Mersel. Her term of office started in
September 2018 and will last until September 2020, with a possibility of renewal in September 2020.
As a member of the Editorial Board of the Stomatology Edu Journal, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hande Şar Sancaklı co-ordinates the
work of editors in the Central and Eastern European countries.
In order to correctly inform our readers, for the 2019 first issue of the Stomatology Edu Journal, we have formulated a
series of questions that we have addressed to the new CE Programme Director for Europe, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hande Şar
Sancaklı so as to be able to better understand the activity of the ERO Working Group Continuing Medical Education in
Dentistry.
You are the new Director of the ERO Working Group - Continuing Medical Education in Dentistry. What
are the goals you are considering?
Beside Chairing the FDI ERO Working Group - Continuing Medical Education in Dentistry since 2014, I have been
appointed as the new FDI Continuing Education Director for Europe right after the FDI 2018 General Assembly in
Buenos Aires. Taking over the responsibility of the CE programme directory successfully run by Prof. Dr. Alexandre
Mersel, I will support our member NDAs‘ CE events for them to assume their responsibility to perform their role with
respect to the continuing education of the dental profession. Beside supporting our members both by fundamental
and clinical practice-based educational activities, I will highlight our motto “Leading the world into optimal oral health”
as active representatives of FDI; we need to globally improve sustainable oral health so as to reach our target. And
undoubtedly one of these targets is the intent to conduct research into the knowledge about the connection between
oral and general health. Therefore besides clinical dental education, we shall be pointing out the vitality of the Continuing
Medical Education for the advocacy of global health and raising awareness of the dental profession with respect to the
relationship between oral health and general health; one of our program goals is to strongly support improving to way
these priorities are addressed by organizing CE events among our NDAs.
You attended the FDI Congress in Buenos Aires. How do you assess the quality of the papers presented?
What are the topics of interest to oral health specialists?
FDI WDC has a broad scope mainly addressing the general practitioners at global level. Aside from the research-
based institution’s congresses, FDI WDC calls clinicians and academics to present their research and cases enabling
the publication of the abstracts in the International Dental Journal (IDJ) which is the official peer-reviewed, SCIE-
indexed journal of FDI. Thus, all abstracts are peer-reviewed and qualified at a required scientific level. Generally, we
have submissions under all clinical branches, both scientifically and clinically related abstracts and also prevention and
public health-related subjects. However, concerning all the recent submissions most of them are related to clinical cases
especially including novel materials and techniques used.
Stomatology Edu Journal 1
Editorials
Why should oral health professionals in Europe attend the World Dental Congress?
Beside a very rich scientific programme, in all our congresses we have “Meet the Expert” and “Hot topic” sessions which
address top-attracted topics presented by the world-known distinguished peer lecturers that you can benefit from in
your clinical and academic experience. Moreover, World Dental Congresses provide a great opportunity to network
with the peers of the dental world. Many distinguished worldwide contributors, lecturers from all regions of the world
can be seen as valuable resources for updating our professional knowledge and best-practices. Contributors also have
chances to experience a possible collaboration for networking in today’s dental world.
What qualities will the Education Committee look for in the summaries presented at the World Dental
Congress in San Francisco?
As every year before, for 2019, we, the education Committee members will peer-review all the abstracts related to the
required topics both at their scientific and clinically relevant base. All abstracts of the posters and oral presentations
should be eligible by the journal and the congress publishing criteria.
What is the added value of attending an international congress compared to national dental congresses?
Within today’s rapidly changing and evolving dentistry world, advancing new technologies and brand-new treatment
approaches absolutely arises and at the same time requires an increase in the quality of the treatment and dentistry.
Thus, we have to be up-to-date both on the knowledge basis and the contemporary path of our profession. Beside the
above mentioned educational and academic opportunities, attending the world’s largest and more wide scope dental
congresses you will have the chance to attend one of the most significant dental exhibition taking place with FDI WDC.
Meeting the leading major dental industry suppliers and dental companies, you can discover the innovative dental
products and equipments for your clinical practice in today’s fast-paced dental revolution.
How do you think the Dental World Congress contributes to the dentists’ continuing education?
I can explain my comments addressing both academics and general practitioners. Researchers attending the congress
have the chance to present their research or their clinical cases in front of distinguished experts of related clinical
specialty and dental professionals all around the world. Beside that there is an opportunity to meet researchers and
clinicians of the same or similar fields of interest allowing one to receive positive feedback and constructive criticism
about their research. Moreover, the exchange of knowledge and ideas on the research field of interest will provide them
with a possible future collaborations across the world.
What is your opinion about the fact that the FDI/ERO – WG Continuing Medical Education in Dentistry
could evaluate and allocate CE points to some of Europe's print and online journals?
FDI ERO WG Continuing Medical Education has modified and re-established its vision during the last 5 years mostly
on the progression of the medical-related education in dentistry to assist filling the gap between the basic medical and
dental education especially in the continuing dental education programmes. Our priority undoubtedly should focus
on supporting the educational activities specifically on the continuing medical education subjects. Concerning this aim,
all our printed and online publications will surely serve and support the strengthening of our mission. As FDI and its
European Regional Organisation - ERO, we highly appreciate all our member associations and countries’ educational
activities and publications serving as contributions to the continuing dental and medical education levels of European
dentistry.
Hande Şar Sancaklı
DDS, PhD, Associate Professor
FDI CE Director Europe
Co-Editor-in-Chief (Europe)
Marian-Vladimir Constantinescu
DDS, MSc, PhD, Professor
Secretary General of Romanian Society of Stomatology
Editor-in-Chief
DOI: https://doi.org/10.25241/stomaeduj.2019.6(1).edit.1
2 Stoma Edu J. 2019;6(1): 1-2. http://www.stomaeduj.com