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IM0310

I 03 editorial _ implants I implants3_2010 Dr med dent Roland Hille _Nobodycouldhaveimaginedin1970whatasuccessstoryoralimplantologywouldturnout tobe,whensevendentists,headedbyProfDrHansLGrafelmann,adentistfromBremen,founded DGZI.Inspiteofvariousnegativeopinions,mainlyfromuniversities,thisthen-adventurousther- apy was established in Germany against the mainstream, thanks to a great deal of perseverance andconviction,anincredibledriveandmuchoperativeskill.Therewereagrowingnumberofcol- leagueswhowerefascinatedbythepossibilityoffixingdentalprosthesesonimplantednewden- talroots,aprocesswhichcouldgivepatientsthefeelingofnolongerbeinghandicapped. 40 years ago the obligatory tooth conserving methods were incomparable to current means and methods. Thus many patients, especially those with edentulous jaws, could achieve a com- pletely new quality of life courtesy of intraosseous or subperiostal implants. Let us remember: At that time, we did not have any bone substitutes, membranes etc. at our disposal, all of which are consideredabsolutelystandardtoday.Forthepastfourdecadesoralimplantologyhasgreatlyin- fluenced dental rehabilitation measures, and has without question become the most innovative disciplineindento-maxillo-facialmedicineinthelast25years. On September 24, 1982, the DGZMK (German Association for Dento-Maxillo-Facial Medicine) approved implantology as a new method for use. Oral implantology also became scientifically in vogue, when universities intensified their research activities, and industrial companies sensed a newmarketwithadequatefinancialresources. In the beginning scientific journals referred to implantology as “the red light district in dental medicine”,butnowadaysthereisnodoubtabouttheimportantrolewhichthissubdisciplineplays indentistry.Patientsactivelyrequestthistherapy,andanycolleagueswhounderestimatetheim- portanceofimplantologyforthesuccessandfuturefortheirowndentalpracticeswillbeleftbe- hind. DGZIhasachievedsignificantaccomplishmentsineducationandadvancedtraining,asupun- til now university education has not attached that much value to implantology. A postgraduate structurededucationalprogramhasexistedsince1998,whichalmost1,500colleagueshavepar- ticipated in and have learned from implantology specialists and university professors about the stateoftheartinimplantology.Patientsincreasinglyaskfortreatmentbya“DGZISpecialistinIm- plantology”,becausesuchspecialistsoftenhavemuchmoreoperativeskillsthanthosecolleagues whoobtainedamastersdegree. 40 years of DGZI is truly a great milestone in Europe’s oldest scientific implantological associ- ation,anassociationwhichalsoenjoysanextraordinarilygoodreputationnationallyandinterna- tionally.TheConsensusConferenceforImplantologycongratulatesDGZIheartilyandwishesallits membersmuchsuccessandanexcitingfutureinoralimplantology. IhopetoseeyouontheoccasionofouranniversarycongressonOctober1and2inBerlin. DrmeddentRolandHille PresidentoftheConsensusConferenceforImplantology Celebrating 40Years of DGZI in Berlin