DT Pakistan No. 5, 2020

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PUBLISHED IN PAKISTAN

www.dental-tribune.com.pk
An exclusive
interview with
Dr Arshad Malik

World Oral Health
Day Award winners
announced

NEWS

Page 2

INTERVIEW

Page 4

Torrential rain heavily damages
dental practices in Karachi
DT Pakistan Report

K

ARACHI - In some
regions of Karachi,
people are still
fighting the record floods. Both
private homes and many
business facilities have been
destroyed by the vast and
unexpected masses of water.

SEP-OCT 2020 - Issue No. 05 Vol.7

any other region in the
metropolis.
Talking to Dental Tribune
Pakistan, Dr Umar, who runs
his DHA Karachi practice, said,
"Yes we have suffered a lot.
Our compressors and units got
affected. Our computers and
X-ray systems got affected.
Our infra-structure got affected.

that we could access the clinic
that too via wooden planks. No
municipal administration in
sight. We finally opened clinic
after 8 days, but still no
electricity," told Dr Amir
Rasheed.
The ramifications of these
unprecedented storms will
continue to evolve. What

Review: First
digital edition of
IDEM 2020

NEWS

Page 9

Dr Kamran Vasfy
receives Sitara-E-Imtiaz

I

DT Pakistan Report

SLAMABAD - Dr Kamran Vasfy was
honoured with Sitara-e-Imtiaz in recognition
of his services rendered to dentistry in Pakistan.
The prestigious civil award was conferred by the
President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan, Dr Arif
Alvi, in the ceremony held at President House. The
ceremony was originally scheduled on March 23,
2020, but it had to be postponed due to the outbreak
of COVID-19 pandemic.

Photo:
DT Pakistan

Photo:
DT Pakistan

Among those affected are
dentists whose practices have
been damaged.
According to sources, many
dentists have been affected due
to the urban flooding that
occurred in Karachi. Private
dental practices were setback
by the torrential rain. The exact
figure to determine the
financial loss is still yet to be
known. However, many
dentists could be affected and
could now be fighting to
salvage their businesses.
The debris-laden water has
caused significant damage to
dental offices and dental
equipment. The dental clinics
established in Karachi's upscale
areas were affected as much as

Still everything is in repairing
process so can't estimate the
rupees."
Prof. Dr. Fazal Ur Rehman
Qazi shared that rain and urban
flooding created a substantial
financial setback of up to "Rs
4-5 lacs." Similarly, Dr Kashif
Chugtai said that the loss went
up to "1 lac."
Dr Shajahan Katpar, Dean,
Dow University of Health
Sciences, shared, "As we have
hospital-based clinical dental
practice, the setback has not
been as many other private
practices, but it definitely has
been on financial and social
level."
"Today finally with naturally
water went down after 8 days

cannot be quantified at this
time is the long-term
consequences of the
unavailability of healthcare
services during the hurricane
recovery process ahead.
With the loss of property,
transportation, business, and
income, it may be likely that
Karachi residents will be less
able to afford future dental care,
especially in non-emergency
situations. This will likely lead
to a long-term decrease in
revenue in the industry and
negatively affect those who
live and work in this area. Over
time, this situation should be
monitored to quantify the longterm economic impact as the
states rebuild fully.

President Dr Arif Alvi also gave national civilian
awards to 44 individuals, including locals and
foreign nationals in recognition of their gallantry,
meritorious services to Pakistan and for showing
excellence in their respective fields.
Dr. Kamran A. Vasfy completed his undergraduate
degree (BDS) from Lahore in 1972. He carried out
further training in General Dentistry from University
of California Los Angeles 1978-1979. He did MCPS
(Member of College of Physicians and Surgeons)
in Operative Dentistry in 1994. He was awarded
Fellowship by American College of Dentists in
2002. He was president of Pakistan Dental
Association (PDA) Central Council from
2001- 2005 and was conference secretary of the
1st and 3rd Pakistan International Dental conference
held in 1981 & 1987 respectively. Dr Kamran was
also Chairman of 5th Pakistan International Dental
conference in 1999 which was inaugurated by Mr
Rafique Tarar, President of Pakistan at the time.
He was elected as Secretary General of South Asian
Dental Associations Federation in 1993. Dr Kamran
worked as a Dentist in PIA (Pakistan International
Airline) Medical Division from 1975 to 2010 where
Continued on Page 11

