G·O·I·A Founding World Congress in Bremen, April 30 and May 1, 2004 “The Future meets innovation – Oral implantology today”

“To teach and to study”

High ranking officers and top level speakers framed the festive atmosphere of the Founding World Congress of Global Oral Implant Academy (G·O·I·A) in Bremen on April 30 and May 1, 2004. The participants from 25 nations were welcomed by the Mayor of Bremen Dr. Henning Scherf. Glancing at the “colorful” audience, he pointed out the tolerance of a hanseatic city – Bremen with the worldwide trade relations and an open handling of including all ethnical groups is predestined for the GOIA Congress event.

In his opening speech Prof. Dr. Rolf Semmler emphasized the international transfer of expert knowledge and experience as the primary goal of GOIA. The GOIA Academy is intended to be a supplement to existing organizations and societies – with respect to scientific research as well as practical experience. The system neutrality of GOIA permits an open exchange for all practicing implantologists and offers education in all aspects up to and including the Master Degree.

Education up to the Master Degree

Prof. Dr. Hans L. Grafelmann, initiator of the German oral implantology and Honorary Chairman of the GOIA Board, illustrated in his welcoming speech the historical development of implantology from the start in Germany up to today.

The scientific program of the first congress day related to subjects of implant surfaces and accelerated healing as well as augmentation and membrane techniques and were introduced by Prof. Dr. Dr. Nils-C. Gellrich, University of Freiburg. He demonstrated the state of the art augmentation methods on the human skull. Furthermore, he pointed out the requirement for a progressive functional loading in order to avoid resorptions. At the same time he emphasized the essential significance of sufficient vascularization of the augmentation material. Of special interest are the possibilities of computer planning of large restorative trauma therapies and their application in surgery which he demonstrated.