Perio Master Clinic 2020 – a great success in challenging circumstances

Perio Master Clinic 2020, held in Dublin on March 6 and 7, proved a great success thanks to the quality of the programme and the swift and effective response by organisers to the challenges created by the coronavirus.

Thanks to the work of Mondial Congress & Events, the EFP’s professional conference organiser, high-quality technical facilities were put in place to enable speakers who could not attend to give their presentations via pre-recorded videos. At the same time, the live webcasting of proceedings enabled participants unable to travel to Dublin to see all the presentations and discussions.

“I think we can all agree this was a huge success,” said Anton Sculean, Perio Master Clinic 2020 scientific chair, during the closing session. “We have seen wonderful presentations online – and this was a great challenge for us. It is very important to thank Mondial. Because without their outstanding efforts day and night we would not have been able to present you with these outstanding presentations.”

In the weeks coming up to the event, held at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS), the local organising team had been in close contact with the National Public Health Emergency Team (NPHET) in Ireland regarding the coronavirus and the appropriate measures to adopt.

“The run up to the conference was a stressful time for all for all involved” said Declan Corcoran, chair of Perio Master Clinic 2020. “The news coming about the global spread of the virus changed on a daily, even hourly, basis. It quickly became obvious that a significant number of our presenters were not going to be able to travel to the conference because of the worsening situation in their country.”

Mondial quickly realised the initial idea of using live video conferences to enable the speakers who were unable to attend to provide their presentations was less than ideal because of the variable quality of internet connections.  It was then decided to invite these speakers to record their presentations ahead of time.

Top-class clinical conference

“As the clear voices and the exceptional-quality slides and videos were beamed into the RDS, all present breathed a great sigh of relief,” said Dr Corcoran. “We realised that the conference was going to be what we said it would be – a top-class clinical conference devoted to a portrayal of the most recently developed techniques in periodontal regeneration given by worlds’ top experts. And all in a convivial atmosphere in the comfortable settings of the RDS.”

In the days running up to Perio Master Clinic 2020, participants had been informed of the changing situation and the steps taken to ensure their safety, such as hygiene measures such as frequent handwashing (hand sanitisers were provided at registration desks and in lavatories), a no-handshaking protocol, and catering that minimised the risk of cross contamination. During the event, participants were informed daily of the latest news from the Irish government on the coronavirus situation.

“The novel coronavirus poses some unprecedented challenges to the conferencing industry,” said Florian Fehringer, director of international projects at Mondial. “We are aware that the EFP, as well as ourselves, were entering unknown waters. What looked like smooth sailing from the outside would not have been possible without the unparalleled co-operation and professionalism on the part of all speakers, as well as our team and suppliers on- and offsite, who worked day and night to make the Perio Master Clinic happen. We are extremely fortunate to be working with a client as tech-savvy and open to innovation as the EFP.”

Speaking in the closing session, Phoebus Madianos, chair of next year’s EuroPerio10 congress in Copenhagen, said: “I really want to give credit to you for making this possible even when at the time it seemed like it would be impossible. You made it possible and with great success.”

Participants from 54 countries

Dedicated to the topic of current and future challenges in soft- and hard-tissue aesthetic reconstruction around teeth and implants, Perio Master Clinic 2020 in Dublin on March 6 and 7 featured presentations from 37 expert speakers.

Topics covered included management of flap design, the correct procedures for single- and multiple-tooth gingival recessions, techniques for lateral and vertical bone augmentation, and the choice of the optimal bone graft. There were also interactive sessions covering a case presentation on reconstructive surgery versus extraction and implant placement, and managing complications after reconstructive surgery.

“Today we have at our disposal the biologic understanding, the surgical techniques, and the biomaterials that can lead to predictable regeneration – in some cases complete regeneration, the so-called restitutio ad integrum or healing of soft and hard tissues around teeth and implants that were previously lost because of periodontitis or peri-implantitis,” noted Prof Sculean.

At total of 626 people attended the event: 544 participants and 82 exhibitors. In addition, there were 136 registrations to view proceedings via the live webcast.

There were participants from 54 different countries, and the top four countries represented in Dublin were the UK (with 89 registrations), Ireland (49), the Netherlands (48), and France (35).

Looking back on the event, Dr Corcoran told participants: “I hope we have stimulated you, challenged you, and if you feel you want to bring these procedures forward in your own practice then I would really encourage you to attend courses with these expert clinicians. Don’t leave it. Don’t let your career go by without being able to do these techniques.”

The two-day event was preceded by a day of workshops where participants could get hands-on experience of the latest techniques in regeneration.

There was also a tree-planting ceremony in the grounds of the Royal Dublin Society, where Declan Corcoran and Anton Sculean planted an apple tree as a symbol of the EFP’s commitment to ensuring the sustainability of the events it organises.