2022 has fortunately seen a very welcome increase in the return to face-to-face meetings. It has also confirmed a strong wish and preference in the global ITI family for meeting in person for education and for making the most of the professional companionship and networking side of ITI activities.
As the world has gradually emerged from the Covid pandemic, it has also seen an almost explosive demand for dentistry and not least for elective implant therapy. This is clearly a very positive development in highlighting the importance of this treatment modality and the expanding number of indications and options that are available.
It is also a prime-time opportunity for raising awareness of the outright advantages of practicing in accordance with the patient-centered and evidence-based ITI philosophy. It is with great pleasure and pride that I can confirm clear progress in the ongoing process of growth and transformation of the ITI’s determination to be the world’s leading interdisciplinary community in implant dentistry.
On November 23, 2022, we welcomed our 20,000th member. This is an important milestone in our aim to significantly extend our reach, and I would like to thank the numerous contributors throughout the global and local ITI communities who have helped us to achieve this goal.
I would also like to thank the many ITI Sections I had the pleasure and privilege of visiting in 2022 for their warm welcome and immense dedication to the ITI. Looking back on a year that still had significant travel restrictions in the first six months, I am rather amazed to have managed to visit 13 Sections. With three new Sections added in 2022, I was particularly pleased to be able to join the launch of Section Thailand.
Seven of these Section visits also coincided with the ITI Congresses in Italy, France, Japan, South Africa, Iberia, Brazil and Mexico as well as the International Annual Meeting in Rome. These events are all magnificent and hugely successful examples of the ITI and all that this phenomenal organization has to offer.
We can look forward to a similar number of fabulous events in 2023. January kicks off with a Congress in Switzerland to be followed by Argentina & Uruguay in April, Germany & Austria and BeLux in May, US and China in June, Nordics and Australia in September, Middle East in October and Chile in November. With the ITI International Annual Meeting in Lisbon, Portugal in May and its presentation of the outcomes of the 7th ITI Consensus Conference, the ITI can offer a second-to-none professional travel framework for 2023 and face-to-face education touch points.
The ITI has so much to offer for keeping up with scientific evidence and its translation into clinical practice. So, to narrow the choice and to ensure we each gain maximum benefit from our membership, may I suggest we individually make a plan for our ITI touch points in 2023.
An example of a plan with six membership-benefit touch points could be:
- Join your local ITI Study Club meetings – the confirmed No 1 ITI membership benefit
- Attend the annual Section meeting scientific program
- Stay informed via the dynamic, digital Forum Implantologicum journal and its regular updates and reliable insights
- Explore news, views, opinion and information on the ITI Blog online
- Catch the publication of the proceedings of the forthcoming 7th ITI Consensus Conference later in the year
- Use the updated and expanded SAC tool for all implant cases
I have no doubt that my choice of the ITI as my education partner and my professional home in implant dentistry for the past 17 years has made me a better dentist, expanded my practice and resulted in better outcomes for my patients.
I know that many of you also agree that belonging to the ITI family makes our professional lives more enjoyable and rewarding. We are the ITI and we all have a role to play in inspiring and engaging others to join us in adopting the ITI philosophy and growing our second-to-none professional network as far and as wide as possible!
My warm regards and very best wishes to everyone in our global ITI family with the hope of a positive, strong and healthy 2023.
