ERO Communications V

President’s Review and Gratitude

Dear colleagues,

it is my pleasure to present the fifth and last issue of the ERO Communicator for this mandate. With the Communicator a new layout has been introduced. Liberal dentistry, as defined in Article III point 8. of our new Constitution, is a fundamental prerequisite to achieve good health and wellbeing through optimal oral health for all citizens of our Region. Every Communicator has been a scaffold for “The liberal professions are a pillar of any free society.” Liberty in practising dentistry is a guarantee for the medical act. Nobody less than WHO President Margaret Chan has expressed this in a very simple sentence, which is based on reality: The dental profession is the pioneering profession of prevention in medicine. This confirms that the dentist is a highly qualified, distinguished and efficient operator in our health care systems since several decades. By no means this capacity, competence and expertise can be taken over by any other health professional. In these three years activities started with the definition of the new Constitution, which has set the preambles for a more modern and pro-active ERO. It has been possible to become more political, to pick up arguments dealing with the organization of the profession’s future and to contribute to important tasks as FDI’s NCD strategy. ERO has given a concrete answer to the collaborative approach of different medical specialists, the dentist included. The Organization has been innovative in looking into the future setting an accent on a more medicine-oriented dentistry. ERO has demonstrated to keep up with the trends and to deal properly with the factors influencing the health arena. I have experienced large interest and good participation in almost all ERO working groups and excellent cooperation with those ERO members, who have organized unforgettable meetings. To them goes my thanks and appreciation for the efforts every participant could take advantage of. The energy spent in the Working groups has been immense and it has delivered useful and concrete results. They are the heart of ERO activities and their engagement has been outstanding. My wholehearted thanks go to all WG-Chairs and –members.

Several issues have been tackled with great professional engagement during the last three years. It started with the registration of our Organization as an NGO and it finishes with the presentation of our new website. All this would not have been possible without a strong and responsible Board and its excellent management of ERO Secretary Monika Lang. Please receive my deep gratitude.

Last but not least I have to thank all Board members for their work in their functions and for the concrete support in all endeavours during this mandate, which has made ERO a well-respected organization of the FDI World Dental Federation. They all have my high esteem and those who will continue together with the new Board members will find a great leader in my friend Philippe Rusca. May I finish with addressing to all of you words of gratitude, respect and esteem for all you have done during this mandate, especially for friendship. You are the backbone and the future of this Organization and without your constant contribution ERO would not exist.

I wish you all the very best for the future!

Gerhard Konrad Seeberger

ERO President