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NEWS

2 DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2020

FDI announces 2020
World Oral Health Day Award winners

DT Pakistan Report

URICH - World Oral Health
Day (WOHD) is organized
by FDI World Dental
Federation (FDI) and is celebrated
annually on 20 March. Each year, FDI
recognizes outstanding contributions
to this global awareness campaign
through the WOHD Awards. FDI
warmly congratulates all winners for
their exemplary work and hopes that
their efforts will inspire others to lead
equally engaging campaigns of their
own.
The award winners significantly
contribute to the overall impact of the
2020 WOHD campaign, which hosted
302 events in 177 countries, engaged
27,000 people on social media, and
achieved an impressive media reach

of 1.9 billion. FDI also collected over
25,000 pledges worldwide.
The following awards were
presented by FDI President Dr
Gerhard K. Seeberger and WOHD
Task Team Chair Prof. Paulo Melo
during the virtual WOHD 2020
Awards Ceremony on 15 July.
The categories and winners are
listed below.
WOHD Award winners:
. Most Educational Activity: Estonian
Dental Association
. Best Media Campaign: Hellenic
Dental Association
. Most Original Activity: National
Medical Students State (HCCM)
Russia
. Best Social Media Campaign:
Tanzania Dental Students Association
. Best Pledge Collection: Philippine

Dental Association
. Best Branded
Photo: Shenzhen
Hospital
of
Southern Medical
University
Stomatology Center
Millions of people
around the globe continue to suffer
from poor oral health and the growing
burden of oral disease demands action
on an individual, family and
community level. Poor oral health
extends far beyond the mouth, taking
a serious toll on an individual's overall
health and well-being. However, FDI
is confident that simple, targeted
action has the ability to curb the
prevalence of oral disease and make
oral health a personal priority for
everyone.

PMC forbids universities to conduct MDCAT
DT Pakistan Report

SLAMABAD - Under the act of Pakistan Medical
Commission 2020, universities all over country were
stopped immediately from taking Medical and Dental
Colleges Admission Test (MDCAT) and suspending the
National Examination Board (NEB) exam. This step left
many aspiring students taken back by the decision, as no
new date has been announced as yet.
Besides, the PMC, formerly called the Pakistan Medical
and Dental Council (PMDC), has mentioned on its website
that it will be fully functional within a week and all
pending applications, including grant of full licences to
MBBS graduates, will be processed from Oct 2.
The Pakistan Medical Commission Act 2020 was passed
at a joint session of parliament on Sept 16 and later signed
by President Dr Arif Alvi.
According to a copy of the Act, the Pakistan Medical
Commission nullified the Central Induction Policy (CIP)
which was approved by PMDC, allowing only admitting
university from each province to conduct MDCAT for
students applying in private and public medical and dental
colleges.

It stated that under Photo:
clause 18 of the PMC Act DT Pakistan
2020, the MDCAT will be
a mandatory requirement
from 2021 onwards for
all students seeking
admission to medical or
dental colleges in the country.
"The authority shall conduct MDCAT annually on a
date approved by the council and as per standards approved
by the board. No student shall be awarded a medical or
dental degree in Pakistan who has not passed the MDCAT
prior to obtaining admission to a medical or dental college
in Pakistan, provided that such requirement shall be
mandatory for all students who have been enrolled in
medical or dental undergraduate programmes in the year
2021 and thereafter," act stated.
Earlier, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC)
PMDC had allocated admitting university which will
conduct MDCAT for all public and private medical and
dental colleges in each province respectively and the
proposed date for MDCAT was announced 18th October.
Continued on Page 11

Dr Irfan becomes first Pakistani dentist to speak
at Latin American online conference

ARACHI - Dr Irfan Qureshi, who is rapidly becoming a talismanic presence for Implantology
in Pakistan, once again made Pakistan dental community proud. He will be the first and the
only Pakistani dentist representing country ever on the global event, DENTIS Latin America
Online Conference.
This is a testament to the high-quality international standard and state of the art implant dentistry that Qureshi
passionately delivers and preaches in Pakistan.
The first of its kind- DENTIS Latin America Online Conference recently releases a great line up of 15 workshops
from 11 countries and has been all set to commence from October 7 to 9, 2020.
Dr Irfan is the first Pakistan based clinician to earn the Diplomate Implant Dentistry from Royal College of
Surgeons, Edinburgh. He also has a Master's Degree in Prosthodontics (Crown & Bridge Dentistry) from King`s
College London and is the only Pakistani to be appointed an examiner for Implantology by the prestigious Royal
College of Surgeons, Edinburgh. -PR

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Syed Hashim A. Hasan
hashim@dental-tribune.com.pk
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Editors Research & Public Health
Prof. Dr. Ayyaz Ali Khan
Editor - Online
Haseeb Uddin
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INTERVIEW

