DUBAI, H.H. Sheikh Ahmed bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Knowledge Foundation, today inaugurated the 25th edition of the UAE International Dental Conference and Arab Dental Exhibition (AEEDC Dubai) being held at the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC) until 1 July, 2021.
The world’s largest international annual scientific dental conference and exhibition, which is celebrating 25 years of global success at its silver jubilee edition this year, has brought together more than 55,000 visitors and participants from 155 countries.
The organisation of the in-person event in Dubai is another testament to the city’s status as one of the world’s safest destinations for global events. The emirate’s rigorous globally-benchmarked precautionary protocols have enabled it to provide the highest levels of safety for international events.
Since its inception in 1996, AEEDC Dubai has grown in tandem with Dubai’s rise as a leading healthcare destination. The holding of the event reflects the growing momentum of Dubai’s post-pandemic economic recovery, which is creating new opportunities for a range of sectors.
Following the opening, HH Sheikh Ahmed toured the event’s exhibition area, accompanied by Awad Saghir Al Ketbi, Director General of the Dubai Health Authority (DHA); Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing and CEO of Dubai World Trade Centre Authority; Dr. Alawi Alsheikh Ali, Deputy Director General of DHA; Dr. Nasser Khalifa Al Budoor, Assistant Undersecretary, Ministry of Health and Prevention and Director of Dubai Medical District; Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman of AEEDC Dubai and Global Scientific Dental Alliance, and Chairman of INDEX Holding; and other prominent participants from the dental community.
As part of the tour, Sheikh Ahmed visited a photo exhibition titled ‘We Will Not Forget You’, featuring images of the late Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum. Sheikh Ahmed also visited the stands of the Ministry of Possibilities, the Hamdan Bin Mohammed College of Dental Medicine, Dubai Dental Hospital, Saudi Dental Society, SAESHIN and Dentsply Sirona and the Italian pavilion.
This year, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was announced as the Guest of Honour for the silver jubilee edition of the event, in recognition of the country’s key role and contribution to the success of AEEDC Dubai over the last 25 years.
Dr. Abdul Salam Al Madani, Executive Chairman of AEEDC Dubai and Global Scientific Dental Alliance, and Chairman of INDEX Holding said: “Over the last 25 years, AEEDC Dubai has made a strong positive impact on the global dental community by fostering the exchange of new insights and knowledge on state-of-the-art advances in dentistry. AEEDC Dubai also provided a high-profile platform for showcasing the latest technologies in dentistry and created opportunities for 2,372 sought-after speakers to share their ideas and insights with the global dental industry. AEEDC has featured more than 584,449 registered visitors, 38,128 participating companies and a total of 326 specialised workshops.”
“After more than two decades, AEEDC Dubai has distinguished itself as a focal point for the global dental industry and a platform for promoting continuous education. It has also helped raise benchmarks for regional and international companies foraying into the Middle East. Over AED126 billion worth of business deals have been sealed during AEEDC Dubai events to date,” Dr. Al Madani added.
Over the past 25 years, AEEDC Dubai has generated more than AED1.5 billion for airlines, more than AED2.8 billion for hotels, over AED200 million for the transportation sector, over AED200 million for the food and beverage sector, over AED100 million in the form of shopping and purchases, and AED150 million for the tourism sector. In total, AEEDC Dubai events have generated revenues worth AED5 billion for the UAE economy.
Dr. Nasser Al Malik, Scientific Chairman, AEEDC Dubai, said: “This year’s edition marks a major milestone in the journey of AEEDC Dubai, with the event completing a quarter of a century as the global dental industry’s most anticipated meeting. This year’s scientific programme was carefully put together to tackle key topics, highlight recent advancements in oral healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide a platform for specialists to discuss the latest findings and developments of the year 2021 in all areas of dental care, including surgery, restorative dentistry, dental hygiene and dental assistance.”
This year, the event’s rich scientific programme includes 173 scientific sessions, six workshops and over 160 poster presentations. Attendees have the opportunity to explore the latest in dental technology and delve into the field’s most recent innovations, which will be showcased in the exhibition featuring over 4,000 international brands from more than 3,000 companies. A total of 18 country pavilions are participating this year, the largest of which are USA, Italy, Germany, and South Korea.
AEEDC Dubai is organised annually by INDEX Conferences and Exhibitions – a member of INDEX Holding and a recognised American Dental Association Continuing Education Recognition Program (CERP) provider. AEEDC Dubai is held in strategic partnership with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, scientific partnership with the Ministry of Health and Prevention, and destination partnership with the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing – Dubai Business Events.
Source: Emirates News Agency