The European Organization for Caries Research (ORCA) is a scientific organization that promotes oral health through scientific research in the field of cariology. It was established in 1953 as an international organization headquartered in Europe and has since brought together dental professionals from around the world. Every year, in early July, this organization organizes the ORCA Congress so experts can exchange information in the field of cariology. Every year, the latest research from the most important research centres from all over the world is presented at ORCA congresses.
This year, the 68th congress was organized, but unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this was the second time that the congress was held online. The main organizer of the congress is ORCA, in association with the local organizing committee from Zagreb headed by Professor Hrvoje Jurić, Head of the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry at the School of Dental Medicine in Zagreb, President of the Croatian Dental Society and Co-President of ORCA. The co-organizers of this year’s congress were the Croatian Dental Society and the Croatian Society for Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry of the Croatian Medical Association and the School of Dental Medicine at the University of Zagreb.
Gathering around 270 participants from around the world
The ORCA 2021 online congress was held over four days, from 7 to 10 July, and gathered about 270 participants from a large number of countries from almost all continents, except Africa. The program included numerous pre-recorded lectures, while the most important part, which included 110 poster presentations, was held live. On the first day, a ceremony was held to mark the 10th Anniversary of the European Core Curriculum in Cariology, co-organized by ORCA and ADEE (Association of Dental Education in Europe). Saturday was reserved for an afternoon symposium that focused on a minimally invasive approach in the treatment of caries in children. The social aspect of the ORCA Congress has always been very important, and, although faced with restrictions and challenges, the organizers prepared a special additional program that included an interactive school of cooking Croatian dishes and an artistic gala evening, at which all congress participants had the opportunity to present different artistic routines.
Among the many distinguished speakers at the congress, we should point out academician Slobodan Vukičević, who presented a valuable lecture on the first development of a medicine in the academic community, which should soon be available to patients in everyday treatment. Other invited lecturers included Domagoj Glavina and Kristina Goršeta from Zagreb, MC Huysmans (newly elected President of ORCA), Renscke Thomas from Nijmegen (the Netherlands), and Falk Schwendicke and Julian Markus Fisher from Berlin (Germany). Most of the lectures pointed out the importance of minimal intervention dentistry, which today represents an indispensable part of everyday clinical work. The lectures also highlited the significance of the academic community and the great research potential of its human resources, which represent the most important factor of scientific excellence. Emphasis was also placed on the need to focus on planning and implementing preventive procedures in dentistry from the earliest childhood at the global level.
The next ORCA Congress has been announced for July 2022 and will be held in the city of Cagliari in Sardinia.