4 DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2020

ICD strives

to advance the
art and science
of dentistry in
underdeveloped
countries
-Prof Dr Arshad Malik
By DTP Staffer

Recently Dental Tribune Pakistan sat down
to talk about his journey as a Regent and
Fellow of ICD for our readers. Excerpts from
his interview are as under:
Dental Tribune Pakistan: As a Regent and
Fellow of International College of Dentists
(ICD), can you please explain more about it?
DA: International College of Dentists is an
international organisation. It was established in
1926 when two people, one from Japan and one
from the U.S., collaborated as a pioneer of
International College of Dentists. The central theme
was to spread humanitarian work among dental
surgeons residing around the world. Then, over
time, more people started joining the organisation.

To be a fellow of the International
College of Dentists is a great honour.
The fellowship is awarded not through
demand or by request
Now more than 30 countries have been part of
International College of Dentists since its
establishment. International College of Dentists is
a well-known organisation throughout the world
and popularly known for their values, educational
ethics, promotion, attitude towards dentistry. Not
only in the domain of dentistry, but International
College of Dentists is also famous for disaster
management participation, for humanitarian work,
especially in Asia and other underdeveloped
countries. International College of Dentists is
working for the sparse population, and especially
regarding dental health. They are giving free
seminars to spread awareness about dental hygiene,
providing free medicines, organising free dental
camps and assisting dental surgeons who don't
have financial or logistical support. International
College of Dentists reaches out to such people
throughout the world in times of need.

fter completing BDS from de' Montmorency College
of Dentistry, Lahore in 1979, Prof Dr Arshad Malik
served as Principal of Dental Section and Head of Department
of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in Punjab Medical College,
Faisalabad and Sahara Medical College, Narowal.
Dr Arshad has an experience of more than 26 years of
teaching. He has been examiner of many dental colleges
in Pakistan including College of Physicians and
Surgeons of Pakistan, University of Health
Sciences Lahore, Punjab University,
Ghandhara University, Pakistan
Institute of Medical Sciences. He has
also been elected as President emeritus
of Central council, Pakistan Society
of Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology
and President of Pakistan Dental
Association, Chakwal in 2018.
Currently, Prof Dr Arshad is the
Principal and Dean of HBS Dental
College, Islamabad. He is also Regent
and Fellow of International College of
Dentists (ICD) Section XV (Region 24)
Afghanistan, Pakistan. He is a regular
presenter in many international
conferences with special reference to
ICD as invited speaker.

Dental Surgeons who are actively
participating at times of disaster, in
management of the underprivileged
population, the dental community,
promotion of dentistry, research, the
spread of dental awareness in schools
as well as in hospitals, are always
considered by ICD
DTP: Are all potential members in ICD nominated
by fellows and what are the essential requirement
to be nominated? Are accomplishments in
dentistry, humanitarian work, or both required?
DA: To be a fellow of the International College of
Dentists is a great honour. The fellowship is awarded
not through demand or by request. It is allocated
after the thorough assessment of the organisation.
A committee is being trained to assess the quality
and standard of education acquired, humanitarian
work, as well as the contribution of the dentist.
Scholars of dentistry who are devoting their work,
time for the promotion of dentistry, are always
eligible.

International College of Dentists
reaches out to such people throughout
the world in times of need
Candidates are categorised on three criteria,
academics, humanitarian work for the general
public and dental community. Dental Surgeons
who are actively participating at times of disaster,
in management of the underprivileged population,
the dental community, promotion of dentistry,
research, the spread of dental awareness in schools
as well as in hospitals, are always considered by
ICD.
If a person fulfils approximately 90 per cent of
criteria set by ICD, they will be eligible for the
Fellowship of International College of Dentists.

After that, they are assessed by the committees of
country and country region.
After that, they are sent to the section committee.
Then it is sent to the headquarters of ICD, which
is in Michigan, the U.S. for final approval by the
International College of Dentists.
DTP: What are the changes, progress and
developments in ICD Pakistan that you are the
happiest about today?
DA: ICD was established in Pakistan around 1965,
and from that period onwards so many regents and
fellows have been registered in Pakistan. But it
was Prof. Dr M A Soofi who as a regent brought
significant development in ICD-Pakistan.

