2nd Qatar International Dental Association Conference – opening speeches

Speech of His Excellency Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani (pictured), Minister of Public Health and Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Health,

Delivered on his behalf by Dr Saleh Al Marri, Assistant Secretary General for Medical Affairs – Supreme Council of Health

Our honorable audience,

I would like to covey to you the compliments of HE Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalid Al Qahtani, Minister of Public Health and Secretary General of the Supreme Council of Health.

The wise leadership of the State of Qatar led by His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar and His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, the Heir Apparent, is much concerned with the healthcare of all members of Qatar’s community, nationals and expatriates alike. This is reflected in Qatar National Vision 2030, which states, ”To improve the health of Qatar’s population, Qatar aspires to develop an integrated system for healthcare, managed according to world-class standards and providing high quality healthcare services, including preventive and treatment services.”

Therefore, commitment to healthcare as part of Qatar National Vision 2030 includes commitment to oral and dental health, as it represents an important part of the general, holistic health as well as a major key to the preventive health of the whole body, which is one of the priorities set by the second and third objectives of Qatar’s National Health Strategy 2011 – 2016.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen,

In adherence to our commitment to complete the journey we have already started to qualify Qatari staff and achieve the fourth objective of Qatar National Health Strategy 2011-2016. We have the honor to sponsor the 8^th Gulf Dental Association Conference and the 2^nd Qatar International Dental Association conference in support of the Qatar Dental Society of Qatar Medical Association and the Gulf Dental Association.

I would like also to stress the importance of the permanence of this conference with the aim of bolstering oral and dental health awareness and education and achieving scientific collaboration and expertise exchange among dental professionals in Qatar and the Gulf area at large.

Dental Associations of the GCC have adopted the concept of organizing joint scientific activities under the title: “A Scientific Day” to exchange lecturers during the local conferences. This concept evolved into a Gulf gathering which started in the year 1998 in the Kingdom of Bahrain. Then the Saudi Dental Association initiated the organization of the first Gulf Dental Conference in the year 2004, and then comes the second Gulf Conference in the year 2005, after that the conferences followed likewise all over the GCC.

Today we feel honored and proud to host this conference in its eighth round which comprises a number of important tracks at both therapeutic and preventive levels. 

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Speech of Dr Mohamed Sultan Al Darwish – Chairman of the Conference

It is my great pleasure to welcome you all on the soil of our beloved State of Qatar. The health sector, both public and private, has witnessed a huge boom and quantum leap in all the fields of medicine especially in the dental medicine which constitute a genuine component of the medical services provided by the State.

The Qatar Dental Society of Qatar Medical Association as well as all the leaders under the umbrella of the Supreme Council of Health, who profoundly believe in the vital importance of scientific research and medical meetings, is committed to frequently organizing such conferences with the aim of developing their staff and revamping their expertise, in line with the vision of HH the Emir to build a solid and sound entity capable of facing the challenges and securing the best therapeutic world-class services. 

The conference confirms our commitment to pursue our modernization and development journey for a better future for our country and our citizens.

The conference hosts 19 speakers from all over the world to cover all specializations related to oral and dental medicine, two workshops on dental implant and a simultaneously held exhibition which showcases the latest technologies in this field.

My thanks go to all who supported this conference and those who contributed in its success.

Speech of Dr Mohammed Al Jamaz, Secretary General of the Gulf Dental Association

The meeting of the Gulf Dental Association today in Doha represents an additional ring in the chain of GCC integration and cooperation aiming to serve the region and humanity under the wise patronage of our leaders.

The Gulf Dental Association was established through organizing joint scientific activities, titled Scientific Day, with the exchange of dental speakers between various GCC countries. This concept evolved into a Gulf gathering which started in Kingdom of Bahrain, in the year 1998. The Saudi Dental Association organized the first Gulf Dental Conference in the year 2004 followed by the second conference in the year 2005, both held at the eastern city, Al Khobar.

The first formal meeting of the management of Gulf Dental Association was held on the sidelines of the second conference in November 2005. The third conference was held in UAE, in the year 2006, the fourth inBahrain, in the year 2007, the fifth inKuwait, in the year 2008, and the sixth inOman, in the year 2010. As we are holding today the eighth conference inDoha, this means that all GCC countries have hosted and participated in the Gulf Dental Association Conference.

The 15th meeting of the Gulf Dental Association management will be held on Thursday evening in Doha, to follow up various activities of the conference.

I would like to thank Qatar’s Minister of Public Health for his patronage of this conference. Thanks also to the wise leadership of the State of Qatar, the Qatar Dental Society affiliated to the Qatar Medical Association and the organizing committee of this conference.