News

Geneva, 20th September 2007 Dear Colleagues and Friends, This a short message to keep you updated on progress made since the last General Assembly. Executive Committee: The Executive Committee met in Stockholm on September 7-8. Prospectus attended part of the meeting to discuss the Strategic Planning. Strategic Planning: A major task for the EFP. Following the presentation of the vision and strategic objectives at the General Assembly in Florence, it was agreed to have a comprehensive consultation within the National Societies in order to collect feedback from the members. The result of this consultation was presented by Prospectus at the last EC meeting. The overall feedback was very positive. Amendments suggested by the Societies were incorporated into the plan. The final strategic plan will be presented to the next General Assembly for approval. Legal/economic issues: Another top priority. I. Chapple and E. Winkel worked very closely during this transition period to transfer the entire operation to the new Treasurer. Action was taken to solve the difficulties that we encountered with the previous accountants. As a result, Moore Stephens Wood Appleton in Brussels was appointed as new accounting firm, David Lipton as new auditors and we plan to move the EFP accounts in the very near future to a new banking institution. EFP structure: The managerial structure of the EFP was discussed during the last EC meeting. EFP needs include a secretarial-accounting-legal component and the management of the EuroPerio congress. It was agreed to look for companies which could provide the EFP with such services. A proposal will be made at the next GA. Monica Guinea's title has been changed to European Co-ordinator, to more accurately reflect her activities and her role within the EFP. We hope Monica will become a fulltime employee of the EFP soon, given her increasing duties. Committees: - The survey on the practice of periodontology is well underway and over 1'000 members have answered the questionnaire. - The EFP Graduate Symposium which took place in Ermelo, the Netherlands, on August 31-Sepember 1, 2007, was a success. - The JCP was reported to have an impact factor IF=2.38 and to rank number 8 in dentistry. - The preparation of EuroPerio 6 is underway. Substantial progress was made with the sponsoring and with the preparation of the scientific programme. EFP Website: Our website is under reconstruction: new design and friendly navigation will make it more attractive. The maquette of the new website was presented at the last EC meeting. The next General Assembly will be held on February 23, 2008, in Munich. Looking forward to seeing you again. With kind regards, Pierre Baehni EFP Secretary General

Arthif Danial from King's College London Dental Institute has been awarded the Frank Ashley Undergraduate prize 2007 for the project "Periodontal Disease and Diabetes: A Dental Elective Study Based In The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia". He will be invited to receive his award at a future Society meeting.

In 2007, the Society's AGM and Autumn Meeting will be held in November at the Dental Pan Society Conference and will not be held in September as in previous years.

Following a number of requests to the BSP with regards to the availability of postgraduate training and courses in periodontology a new subsection has been added to the bottom of the BSP links page. If I have missed out your institute and you offer such courses please email your web link and I will add them on. My email address is addyld@cardiff.ac.uk

The Society's Spring Meeting, held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre on 10th and 11th May 2007, was a resounding success. A packed venue enjoyed excellent presentations from a range of national and international speakers, interspersed with high quality catering and trade support. The meeting was enhanced by a fabulous Conference Dinner based in the Royal Museum of Scotland. Evaluation forms can be completed on-line and CPD certificates can then be downloaded.

Oral surgery and surgical dentistry to merge The GDC has closed the specialist list in Surgical Dentistry and transferred dentists on this list to a reconfigured Oral Surgery list. The move brings UK arrangements for oral surgery into line with those in Europe and elsewhere, and will mean greater clarity for patients and practitioners about the specialty. The merger is one of a package of changes recommended by a special group set up by the GDC to review the arrangements for the training and listing of dental specialists. A new Specialist Dental Education Board is being set up to take forward the other recommendations. The Council has recently appointed Professor Kevin O'Brien as the Chair of this Board. GDC President, Hew Mathewson, said: "The General Dental Council's specialist lists enable patients and dental professionals to identify dentists who have specialist training and are entitled to use a specialist title. "We have recently set up the Specialist Dental Education Board to advise the Council on amending the arrangements for the training and listing of dental specialties following the recommendations of the Specialist Lists Review Group." We have written to all dentists on the Surgical Dentistry and Oral Surgery lists to tell them about the new arrangements.

The Faculty of General Dental Practice (UK) and the Faculty of Dental Surgery, The Royal College of Surgeons of England, have launched online information providing details of the new Diploma of Membership of the Joint Dental Faculties (MJDF RSC Eng). The MJDF, which will progressively replace the existing membership diplomas of each faculty (the MFGDP(UK) and MFDS RCS Eng), is a modern,innovative assessment designed for today's dentist. It aims to recognise the successful acquisition of knowledge and skills after completion of the two-year foundation training programme for all dental graduates, currrently being introduced as part of widespread initiatives to promote more flexible training pathways within dentistry. For further details click here.

To see the latest clinical case report by Andrew Elder entitled "A Full Mouth Disinfection Regime used to Manage Drug Induced Gingival Hyperplasia" please go to the members section or click on the Case studies link on the bottom right of the home page.

A new case report by Shane McCrea has been added to the case report page entitled "Sub-epithelial Connective Tissue Graft with the Lateral Pedicle Flap". Members can access this through the Members area or the Case Studies links on the right hand side of the home page.