Welcome from the president

 

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

We are living in a very unpredictable and unsettled world. In such circumstances, the responsibility of an organization like the European Federation of Periodontology becomes even greater. The federation brings together many national societies and professionals across Europe and beyond, and while we are a scientific and healthcare organization, global developments inevitably affect healthcare, education, and professional life. It is important to stress that the EFP does not take political positions; our role is to support the periodontal and wider healthcare community.

Raising awareness of periodontal health has always been a core priority of the EFP. The federation addresses this through education, public awareness initiatives, and collaboration with the medical community.

One of my priorities is to establish a European scientific network within the EFP. This platform would strengthen the connections between individual researchers, national societies, and EFP committees. Through regular dialogue with national societies, we can better understand their needs and challenges and communicate these to the relevant committees. This will help us prioritize actions and address them effectively.

Another important objective is to build a structured network capable of conducting coordinated epidemiological and surveillance studies in Europe. Strengthening the evidence base in this way would also reinforce our advocacy efforts with organizations such as the European Commission and the World Health Organization.

I am proud to lead a federation that has long been committed to diversity and inclusion. The EFP actively promotes gender balance and encourages the involvement of younger generations across its activities, from workshops to major congresses such as EuroPerio and the Perio Master Clinic. I am also the youngest president in the federation’s history, which reflects the EFP’s commitment to equal opportunities.

When I first became involved in EFP leadership, one of my responsibilities was Gum Health Day, which included engaging younger generations. That experience reinforced my belief that young professionals will play a crucial role in the future of periodontology. During my presidency, I would like to explore ways to involve them more directly in collaborations with medical societies. Younger professionals are often particularly effective at communicating complex information to diverse audiences, including healthcare professionals, policymakers, and patients.

As I begin my presidency, I want to express my deep appreciation to our national societies and associated and international members for their commitment and collaboration. I also extend my gratitude to my predecessors, Spyros Vassilopoulos, Moritz Kebschull, Darko Bozic and those before them, for their dedication, efforts and contributions.

I will do my best to strengthen the connections between the federation and national societies so that we can continue building on our shared achievements and celebrating our successes together.

Mia Rakić
President of the EFP