IDEM 2020 marks the first digital edition of Asia Pacific’s leading dental event

IDEM's digital edition, held from 19 June to 19 August 2020, has come to a close. The 11th edition of IDEM (the International Dental Exhibition and Meeting), organised by Koelnmesse and the Singapore Dental Association, attracted 3,615 attendees from 54 countries, sparking critical dialogue as to the trends shaping the future of dentistry amid a new era of normality.

Mathias Kuepper, Managing Director of Koelnmesse Pte Ltd, expressed his gratitude to the organising team and the global dental community for coming together to make the very first digital edition of IDEM such a success. "In a world where it is difficult to gather physically, continued learning and networking remain of vital importance. Our attendees recognise this and they were very receptive, kindly embracing the new digital format."

Diverse learning opportunities

The IDEM Conference featured 28 local and global speakers who delivered 27 scientific sessions, made available live and on-demand for registered delegates. The sessions addressed social and technological trends including dentistry for ageing populations and how to conduct remote consultations, as well as how artificial intelligence is being applied to the business of dentistry. Delegates that attended the sessions also earned Continuing Education Points to reflect their learning.

Some of the on-demand sessions that earned more than 1,000 views included:

• SDA Masterclass: Contemporary Orthograde Retreatment by Prof. Emer. Shimon Friedman, DMD;
• The New World Order of AI, Machine Learning & Remote Monitoring. How COVID19 Changed the Discussion by Dr Grant Duncan; and
• Caries Management and the Older Adult by Dr Mark Wolff.

Delegates have expressed positive reviews for the online platform especially towards the flexibility of watching the recorded scientific sessions. "The digital platform has enabled me to enjoy the sessions at my own time and pace, allowing me to strike a great balance between work and family," shared Dr Shirlyn Ong, a delegate at IDEM 2020.

Sponsors made IDEM 2020's digital conference possible, with support from 3M, Colgate, Dentsply Sirona, Dental Monitoring, exocad, GC Asia, Ivoclar Vivadent, KaVo Kerr, Dental Protection, Pharmaforte Singapore Pte Ltd and ResDent.

A virtual first: the IDEM 2020 digital exhibition

Like the conference, IDEM's exhibition was also digital, a first for the series. 304 exhibitors from 36 countries showcased their latest innovations and solutions, offering exclusive promotions and discounts to IDEM attendees, including bundle offers and month-long promotions.

"I would like to recognise the efforts of the IDEM organisers for putting together IDEM Digital in such a short time frame", complimented Mr Teddy Lin, Project Manager, Taiwan Excellence. "Through our participation in the digital event, our company gained new insights and experiences. It helped enhance our company's digital presence."

An exhibition brings together people and IDEM 2020's digital exhibition was no different. Via an online chat feature, visitors to the digital booths could converse with the exhibitors. To meet potential business partners, exhibitors and participants alike were able to use an online business matching tool to set up profiles to discover, match and connect at pre-arranged online meetings. These essential tools helped forge new partnerships and opportunities at IDEM.

Neither were social activities curtailed. Three separate networking nights held over the course of the two-month event brought together colleagues old and new. The nights featured themes pertinent to the community, such as the future of dentistry, the impact of COVID-19 on the dental industry and their visions for the next iteration of IDEM.

IDEM 2022 reverts to an in-person format at a new venue

From 8 to 10 April 2022, IDEM will return to its established physical format at a new venue, the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands, Singapore.

"While I am encouraged to hear much positive feedback on the digital platform for IDEM 2020, we are looking forward to interacting with the international dental community in person in 2022. It is heartening to know that our efforts to rapidly pivot and deliver a flexible and interactive online event in 2020 have proven effective," said Dr Lim Lii, Chairperson of IDEM 2020.

"Our attendees have been very patient and responsive to the digital platform and have been actively learning from the live and on-demand sessions over the past two months. I hope the topics discussed have inspired them to put their new knowledge into practice for the challenges and trends ahead," she added.