Scientific innovations in stomatology: The National Congress of the Moldavian Association of Stomatologists

Local and foreign dentists met at the 20th edition of the National Congress with international participation of Moldavian Association of Stomatologists (MAS) on September 23 and 24. The current edition was held under the title Scientific Innovations in Stomatology and brought together well-known specialists from the Republic of Moldova, Romania, Great Britain and Portugal.

"The association together with the Faculty of Stomatology of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, the specialized magazine, the Congress and you, my colleagues, represent the basic pillars of local stomatology. Through our professional activity, dedication, passion and the high-quality services, we contribute to maintaining the oral health of the population", said the MAS president, dean of the Faculty of Stomatology Oleg Solomon at the opening of the scientific forum. According to the MAS leader, in recent years the organization has undergone a remarkable evolution as the main representative of local dentists, which jointly with the Ministry of Health, Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, the World Health Organization and the World Dental Federation, develops health policies. Currently, MAS is a professional, extended organization that brings together most of the local dentists - specialists who represent valuable scientific and practical potential.

University professor Adrian Belîi, vice-chair of the Parliamentary Commission for Social Protection, Health and Family, came with a message as a fellow doctor, stressing that the Stomatology specialty is particularly important for the medical system, because a nice smile shows preconditions for physical and mental health. "I have recently visited Nicolae Testemitanu University Dental Clinic and I was impressed by optimal conditions for studies and practical activity, the cutting-edge equipment. Local students and those from other states are competitive in the practical and scientific field, and, there is no wonder, they will become well known all over the world. This year, an absolute record number of candidates was registered at the competition for admission to the Faculty of Stomatology. This explains the rigorous selection of those who come into the field of dental care, and they obviously represent a society elite", emphasized the deputy.

Ion Prisăcaru, secretary of state at the Ministry of Health (MOH), emphasized that the dental domain has developed very rapidly in recent years, with many innovations and events of major importance in line with world trends in the field. "The private sector in the stomatology area is a specific field that requires large investments and I believe that the Specialized Commission of the Ministry of Health, specialists,  and professors will determine the Ministry, the specialized parliamentary committee, and all the decision-makers to intervene in order to have a well-developed system, capable of providing medical personnel to all regions of the country faced with an acute shortage of specialists", underlined the representative of the Ministry of Health.

Marcel Abraș, vice-rector for social activity at Nicolae Testemitanu University, has mentioned that the period we live in requires fundamental knowledge in various fields and an interdisciplinary approach to problems. "The evolution of a knowledge-based society depends both on the scientific productivity of researchers and on the ability to distribute the accumulated information. The scientific forum highlights the latest news in the field, and the set objective resides in familiarizing the general public with the results of cutting-edge research, facilitating the exchange of information and evaluating the relevance of scientific achievements, creating conditions for their application and motivating dentists and young researchers. With certainty, the topics addressed today, the exchange of ideas and experience will open more horizons and opportunities, will clearly contribute to the advancement of research in the field of stomatology, and the new discoveries and innovations will bring a substantial contribution to the training of valuable specialists competitive locally and abroad, with beneficial effects on the dental care provided to the population", added the vice-rector.

University professor Valeriu Fala, head of the Department of Therapeutic Stomatology of Nicolae Testemitanu State University of Medicine and Pharmacy, ex-president of MAS, has mentioned that the dental field in the local medical system inspires confidence and gives a sense of pride, because our specialists apply modern technologies and methods of diagnosis and treatment in various dental conditions. "The quality of dental care offered by our colleagues shows an advanced level of professionalism, and this fact is confirmed by patients from all over the world who request our assistance. Stomatology represents a link that interacts with all systems of the human body. Any pain in the body, physical or emotional, is overcome by teeth clenching, that's why patients need a complex interdisciplinary treatment with the involvement of many specialists from all fields of medicine", concluded the professor.

Professor Valeriu Burlacu, the honorary president of the Congress, mentioned that a historic moment for the Stomatology Faculty of Nicolae Testemitanu University was the reorganization of the Republican Polyclinic into University Dental Clinic No. 1 - a training base for future dentists - due to the efforts of the late professor Sofia Sârbu. Other merits are attributed to professor Gheorghe Nicolau, the first chief physician of the respective clinic, ex-rector Ion Ababii, who developed this sector and organized the establishment of University Dental Clinic No. 2, equipped with high-performance dental tools and simulation rooms, but also to the current rector, professor Emil Ceban, who contributes to the continuous development of this particular field of medicine.

At the Congress, current topics in the field of stomatology have been addressed: aspects of terminology and classification of periodontal disease, errors and complications in stomatology and dentoalveolar surgery, regenerative therapy by injection of platelet-rich autoplasma, orthodontic management of children with special health care needs, integrative approaches in the diagnosis and treatment of masticatory muscle dysfunction, advanced conscious sedation techniques using Nitrous Oxide inhalation, implant therapy in patients with periodontal disease, essential dentistry: aesthetic dentistry, new techniques for improving the tissues around dental implants, etc.

The Congress program included several thematic workshops and an exhibition of dental equipment, instruments, materials and medical supplies.