There is a constant lack of
development of dental technology.
There are zero manufacturers of dental
materials in our country, and hence
it has to be imported
I was awarded as a regent of the International
College of Dentists in 2012, and after that, ICDPakistan has progressed rapidly. Every year more
than 50 fellows are being registered as a part of
ICD from Pakistan. We were participating in Section
20 in the past, then in Section 15. Now, in every
international conference and seminar, ICD-Pakistan
is participating. Referred to as region 24, Pakistan
is part and parcel of every Section 15 event, and
that is in itself an achievement.
DTP: Why do you think Pakistani dental
researchers are not at par on the global level?
DA: There are many factors behind it which should
be established first in our country. Our research
centres are not so equipped; research criteria are
not comprehensive and educational tendency is not
as potent as Western ones. That is why we are
Continued on Page 11

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NEWS

6 DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2020

DENTAL PROSTHETICS AND ORTHODONTICS

A combination of success in dental rehab

L

DT Pakistan Report

EBANON - Orthodontics and Dental
Prosthetics have been classified as two
essential elements of the dental industry. To
achieve success in rehabilitation cases, the dentist
needs to have a profound knowledge of both.
Referring to the biodynamics of teeth, Dr Nadim
Aboujaode delivered an online lecture entitled 'A
tooth and a string: The magical bio-dynamics of the
teeth.' The live webinar session was organized by the
Centre of Advanced Professional Practices (CAPP).
Dr Nadim Aboujaode, a lecturer at Lebanese
University in the Department of Prosthodontics and
Clinical Assistant at the American University of Beirut,
much emphasized the importance of periodontal tissues
and how they can play a significant role in the
movement of teeth. He also mentioned the use of
string in the form of vectors and elastics to induce
the phenomenon of the forced eruption in the teeth.
In his presentation, Dr Nadim repeatedly mentioned
the importance of treatment planning. He presented
different case reports which showed the dynamic
effects of the forced eruption on the teeth. Being an
advocate of avoiding teeth extraction, Dr Aboujaode

K

explained how the application of
this particular movement could
help to save teeth and improve
bone and periodontal health,
respectively.
Dr Aboujaode showcased
multiple cases where he explained the
beneficial effects of tooth movement with the
application of orthodontic forces, which included
alignment of the teeth and gingival margins, reduction
of periodontal pockets, and salvaging remaining tooth
structure respectively. He also highlighted the
importance of a multi-disciplinary approach and the
use of state of the art equipment for the success of
any treatment.
Dr Nadim made it imperative that a dental
professional should be outstanding when it comes to
radiographic images as it serves as a great tool in the
diagnosis of a specific problem.
The presentation included three survey
questionnaires regarding the topic of discussion.
Whereas, a question-answer session was arranged at
the end of the lecture. Dr Aboujaode appreciated all
the queries that the participants put up and answered
them with scientific knowledge and experience.

Live session highlights dental career
opportunities after graduation

ARACHI - The office of
Student Affairs, Ziauddin
University (ZU) recently
conducted a live online session
titled ''BDS perspective (after
graduation)'' on Facebook. The
event was the first session of the
many upcoming sessions under the
umbrella of ZU student affairs.
The session was hosted by Dr
Ayesha Hanif, Faculty member
and MDS trainee, Department of
Periodontology. Dr Khizra
Rehman, Lecturer, Department of
Community and Preventive
Dentistry, Ziauddin College of
Dentistry (ZCD), Ms Sehar and
Dr Almas Farhan, Director,
Department of Continuing of
Medical Education, ZU.
The speakers included Dr
Aneeka Anwar, Dr Omer, Dr Sana,
Dr Mahnoor Abid, Dr Asad Allana
and Dr Shariq Sohail. They
primarily focused on numerous
challenging matters, including
most frequently asked questions
on career options such as ''what to
do as a graduate after BDS? What
are the different options after
graduation? The problems and
challenges faced after graduation
by a dental graduate.''

PDA distributes free PPE
among healthcare professionals

K

ARACHI - Pakistan Dental
Association (Central) recently
distributed Personal Protective
Equipment (PPE) among medical doctors,
dentists, and other healthcare staff in

Photo:
DT Pakistan

Karachi Medical and Dental College
(KMDC) and Abbasi Shaheed Hospital.
Earlier, PDA President Mahmood Shah
and Secretary-General, Prof. Dr Nasir,
announced to provide free PPE to medical
doctors and dental health professionals
working in public sector hospitals. -PR

Hamdard University conducts
workshop on research

K

ARACHI - Hamdard University
Dental Hospital (HDUH)
conducted a two-day online
research methodology workshop. The
workshop was organized and facilitated
by Dr Shikoh Naz, Assistant Professor,
Department of Community Dentistry and
Oral Diagnosis and Dr Saima Asim,
Assistant Professor, Department of
Community Dentistry and Oral Diagnosis,
HUDH.

