EFP celebrates 30 years of promoting periodontal health

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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.

The European Federation of Periodontology is celebrating the 30th anniversary of its foundation – 30 years of promoting periodontal science and clinical practice, 30 years of periodontal health for a better life.

The origins of the EFP date back to the late 1980s, when two periodontists – Dutch academic Ubele van der Velden and French clinician Jean-Louis Giovannoli – realised that the aims and challenges of Europe's national societies of peridontology were similar and that it made sense to join forces.

After a series of preparatory meetings, representatives of 11 national periodontal societies met in Amsterdam on 12-13 December 1991 and agreed the constitution and bylaws of the new European Federation of Periodontology.

The initial EFP was a federation of the national societies of Belgium, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal, Scandinavia, Spain, Switzerland, and the UK. Since its foundation, the federation expanded – first within Europe and then globally – and it now comprises 37 national societies from Europe, the Middle East, North and South America, Africa, Asia, and Oceania.

“We are proud of the outstanding level of collaboration and exchange we've reached between our 37 scientific societies from all around the world, even if every single one of them keeps its autonomy and identity,” said EFP president Lior Shapira. “As the EFP has gone global in the last years, diversity has become one of our strengths. Our native languages are different, but we all speak gum health – this is our common language. Then, production of scientific evidence and a shared vision of periodontal health for a better life are the secrets of our unity.”

EFP secretary general Nicola West said: "An organisation no matter how good is only as successful as the people who live and work in it – congratulations on 30 wonderful EFP years!"

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