The 2008 FDI Annual World Dental Congress was held in Stockholm, Sweden, at the Stockholm International Fairs and Congress Center from 24 to 27 September. The FDI World Dental Federation was delighted to work with the Swedish Dental Association and Stockholm International Fairs for this world leading congress. The City of Stockholm showed its support during the traditional Welcome Ceremony, where Per Unckel, County Governor of Stockholm and Head of the County Administrative Board, officially welcomed participants to Stockholm and the congress.
More than 15,000 participants, representing 124 countries, attended the 2008 FDI Annual World Dental Congress in Stockholm, Sweden, similar to the number of attendees at the 2007 congress in Dubai, U.A.E.
300 companies from 34 countries exhibited at the World Dental Exhibition, with a close balance between Swedish (162) and international (138) exhibitors – demonstrating to attendees the strength of the Swedish dental industry and highlighting the products and services from around the world. 7,517 square metres of exhibition space was occupied in total, 18% more than in 2007.
More than 80 scientific sessions were presented by more than 180 speakers at the congress. The theme of this year’s Scientific Programme was Pioneering Prevention.
Thirteen special interest forums, opened to all congress participants, were well-attended. Topics covered such topics as dentistry and tobacco, Millennium Development Goals, dental ethics and innovative partnerships to expand oral health. Special speakers to these forums included Dr Vronique Lnnerblad, Executive Director, UNICEF Sweden and Hans Rosling, Professor of International Health at Karolinska Institutet and Director of Gapminder Foundation in Stockholm.
Dame Margaret Seward and Dr John Hunt were inaugurated into the FDI List of Honour, the FDI’s highest award, at the 2008 Welcome Ceremony.
The Live.Learn.Laugh. project in Sweden, which focuses on investigating the impact of sugary food and drink consumption and highlighting the worrying effects this is having on oral health, particularly in children, was launched.
About 117 scientific posters were on display at the congress and 58 free communications were presented.
The FDI World Dental Federation is the worldwide, authoritative and independent voice of dentistry. With more than 190 member associations in more than135 countries around the world, it represents nearly one million dentists internationally. For more information about the FDI, please visit the FDI website at www.fdiworldental.org.