Photos:
DT Pakistan

The session was joined by our
prestigious alumni who are
working in different capacities
nationally and internationally.
The main focus of the live
session was to make dental
students aware of different postgraduate options available. Dr
Aneeka Anwar, Dr Omer and Dr
Sana talked about dental career
options in the UK and the US,
respectively. They also shed light
on the process and difficulties
faced by Pakistan graduates as they
move abroad.
Dr Mahnoor Abid and Dr Asad
Allana talked about post-graduate
programs available locally such as
the program of Management of
Healthcare (MHC) and Masters of

Science in Epidemiology and
Biostatistics (MsBE).
Dr Shariq Sohail, Resident,
Department of Orthodontics,
Fatima Memorial Hospital Lahore
shared his experience regarding
Fellow of College of Physicians
and Surgeons Pakistan (FCPS).
The session had 10k+ views and
received a massive response from
the dental fraternity. The session's
recording is available on the
official Facebook page of ZU.
The university plans to hold
more of these open sessions to
make dental students aware of the
future career options that can be
undertaken, in detail focusing
mostly on the international
ones. -PR

The first day of the workshop consisted
of lectures on the selection and criteria
for rating a research topic-the facilitators
described in detailed how to develop a
research hypothesis. The first day of
session concluded with an interactive
group exercise in which participants were
encouraged to select some research topics
and to rate them.
The second day of the workshop was
related to literature search for any selected
research topic. The facilitator illuminated
all the participants about the steps of the
literature search, the type of search engines
available online and how to efficiently
search for authentic literature on a research
Continued on Page 11

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NEWS

8 DENTAL TRIBUNE Pakistan Edition SEP-OCT 2020

ADA responds
to World Health
Organization:
Dentistry is essential
healthcare

Study highlights benefits of in-house 3D
printing for immediate dental implant placement

By Dental Tribune USA

HICAGO, Ill., USA - In a news
release issued today (Aug. 12, 2020)
the American Dental Association
(ADA) said that it "respectfully yet strongly
d i s a g r e e s w i t h t h e Wo r l d H e a l t h
Organization's recommendation to delay
'routine' dental care in certain situations due
to COVID-19."

A recent study found that printing dental prostheses for fibula and implant reconstructions in-house
eliminates the additional waiting period before surgery, making the treatment suitable for patients
with malignant disease. (Image: Miriam Doerr Martin Frommherz/Shutterstock)

With appropriate PPE, dental care should
continue to be delivered during global
pandemics or other disaster situations,
the ADA says. (Photo: Zsolt Bota Finna,
"Oral health is integral to overall health.
Dentistry is essential healthcare," said ADA
President Dr Chad P. Gehani. "Dentistry is
essential healthcare because of its role in
evaluating, diagnosing, preventing or treating
oral diseases, which can affect systemic
health."
Gehani added that in March, when
COVID-19 cases began to rise in the U.S.,
the ADA called for dentists to postpone all
but urgent and emergency care in order to
understand the disease, consider its effect on
dental patients, dental professionals and the
greater community.
Both the ADA and the U.S. Centers for
Disease Control and Prevention then issued
interim guidance for dental professionals
related to COVID-19. The ADA's guidance
calls for the highest level of personal
protective equipment (PPE) available-masks,
goggles and face shields. The ADA's interim
guidance also calls for the use of rubber dams
and high velocity suction whenever possible
and hand scaling when cleaning teeth rather
than using ultrasonic scaling to minimize
aerosols.
Gehani concluded, "Millions of patients
have safely visited their dentists in the past
few months for the full range of dental
services. With appropriate PPE, dental care
should continue to be delivered during global
pandemics or other disaster situations."
(Source: American Dental Association)

By Iveta Ramonaite, DTI

ORT WORTH, TEXAS,
U.S. - Owing to the
growing popularity of
point-of-care 3D printing and the
subsequent creation of 3Dprinting laboratories, a recent
study aimed to compare the
benefits of printing dental
prostheses for fibula and implant
reconstructions in-house with
those of using traditional
techniques that involve
outsourcing to dental laboratories.
The researchers found that inhouse printing offers considerable
benefits, such as reducing the
waiting period before surgery, but
that it requires an initial
investment in 3D-printing
equipment.
3D printing has recently helped
to save the lives of many health
care professionals fighting on the
front line against COVID-19. It
was seemingly impossible to
comply with the updated
recommended infection control
practices in light of the shortage
of proper personal protective
equipment, and 3D-printed masks
and face shields were produced
to assist in this situation. Dental
Tribune International (DTI) has
also previously reported on the
advantages of using a fully digital
workflow and printing clear
aligners in-house. The benefits
of 3D printing are manifold, and

so are its applications for medical
use.
The present study included 12
patients who underwent free
fibula reconstruction of the
mandible or maxilla with
immediate implants and
immediate restoration. The
restorations were created before
surgery, and the first five patients
each received a prosthesis that
was fabricated by a dental
laboratory after virtual surgical
planning. The remaining patients
each received a prosthesis that
was designed by a surgeon and
3D-printed via the in-house
laboratory.

