News & Events

The latest news from the EFP as well as details of its forthcoming events and those of its affiliated national societies of periodontology.

Upcoming events from EFP's member societies

Learn in advance about the conferences and meetings being organised by the EFP's national member societies in the weeks and months ahead.

Perio Workshop

Learn about Perio Workshop, the EFP’s annual scientific meeting that brings the best periodontal scientists together to reach a new consensus on strategic periodontal issues.

Interviews - the Perio Greats

Welcome to the living memory of periodontology, a video archive which shows how our science used to be and how it has evolved. Leading pioneers and historic perio figures – the “Perio Greats” – explain what drove them to do what they did.

Jan Lindhe:

Ubele van der Velden - part 2:

Klaus Lang - part 1:

Giovanpaolo Pini Prato - part 1:

Giovanpaolo Pini Prato - part 3:

Thorkild Karring - part 2:

Ubele van der Velden - part 1:

Ubele van der Velden - part 3:

Klaus Lang - part 2:

Giovanpaolo Pini Prato - part 2:

Thorkild Karring - part 1:

Thorkild Karring - part 3:

Periodontology today is a science and a practice that is increasingly recognised, respected, and appreciated not only within dentistry but also in the wider medical and social field. Young perio practitioners and researchers may sometimes see their profession as something they can take for granted – a dynamic, exciting sector that produces a rich flow of knowledge, technical progress, and fascinating scientific developments. In short, they can see periodontology as something which is firmly established and which offers much promise for the future.

And of course it is.

But we have not always enjoyed this strength. A few decades back, things were not so reassuring. Perio may now be blossoming, but it has got where it is today thanks to hard work over many years by some extraordinary people who had to make tough choices, pursue elusive scientific evidence, and come up with brilliant solutions. Not so long ago, our profession was still one of pioneers, and we owe a great debt to our senior colleagues for their work in establishing and developing periodontology. So how did they manage to do it?

The purpose of this section of the EFP website is to create and develop a video archive of the ‘Perio Greats’ – interviews with leading pioneers and influential parents of periodontology, which trace how they shaped and developed this branch of dentistry. 'EFP Interviews' will offer a lively library of experiences, learnt lessons, and surmounted challenges – recorded on video and told directly by the protagonists in their own words.

First-rate periodontal players are more than just excellent researchers or practitioners. In 'EFP Interviews', you can find out more about the actual people behind this research and practice and see what they were they like when they were younger, less recognised, professionals. Here, you can come to a better understanding of their interests and motivations. Here, you can discover why and how their careers took the direction they did. Here, you can get closer to the characters themselves. By listening to them explain things from their own perspectives, you will be able to fill in the gaps between their core publications and see something of the person behind the writing.

This video archive is a work in progress. More interviews will come soon – focusing on the people behind the milestones in the development of periodontology.