Should health issues be entrusted to specialists in their many fields? No, according to the new international AVOLA Declaration Association based in Lucerne. That's why it invited interdisciplinary scientists to the Lucerne Culture and Congress Center on October 11, 2024. Around 200 experts discussed the power and potential of prevention and brought the results back to Europe. The findings were astounding, and the impact was enlightening for the specialists “trapped” in their fields.
The participants learned about the latest research findings in various lectures and panel discussions, which highlighted the links between diseases such as diabetes, arthritis and periodontitis; the possibilities and limitations of personalized nutrition were discussed, as well as the current state of research on the gut microbiome and the impact it can have on health. Global inequalities and the opportunities of digital technologies in the healthcare sector were also addressed.
Despite the diverse topics and perspectives of the speakers, there was a prevailing tenor: improved prevention, early detection and individual health literacy will promote a society in which people can live healthier, better lives. However, more forums are needed in which scientists, practitioners and political decision-makers come together to promote these goals. AVOLA's work really begins after this first symposium. If the project succeeds in the medium term, it should be possible to reduce healthcare costs across Europe, among other benefits.
Initiated by Ueli Breitschmid, Swiss entrepreneur and developer of the oral health company Curaden, there is a particular focus on close collaboration between oral health experts and many other health disciplines. His vision? “A new generation of physicians and dentists who put prevention at the forefront of their work and can also motivate others to take better oral self-care.” And AVOLA will make an important contribution to this by connecting the individual disciplines and sharing their findings with the public: “People need to learn how the connections between oral health and systemic health work, so that they can take control of their own health through preventive action.”
Image: The Board of Directors of AVOLA DECLARATION ASSOCIATION. Left to right: David Fäh; Marcel J. Scacchi; Kirsten Warrer; Denis Bourgeois; Björn Klinge; Björn Bartling. Missing: Christine Breitschmid, Bo Danielsen.
First AVOLA Symposium: The Oral-Systemic Health Connection – REVIEW
The highlights of our first symposium featuring international researchers, clinicians and other specialists providing the current state of knowledge on oral-systemic health.