Creating a 3D-printed
dental prosthesis in-house
allows more control for the
surgeon to create the
occlusal scheme
Dr. Fayette C. Williams,
John Peter Smith Health
Network
The researchers fabricated a
dental prosthesis using point-ofcare 3D printing within 24 hours
of the virtual surgical planning
session. The time required to
generate the in-house 3D-printed
prostheses was significantly
shorter when compared with
dental laboratory-fabricated
prostheses, which typically take
w e e k s . A d d i t i o n a l l y, t h e
procedure was more cost-

effective. Whereas the prostheses
created by an off-site dental
laboratory averaged $617.00
(101,104.71 PKR), each in-house
3D-printed prosthesis cost an
average of $8.34 (1,366.63 PKR)
for resin, and the researchers
noted that a full-arch prosthesis
3D-printed in NextDent Micro
Filled Hybrid costs under $50.00
(8,193.25 PKR). The price
includes the costs for the resin
and the export fee for Blue Sky
Plan, a 3D-printing software.
The study describes a digital
workflow to design and 3D-print
an immediate provisional dental
prosthesis to be placed during
jaw reconstruction when using a
fibular free flap. This surgery has
been called Jaw in a Day.
Previous methods involved thirdparty dental laboratories which
require additional time, laboratory
expertise and are more expensive.
Our technique allows surgeonguided virtual planning, just like
we do with the jaw and fibula,
Dr. Fayette C. Williams,
fellowship director in the Division
of Maxillofacial Oncology and
Reconstructive Surgery at John
Peter Smith Health Network, told
DTI.
Creating a 3D-printed dental
prosthesis in-house allows more
control for the surgeon to create
the occlusal scheme. It is also
much quicker. I can generate this
Continued on Page 11

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NEWS

SEP-OCT 2020 Pakistan Edition DENTAL TRIBUNE 9

IDEM 2020 marks the first digital edition
of Asia Pacifics leading dental event

INGAPORE - IDEM's digital edition, held
from 19 June to 19 August 2020, has come
to a close. The 11th edition of IDEM (the
International Dental Exhibition and Meeting),
organised by Koelnmesse and the Singapore Dental
Association, attracted 3,615 attendees from 54
countries, sparking critical dialogue as to the trends
shaping the future of dentistry amid a new era of
normality.
Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director of
Koelnmesse Pte. Ltd., expressed his gratitude to
the organising team and the global dental
community, for coming together to make the very
first digital edition of IDEM a success. "In a world

& Remote Monitoring. How COVID19 Changed
the Discussion by Dr Grant Duncan
. Caries Management and the Older Adult by Dr
Mark Wolff
Delegates have expressed positive reviews for
the online platform especially towards the flexibility
of watching the recorded scientific sessions. "The
digital platform has enabled me to enjoy the sessions
at my own time and pace, allowing me to strike a
great balance between work and family," shares Dr
Shirlyn Ong, a delegate at IDEM 2020.
Sponsors made IDEM 2020's digital conference
possible, with support from 3M, Colgate, Dentsply
Sirona, Dental Monitoring, exocad, GC Asia, Ivoclar

business partners, exhibitors and participants alike
were able to use an online business matching tool
to set up profiles to discover, match and connect at
pre-arranged online meetings. These essential tools
helped forge new partnerships and opportunities at
IDEM.
Neither were social activities curtailed. Three
separate networking nights held over the course of
the two-month event brought together colleagues
old and new. The networking nights featured themes
pertinent to the community, such as the future of
dentistry, the impact of COVID-19 on the dental
industry, and their visions for the next iteration of
IDEM.

