IADS and YDW strengthen their bonds at the common congress in Czech Republic

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In July 2010, the 57th annual congress of the International Association of Dental Students was held in Brno, Czech Republic. It was organized by an enthusiastic group of students and young dentists who put all their efforts in giving the participants a wonderful time. Since 1991, when Young Dentists Worldwide was founded during an annual IADS-meeting, both associations organize their congresses together. This year, the connection between the associations became stronger than ever. IADS has official structures since it was founded 59 years ago, YDW was more a group of old friends for a long time. In 2009 many changes were done in Young Dentists Worldwide including a new Executive Committee, a new constitution and membership. The members of the ExCo of YDW were all active in IADS before, half of the committee consists of former IADS- presidents.

After the changes in the official structure were done, YDW could think about supporting IADS more. Years before YDW used to hold lectures and prepare hands- on- courses for the IADS congresses, but in the last years not so many projects could be put into reality. For this year, the YDW- day was established for the first day of the IADS/ YDW- congress. The idea was to give lectures from every- day dentistry that gives students tips for their daily life in the university and ideas about the future personal developments as dentists. One day was fully booked with lectures plus a hands- on- course in implantology. The lecturers were invited from many different countries like Hungary, Sweden, Poland, Germany and Czech Republic. On the same time, IADS was holding the Scientific Lecture Contest where students from India to Romania were competing against each other in giving the best lecture about a scientific topic. The feedback on the YDW- day was so good, that for next year’s congress in India, two days of lectures will be planned. Also a special package for young dentists was created for the first weekend of the common congress. That gave young colleagues the possibility to attend just for one weekend and get a touch of the spirit of that congress.
As Young Dentists Worldwide established membership and is already gaining a big number of members, it was just a normal step that IADS and YDW became officially affiliate members of the other association during the annual meeting in Czech Republic. On the 18 of July at the YDW- General Assembly, IADS was welcomed as an official YDW- affiliate member and so it was the other way around just one day later in the General Assembly of IADS.

For next year the two associations will work hard on the upcoming congress because this will be a very special event in the history of the two associations. The International Association of Dental Students will celebrate their 60th birthday in 2011, so will Young Dentists Worldwide will have the 20th annual. For that reason both will try to make this event a very special one in coordination with the Congress Committee of the biggest IADS- member India. The congress will take place in India in August and will be another great opportunity to bring the communities of students and young dentists together.

jg@dentapress.com