Periodontology gains recognition as speciality in Azerbaijan

The government of the Azerbaijan Republic has given official recognition of periodontology as a speciality, after campaigning by the Azerbaijani Society of Periodontology.

The Azerbaijani Society of Periodontology started to campaign for speciality recognition as soon as it joined the EFP as an associate member, at the general assembly in Santiago de Compostela (Spain) in April 2017.

Both society president Cavid Ahmedbeyli and EFP delegate Aslan Mammadov were in close contact with key authorities at the Azerbaijani Ministry of Health and the country’s main universities in order to drive the process of speciality recognition.

They presented a position paper which emphasised the importance of speciality recognition in Azerbaijan and its potential benefit in terms of the early diagnosis and treatment of periodontal disease in partnership with other recognised medical specialities, and in terms of its positive impact on the level of undergraduate and postgraduate periodontal education.

The society also provided information about the activities of the society and the EFP, highlighting projects aimed at preventing oral diseases and increasing awareness of the impact of periodontal disease on general health.

“The speciality recognition will increase the motivation for postgraduate periodontal education and will help getting automatic government equivalency for the recognition of their postgraduate dental education diplomas that they have received from universities abroad,” said Dr Ahmedbeyli.

“Furthermore, it will help patients in public and private clinics get easier access to more dedicated specialist diagnosis and treatment of severe periodontal and peri-implant diseases and will reduce its negative level on national healthcare system.”

The Azerbaijani authorities have also recently recognised other dental specialities (endodontics, restorative dentistry, orthopaedic dentistry, paediatric dentistry, orthodontics); previously the only recognised specialities were general stomatology (dentistry) and oral and maxillofacial surgery.

“Recognition of the perio specialty is one of the objectives of the EFP," said EFP president Filippo Graziani. "It is stated in the by-laws and also in the coming strategic plan. Every step forward in realising this goal is essential for the federation.”