IDEM brought together a global community of dental professionals while respecting social distancing requirements, reaffirming its position as
Asia Pacifics key dentistry event, renowned for learning and networking. (Image: PopTika/Shutterstock)
where it is difficult to gather physically, continued
learning and networking remain of vital importance.
Our attendees recognise this and they were very
receptive, kindly embracing the new digital format."
Diverse learning opportunities
The IDEM Conference featured 28 local and
global speakers who delivered 27 scientific sessions,
made available live and on-demand for registered
delegates. The sessions addressed social and
technological trends including dentistry for ageing
populations, how to conduct remote consultations,
as well as how artificial intelligence is being applied
to the business of dentistry. Delegates that attended
the sessions also earned Continuing Education
Points to reflect their learning.
On-demand sessions that earned more than 1,000
views included:
. SDA Masterclass: Contemporary Orthograde
Retreatment by Prof. Emer. Shimon Friedman,
D.M.D.
. The New World Order of AI, Machine Learning

Vivadent, KaVo Kerr, Dental Protection,
Pharmaforte Singapore Pte Ltd and ResDent.
A virtual first: the IDEM 2020 digital exhibition
extended conversation and business opportunities
Like the conference, IDEM's exhibition was also
digital, a first for the series. 304 exhibitors from 36
countries showcased their latest innovations and
solutions, offering exclusive promotions and
discounts to IDEM attendees, including bundle
offers and month-long promotions.
"I would like to recognise the efforts of the IDEM
organisers for putting together IDEM Digital in
such a short time frame", complimented Mr Teddy
Lin, Project Manager, Taiwan Excellence. "Through
our participation in the digital event, our company
gained new insights and experiences. It helped
enhance our company's digital presence."
An exhibition brings together people, and IDEM
2020's digital exhibition was no different. Via an
online chat feature, visitors to the digital booths
could converse with the exhibitors. To meet potential

IDEM 2022 reverts to an in-person format at a
new venue
From 8 to 10 April 2022, IDEM will return to its
established physical format at a new venue, the
Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay
Sands, Singapore.
"While I am encouraged to hear much positive
feedback on the digital platform for IDEM 2020,
we are looking forward to interacting with the
international dental community in person in 2022.
It is heartening to know that our efforts to rapidly
pivot and deliver a flexible and interactive online
event in 2020 have proven effective," says Dr Lim
Lii, Chairperson of IDEM 2020.
"Our attendees have been very patient and
responsive to the introduction of the digital platform
and have been actively learning from the live and
on-demand sessions over the past two months. I
hope the topics discussed have inspired them to put
their new knowledge into practice for the challenges
and trends ahead," she added. - PR

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SEP-OCT 2020 Pakistan Edition DENTAL TRIBUNE 11

Artificial intelligence-based
analysis of dental radiographs
saves time in patient care

ERLIN, GERMANY - Dentists at CharitéUniversitätsmedizin Berlin, together with data
scientists and programmers, have developed
dentalXrai Pro-a software program that allows dental
practitioners to perform the analysis of radiographs based
on artificial intelligence (AI). The new software was designed
to help dentists identify pathologies and restorations more
accurately and in less time in order to provide optimal

Dr Kamran Vasfy receives ...
Continued from front page

he was Chief Dental Officer for 15 years.
Dr Kamran's professionalism, skill and
compassion has earned him immense respect
and appreciation among his colleagues,
students and patients.
On receiving the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, the
publisher, editors and all staff members of
Dental Tribune Pakistan offer their heartiest
congratulations to Dr Kamran Vasfy and his
family. His noble contributions to dentistry
and the dental community are admirable.

PMC forbids universities ...
Continued from page 2

As per PMC policy, the MDCAT will be
conducted by the commission and schedule
of the examination will be announced by the
commission immediately after Oct 2 as per
PMC website, though it is clearly mentioned
in the Act's clause 18 that the PMC will hold
MDCAT from 2021, creating delay and
confusion among students.

