The event was held on May 19 at the Didactic Center MUW in the Prof. Janusz Piekarczyk auditorium. It was Prof. Piekarczyk, as Prof. Zbigniew Gaciong, Rector of MUW, reminded in his speech, who started the tradition of organizing West-East conferences. - If the tradition is continued, it means that it is a good tradition - said Prof. Gaciong. He also pointed out that today the symposium takes on an important context: - We are living in a very difficult time. Currently, the university is involved in many activities beyond our eastern border. This scientific and educational aspect is also one of its elements.
Congratulations from the guests
Before the start of the scientific sessions, the conference guests spoke, and they did not spare the organizers warm words. Małgorzata Zadorożona, Director of the Department of Medical Personnel Development at the Ministry of Health, read out a letter sent to the university authorities by Piotr Bromber, Undersecretary of State at the Ministry of Health. - I congratulate the Magnificence that it is the tradition of MUW to organize this extremely important event for science, the didactic process in Polish universities and the practice of dentistry. I wish the participants of the conference: excellent scientists, specialists and students, interesting and fruitful deliberations - the minister wrote.
Dr. Łukasz Jankowski, President of the Supreme Medical Council, also expressed his appreciation: - The conference has a nationwide, and even more, an international scope, which is especially to be congratulated to the organizers and the community that has been created on the occasion of this conference. And he stressed: - The event is a demonstration of how the local government together with the scientific community can act together and create something that crosses the borders of Poland and is a model for other conferences. He also congratulated Piotr Pawliszak, MD, President of the Regional Medical Chamber in Warsaw.
West and East
The scientific part consisted of two lecture sessions and a paper and poster session. Among the lecturers were two speakers from abroad. The first was Prof. Jenny Gallagher of King's College London, who in a lecture titled: "Future oral health workforce: supplying health across the life-course" said: - "I want you to think strategically about the future of dentistry and how we can use the oral health workforce to serve patients in a variety of settings to create a better world.
She talked about the global challenges facing dentistry and the worldwide demand for dental professionals. Discussing disparities in access to dental specialists around the world, she presented the data. In Europe we have 22% of the world's dental population, in Americas it is 23%, while in Africa 1.5%. Similar differences appear with dental technicians, dental hygienists or dental therapists. All the statistics presented, according to the speaker, should cause concern and point to courses of action. Prof. Gallagher also stressed the great importance over the course of a lifetime of oral health. She also spoke about the efforts she has made to change health education in England.
The second international speaker was Prof. Natalia Bidenko of Bogomolets National Medical University, who focused on the situation of dental personnel in war-stricken Ukraine. She began her speech with a few sentences in Polish. - Relations between our countries have never been so close. I am infinitely grateful to you for the support and help shown to us, as is our entire country - Prof. Bidenko said, among other things. And what is the situation of dentists in war-stricken Ukraine? Communication problems, destroyed infrastructure, including hospitals and medical centers, and lack of supplies are problems that dentists and doctors of other specialties have had to and must face on a daily basis. Prof. Bidenko stressed that in the first weeks of the war, dental treatment was virtually impossible. Dentists could not return to their clinics, many of them were caring for soldiers or acting in territorial defense. They had to diagnose diseases without laboratory results, and lacked equipment and basic medicines. Many health problems were exacerbated by lack of regular visits and by deteriorating hygiene conditions or, as in the case of many soldiers, chronic stress and hypothermia. She also reported on what the teaching of dentistry at Bogomolets University is like under current conditions. Finally, the speaker discussed the challenges, from her perspective, facing Ukrainian dentistry, including, in particular, the development of prevention programs and military dentistry. And also courses in psychology. - Dentists must be ready to act in really extreme situations - concluded Prof. Bidenko.
Other lecturers and the paper and poster session
The symposium also featured lectures in the auditorium by research and teaching staff of our university: Prof. Agnieszka Mielczarek from the Department of Conservative Dentistry, Prof. Jolanta Kostrzewa-Janicka from the Department of Prosthodontics, Prof. Izabela Domitrz from the Department of Neurology, Dr. Maciej Janiszewski from the Department of Heart Failure and Cardiac Rehabilitation MUW, Dr. Piotr Regulski from the Department of Dental and Maxillofacial Radiology. Janusz Szulik of the Inter Poland Insurance Company also made a speech.
The conference was accompanied by a paper and poster session. In the paper session 11 papers were presented, and in the poster session 10 papers were presented. During both there were very lively discussions, and all papers were characterized by a high level of content. The topics presented were very diverse. They included team treatment and rehabilitation of pathological tooth wear; evaluation of soft tissues of the facial profile depending on the morphology of the facial part of the skull; comparison of the frequency of early childhood caries in Polish and Ukrainian citizens, methods of orthodontic treatment with aesthetic braces.
In addition to those mentioned, the conference was also attended by: Prof. Agnieszka Cudnoch-Jędrzejewska, Vice Rector for Human Resources, Prof. Marek Kuch, Vice Rector for Student Affairs and Education, Prof. Paweł Włodarski, Vice Rector for International Relations, Development and Promotion, deans and vice-deans of fraternal faculties, chancellor's authorities, heads of WUM departments, as well as Filip Nowak, President of the National Health Fund, Dr. Dariusz Paluszek, Vice President of the Regional Medical Chamber for Dentists and Prof. Jerzy Jurkiewicz, President of the Warsaw Medical Society.
The symposium was co-organized by the Commission for Dentists and the Prof. Jan Nielubowicz Regional Medical Chamber in Warsaw.
