WFO expands to 114 affiliate organizations with addition of Ho Chi Minh City Association of Orthodontists
Kosovo Orthodontic Society and Orthodontic Society of Northern Greece joined in late 2015
As this issue of the WFO Gazette was going to press in late October 2016, the WFO Executive Committee accepted the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Orthodontists (HAO) as a WFO affiliate organization. In all, the WFO now has 114 affiliate organizations.
All orthodontists from Vietnam are welcome to join the HAO. Membership is not restricted to only those orthodontists who practice in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.
“As the WFO continues to grow with the addition of new affiliate organizations, we maintain three objectives of the WFO: 1) Encourage high standards in orthodontics throughout the world, 2) Encourage and assist in the formation of national associations and societies of orthodontists when requested, and 3) Promote desirable standards of training and certification for orthodontists,” WFO President Dr. Allan Thom said. “These objectives have been supported in the WFO Executive Committee’s approval of affiliation of the Ho Chi Minh City Association of Orthodontists. The WFO has, previously, approved individual ‘fellow’ applications from Vietnam, but now there is an association which all Vietnamese orthodontists may join. We look forward to welcoming more WFO fellows and watching and assisting the speciality of orthodontics grow in Vietnam.”
The next issue of the WFO Gazette will feature a profile on the HAO. In December 2015, the WFO approved two other affiliate organizations — the Kosovo Orthodontic Society (KOS) and the Orthodontic Society of Northern Greece (OSNG). The profiles on these organizations follow.
The officers and members of the administrative board of the Kosovo Orthodontic Society met June 8 to discuss upcoming activities. In the front row, from left, are Dr. Arbrije Prenaj Zeneli and Dr. Jeta Kisieri Kubati, general secretary. In the back row, from left, are Dr. Mentor Dobruna, treasurer; Dr. Arijeta Gashi; Dr. Genc Qilerxhiu, vice president; Dr. Migjen Demjaha, president; and Dr. Arijeta Sllamniku.
Kosovo Orthodontic Society
The KOS, which was established in 2006 in Prishtina, Kosovo, initially had a membership of 40 orthodontists. Since then, the organization has grown to more than 65 regular members and postgraduate members, as well as two honorary members.
Despite the post-war situation in Kosovo and other difficulties, the KOS has successfully hosted three international symposiums during the past 10 years.
The KOS held its most recent officer election in October 2015. Dr. Migjen Demjaha is president, and Dr. Genc Qilerxhiu is vice president. Dr. Jeta Kiseri Kubati is secretary general, and Dr. Hasan Mehmeti is the honorary president. In addition to the officers, the KOS also has an assembly, an administrative board of 15 members, as well as several branches, sections and work groups.
“We would like to express our appreciation to Dr. William H. DeKock and Dr. Lee W. Graber, taking into consideration their tremendous encouragement and help that was offered during the affiliation of the KOS to the WFO,” Dr. Kiseri Kubati said.
In December 2015, the Orthodontic Society of Northern Greece (OSNG) and the Greek Orthodontic Society (GOS), with participation of the Hellenic Professional Union of Orthodontists (HPUO), offered the 18th Greek National Congress. Pictured here are members of the OSNG Board of Trustees: From left, Dr. Fadi Tarawneh, a member of the board; Dr. Effimia Koumpia, treasurer; Dr. Anastasios Zafiriadis, a member of the board; Dr. Ioulia Ioannidou-Marathiotou, secretary general; Dr. Moschos Papadopoulos, chairman; and Dr. Athina Chatzigianni, a member of the board.
Orthodontic Society of Northern Greece
The OSNG was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Thessaloniki, Greece. It is the fourth Greek society to join the WFO as an affiliate organization. The other Greek societies are the Greek Orthodontic Society (GOS), the Greek Association of Study and Research (GASR), and the Hellenic Professional Union of Orthodontists (HPUO).
The organization has several purposes: 1.) To promote the science of orthodontics, and, in particular, the research, study, diagnosis and solution of orthodontic problems that deal with preventive or interceptive procedures, as well as the study and research of orthodontic problems that relate directly or indirectly to other specialties or disciplines of dentistry, medicine or other relative sciences; 2.) To promote and present orthodontic achievements not only to orthodontists but also to general practitioners and to the public; 3.) To present orthodontic-related issues to scientists of other specialties; and 4.) To provide scientific and moral aid and assistance to the members of the society in exercising their science and whatever is related to it. As part of these overall goals, the OSNG organizes many seminars and courses to promote the specialty of orthodontics on an annual basis.
As of June 2016, the OSNG has 141 members who are either orthodontic specialists or orthodontic postgraduate students. The General Assembly elects the seven-member Board of Trustees, the members of which serve a three-year term. The current board’s term will conclude in 2018. Dr. Moschos Papadopoulos is chairman, Dr. Eleftherios Kaklamanos is vice-chairman, Dr. Ioulia Ioannidou-Marathiotou is secretary general, and Dr. Effimia Koumpia is treasurer. Dr. Athina Chatzigianni, Dr. Fadi Tarawneh and Dr. Anastasios Zafiriadis are members of the Board of Trustees.
Dr. Papadopoulos said that the OSNG maintains good relations with the other Greek orthodontic organizations. “The result of this excellent cooperation of the OSNG with the other societies is the co-organization of the Annual National Orthodontic Congress,” he said. For the last 19 years, the OSNG, the Greek Orthodontic Society and the Hellenic Professional Union of Orthodontists have offered this congress the first weekend of December.