“World Dental Show,” the 10th edition of the three-day International Trade Exhibition and Scientific Conference by the Indian Dental Association, kicked off to a start here today with the chief guest – Dr Kathryn Kell, President of FDI World Dental Federation – expressing hope that the event would provide good opportunities for dentists to keep pace with latest technological advances in shaping the practice of dentistry and delivering improved dental healthcare services in the country.
Over 10,000 dental practitioners and renowned professionals are participating in the event which is expected to attract visitors from dental practices, dental laboratories and leading dental research institutes. Besides exhibitors from India, Germany, Poland, UK, USA and Canada, the Show is featuring country pavilions of China, Israel, South Korea and Taiwan alongside 300 trade stalls highlighting awareness about effectiveness and limitations of the latest dental technology.
Dr. Deepak Makhijani – President and Dr. Ashok Dhoble, Hon Secretary General, Indian Dental Association (IDA), were also present on the occasion. Dr. Dhoble said one of the major objectives of ‘World Dental Show’ is to invite investments in Indian Dental Equipment and other related industries, as part of the Prime Minister’s “Make In India” initiative. This segment of the Industry is currently around Rs. 13,000 crores and is growing 15% annually so that, by the year 2025, it will reach Rs. 25,000 crores, he said.
“The Indian Dental Industry is facing a host of challenges including creation of a sustainable oral health infrastructure with larger outreach into the rural areas, creating and enhancing awareness about oral health where less than 5 percent of the population visit dental clinics and less than 50 percent population use a brush and toothpaste, and last but not the least, in getting the dental professionals adequately or appropriately trained in the modern technical procedures,” he said, adding “IDA is in constant touch with the Health Ministry to involve them in the implementation of Oral Health Policy as a component of National Health Policy”.
Later, Dr Kell – a recipient of the AAWD Lucy Hobbs Taylor Woman Dentist of the Year 2007 Award and former National President of the American Association of Women Dentists — told this correspondent that the world is noticing a new medical phenomenon where people with dental problems are suffering from “Dry Mouth” – often caused by intake of a variety of medications for high blood pressure, incontinence, mental issues etc.
“About 3.9 billion people remain untreated for dental disease and almost everyone at one time in their lives will be affected by in this regard. However, the greatest dental threat globally still remains consumption of sugar (in different forms) and smoking. +Don’t Smoke, Just Vape+ is the message promoted in the United States of America by manufacturers of E-cigarettes that produce vapour in smoking but is equally dangerous to human health,” said Dr Kell, who is in touch with the United Nations for highlighting solutions to related dental issues.
“People often break their teeth, have caries or cancer or other dental issues. +Perioimplantitis+ – where people are getting more dental implants but are not taking care of them properly and thus leading to problems– is being noticed these days,” she pointed out.
“However, the greatest dental threat globally is consumption of sweets and children presently make up a huge population of those having oral disease problems due to their consumption of sugar through drinking a lot of soda pop. The figures related to them were starting to go down but are now rising up again – especially in the United States of America — where the culprit is noticed to be gummy types of chewy sugary sweets that they are getting addicted to,” she noted.
“Smoking has come down in Europe, but oral cancer is still prevalent in Indian and South-east Asia due to smoking and tobacco consumption habits. The dental industry today faces a variety of challenges, major being financial, where the various nations’ governments should be ensuring that their citizens can avail of good oral healthcare. In the USA, each state has its own oral healthcare programme though the Federal Government helps financially in this regard. We have Medicaid for people not having access to medical help,” she added.
Highlighting American involvement in the present Indian Dental Show, Dr Kell said USA’s Colgate and few other companies are participating in this event. Navdeep Mehta, Director of Novateor Research Laboratories Pvt Ltd, said he chose to return from the USA to Gujarat in India to promote his company’s own innovation in teeth whitening. Gustel Fischer, CEO, tri hawk, came from Montreal in Canada to promote his company’s variety of “Burs” that are used in dental cutting speed, strength and safety.