An exclusive interview with
A newly developed software program detects caries,
infections and restorations such as crowns, implants and
root canal fillings in dental radiographs and marks its
findings in colour. (Image: BIH)
treatment and improve communication with patients.
Prof. Falk Schwendicke, chief medical officer and cofounder of the project and head of the Department of Oral
Diagnosis, Digital Health and Health Services Research at
Charité, said in a press release: "[dentalXrai Pro] raises
dentistry to a standardised, high-quality level and immensely
speeds up the analysis of X-rays, so that dentists can use
the time more effectively for talking to patients".
Large data set of dental radiographs
Since most dental practices already take digital radiographs,
these can be easily transmitted to dentalXrai Pro. In order
to deliver a pre-analysed image within a very short time,
the browser-based software accesses high-performance
computers and a whole range of algorithms.
These algorithms are the result of in-depth software
training using a very large data set of dental radiographs,
including panoramic and bitewing images. Dentists from
around the world identified tens of thousands of pathological
changes and traces of previous dental treatments on the
radiographs. This data was then fed to the artificial neural
networks, enabling them to distinguish between different
findings, such as caries, infections and root canal fillings.
DentalXrai as a digital second opinion in the dental practice
"AI is not responsible for the dental examination and does
not reach decisions on the treatment," emphasised
Schwendicke. It does, however, facilitate the process for
dental professionals and includes patients in the diagnosis.
According to Schwendicke, this "second opinion of a digital
colleague" helps to create
trust between dentists and their patients.
In the coming months, the focus will be on sales. "We
want to use our networks and find business partners who
can bring our software to dental practices," said Schwendicke.
The project was funded by the Digital Health Accelerator
of the Berlin Institute of Health (BIH). "We saw that the
project had great potential and benefits for patients from
the very beginning," commented Thomas Gazlig, director
of BIH Innovations. - Dental Tribune International

Prof Dr Arshad Malik
Continued from page 4

suffering from the research parameter. If I
talk about western countries, they have better
capabilities, equipment and resources. Yet
there are a couple of institutes in Pakistan
that are no doubt performing an extraordinary
task in research. Health Commission of
Pakistan is working on it. Now one cannot
say that it is as retarded as it was before. We
are on the path of success in the research
development in Pakistan.
DTP: What do you think are the significant
challenges facing the dental community
today?
DA: We are facing many challenges in the
dental community. The issues are not just
limited to the dental curriculum as this has
been more in focus since now we have
different universities working to promote it.
However, the priority should be given to
basic sciences and taught well. Dental
radiology, pedodontics, geriatric dentistry,
oral medicine... these subjects are not being
potentiated, not being highlighted on a postgraduate level; which is a big challenge.
There is a constant lack of development
of dental technology. We have only one or
two manufacturers of dental equipment and
dental utensils in Pakistan. There are zero
manufacturers of dental materials in our
country, and hence it has to be imported.
Another issue is mismanagement among
the dental community. Pakistan Medical and
Dental Council is there, but there is a lack
of organising committees, orientation and
coordination among general dental surgeons.
These are the limitations we are facing as a
dental community.
DTP: COVID-19 has caused a setback for
post-graduation students as well. What's
your take on that?
DA: Post-graduate students have suffered a
lot due to COVID-19. And especially all

those post-graduate students who have to
practically deal with the patients or conduct
research on the patient. It has suffered a lot.
Many researchers have discontinued their
studies and are waiting for the lockdown to
end. The post-graduate students who are
coming to the labs, especially the ones who
are dealing with animals are also affected
because labs are closed. The management
of animals is difficult in times of pandemic.
Telephonic or online assistance is the only
way left for post-graduate students to
communicate with their supervisors, which
again cannot be sufficient.
DTP: Last message for dental students?
DA: My last message for dental students is
to make use of this precious time. You are
at home. There is no check and balance. This
period belongs to you. Your teachers are
away. We cannot monitor your time. You
have to take care of this precious time. With
the online classes, please take advantage of
them and whatever the problem you are
facing at your home, please contact your
teachers and try to solve them online. I think
we can pray for this period to end and
pray that Almighty helps us to overcome
COVID-19 pandemic.

Hamdard University ...
Continued from page 6

topic by using different techniques. The twoday workshop concluded by achieving
its desired learning objectives. -PR

Study highlights benefits ...
Continued from page 8

prosthesis in one day, whereas dental
laboratories can take two or more weeks,
he added.
According to the researchers, outsourcing
dental prostheses to a dental laboratory has
previously created a delay in the treatment,
which has limited its usefulness to benign
conditions. In the present study, the digital
workflow used allowed for immediate dental
restoration for patients with malignant
disease. This time is significant for a patient
with cancer waiting to get their surgery to
remove their jaw and tumor, Williams
explained.
Despite its clear advantages, the researchers
believe that the digital workflow presented
in the study is most suitable for patients with
teeth in place preoperatively that will be
removed with their tumor. For more complex
cases, it is necessary to familiarize oneself
with image manipulation and prosthesis
planning. Additionally, the researchers
calculated that the total initial cost of a 3D
printer and post-processing supplies can
reach around $3,000 (491,595.00 PKR), plus
additional costs associated with using the
software.
The study, titled Immediate teeth in
fibulas: Planning and digital workflow with
point-of-care 3D printing, was published
on Aug. 1, 2020, in the Journal of Oral and
Maxillofacial Surgery. - Dental Tribune
International

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