The Osteology Foundation is celebrating its 10th anniversary at the International Symposium in Monaco under the banner “Linking Science with Practice in Regeneration”. Why is ‘linking’ important?
Christoph Hämmerle: Research basically sets out to affect everyday practice, but there is no seamless transition from one to the other. At the Osteology Foundation we aim to shrink the gap between research and clinical practice in our field. We want to bring the two sides closer together. We primarily want to see knowledge gained from research being translated into clinical concepts.
From a practitioner’s perspective: What is the foundation’s most important output?
CH: Osteology organises symposia on oral tissue regeneration at a national and international level; this is what the foundation is best-known for among practitioners. In recent years the congress series has consolidated itself as a brand in more and more countries on virtually every continent.
What sets the series of congresses apart?
CH: The symposia present the whole multi-dimensional field of oral tissue regeneration. They cover topics such as horizontal and vertical ridge augmentations, therapies for periodontally compromised teeth, peri-implantitis treatment or improvement of soft tissue aesthetics.
There are, on the one hand, many lectures which clearly focus on the scientific evidence, on the other hand, we organise exhaustive practical training. This balance is key. Attendees also really appreciate the chance to enter into dialogue with experts - in the discussions, the interactive sessions or in the breaks.
Does research play a part in the symposia too?
CH: Yes. The lectures always deal with the state of current research. Furthermore, we also organise a poster exhibition, a research forum presenting current studies and special workshops for researchers. All this raises the appeal of the congress to scientists. You can see what impact your own research makes and if it is relevant to topics other people are conducting research into. An International Osteology Symposium provides a very good picture of what research is currently being performed in the field of tissue regeneration.
Besides organising training initiatives, sponsoring research is a key objective of the Osteology Foundation. What is in the foundation for researchers?
CH: Anyone planning a study in the field of oral tissue regeneration can request funding from the Osteology Foundation. We have arranged the application procedure to make the effort for applicants as slight as possible. Initially they only need to submit a brief description of their project; a detailed application does not follow until they are invited into the main round. This can save applicants a great deal of time.
Osteology has thus far sponsored 40 studies from 13 countries. What now?
CH: We are not only concerned with funding specific projects. We also wish to do something about improving the quality of research in oral regeneration.
We set up the Osteology Research Academy for this reason in 2011. It is a one-week intensive course in research methodology held in Lucerne each September. The idea for this course arose out of there being otherwise virtually no structured grounding in research methodology. Young researchers have often had to learn by trial and error how to plan and conduct a study, how to go about raising funding and how to write a paper. The course thus bridges a gap in the academic curriculum.
Furthermore, since 2011 in Volume 1 of the Osteology Research Guidelines there has now been a research book for anyone conducting preclinical studies in the field of oral tissue regeneration. The book features helpful examples of study protocols on many research issues and therefore helps to prevent errors in planning and evaluating studies. If only I’d had such a book when I set out on my scientific career…
Looking back as foundation president on 10 years of Osteology what gives you the greatest pride?
CH: I enjoy seeing researchers funded by Osteology being awarded prizes. This shows that we support key research. But I also take pride in the development of the foundation as a whole. Osteology has developed into an institution in regenerative dentistry with world-wide rapport. We have been intent on high quality and integrity from the outset, and that is also how our output is perceived by others. Many dedicated experts that stand for what they are doing and want to benefit the field have made crucial contributions here. We are going to celebrate this at the congress.
Looking ahead - what do you see as the foundation’s key objectives in the next five years?
CH: We want to continue both training initiatives and research funding. We, however, value spreading our message to more and more people and not just within our events and funding initiatives. Digital media will play an ever greater role in this.