# International Association of Dental Students

The International Association of Dental Students (IADS) is a non-governmental organization representing interests of dental students worldwide. It was founded in August 1951 in Copenhagen, Denmark, and currently has more than 200,000 students from 60 countries.

## History

In February 1951, the national organization of French stomatology students invited some of their colleagues from other countries to attend their annual meeting in Paris, France, where the Danish, Dutch and Swedish representatives proposed to establish international dental students' organization. Such proposal was unanimously welcomed.
A committee consisting of representatives from Denmark, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom was formed to work out the basic principles on which to build the constitution of the association. This constitution was drafted and the first executive committee was elected; Leslie Sorling from Sweden was elected the first president.

## Congress

Two international meetings take place each year to offer the opportunity for dental students delegates to come together to discuss their current issues and future strategies. One of these two meetings is called the Mid Year Meeting (MYM) and usually takes place by the end of each winter, while the other one is the Annual Congress (AC) which takes place by the end of each summer.
List of IADS Congresses :
| Year | Mid Year Meeting | Annual Congress |
| 2024 | Tunisia | Slovenia |
| 2023 | Kyrenia Cyprus | Sharm Elsheikh Egypt |
| 2022 | Amman Jordan | Almaty Kazakhstan |
| 2021 | Online | Istanbul Turkey |
| 2020 | Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina | Online |
| 2019 | Strasbourg France | Monastir Tunisia |
| 2018 | Kyrenia Cyprus | Kaohsiung Taiwan |
| 2017 | Beirut Lebanon | Madrid Spain |
| 2016 | Bratislava Slovakia | Poznan Poland |
| 2015 | Amman Jordan | Bangkok Thailand |
| 2014 | Tunis Tunisia | Yogyakarta Indonesia |
| 2013 | Lisbon Portugal | Istanbul Turkey |
| 2012 | Alexandria Egypt | Bucharest Romania |
| 2011 | Mowscow Russia | New Delhi India |
| 2010 | Skopje Macedonia | Brno Czech Republic |
| 2009 | Ljubljana Slovenia | Iasi Romania |
| 2008 | Lublin Poland | Sharm Elsheikh Egypt |
| 2007 | Tbilisi Georgia | Lake Balaton Hungary |
| 2006 | Split Croatia | Khartoum Sudan |
| 2005 | Bergen Norway | Prague Czech Republic |
| 2004 | Ljubljana Slovenia | Berlin Germany |
| 2003 | Krakow Poland | Istanbul Turkey |
| 2002 | Prague Czech Republic | Sharm Elsheikh Egypt |
| 2001 | Istanbul Turkey | Kuala Lumpur Malaysia |
| 2000 | Budapest Hungary | Bugibba Malta |
| 1965 | London United Kingdom | London United Kingdom |
| 1964 | London United Kingdom | Amsterdam Netherlands |
| 1963 | London United Kingdom | Cancelled |
| 1962 | London United Kingdom | Dusseldorf Germany |
| 1961 | London United Kingdom | London United Kingdom |
| 1960 | London United Kingdom | Stockholm Sweden |
| 1959 | London United Kingdom | Berlin Germany |
| 1958 | London United Kingdom | Ghent Belgium |
| 1957 | London United Kingdom | Oslo Norway |
| 1956 | London United Kingdom | New Castle United Kingdom |
| 1955 | London United Kingdom | Malmo Sweden |
| 1954 | London United Kingdom | Utrecht Netherlands |
| 1953 | London United Kingdom | Marburg Germany |
| 1952 | London United Kingdom | Birmingham United Kingdom |
| 1951 | Paris France | Copenhagen Denmark |

## Honorary Life Members

The title of Honorary Life Member (HLM) is the highest rank within the IADS, awarded to leaders through unanimous voting by the General Assembly. This esteemed designation recognises leaders who have made enduring and exceptional contributions to the association's mission and objectives. The ongoing impact of these eminent leaders continues to shape the organisation's trajectory, reflecting their unparalleled dedication and leadership. According to IADS Bylaws, Chapter 1 (Membership), "Honorary Life Members (HLM) shall be persons who have made distinguished contributions to the Association, and must be appointed unanimously by the General Assembly and shall be ex-officio members of the General Assembly without the right to vote, unless they have been certified as delegates by a Full Member".
List of Honorary Life Members (HLMs) :
| Name | Country | Year of Appointment |
| Abanoub Riad | Egypt | 2022 |
| Sina Saygili | Turkey | 2022 |
| Tomaz Spindler | Slovenia | 2019 |
| Omar Albairat | Morocco | 2017 |
| Pavel Scarlat | Romania | 2017 |
| Ahmed Hawas | Egypt | 2008 |
| Mark Antal | Hungary | 2007 |
| Sarkis Sozkes | Turkey | 2002 |
| Christopher Orr | United Kingdom | 2001 |
| Roberto Cabassa | Puerto Rico | 2000 |
| Eric Nomand | France | 1999 |
| Stephen Smith | United Kingdom | 1997 |
| Aldo Miranda | Puerto Rico | 1995 |
| Lynn Walters | United Kingdom | 1984 |
| Asterios Doukodakis | United States of America | N/A |
| Marty Lipsey | United States of America | N/A |
| Peter Swiss | United Kingdom | N/A |
| Peter Dyer | United Kingdom | N/A |
| John Seear | United Kingdom | N/A |
| Aylwin Drakeford Hitchin | United Kingdom | N/A |
| Jan-Eric Ahlberg | Sweden | N/A |
| Carlos Bravo-Castro | Puerto Rico | N/A |
| H. W. Hasse | Germany | N/A |
| Arje Sheinin | Finland | N/A |
| P. O. Pedersen | Denmark | N/A |

## Green Dentistry Day

Green Dentistry is a joint project between IADS and Freier Verband Deutscher Zahnärzte (FVDZ) Student Chamber with the goal to raise awareness in dental practitioners and teach them how to change their routines towards a profitable and eco-friendly workflow for their future dental practices. Because in the last 20 years the trash produced per dental clinic has strongly increased, the tendency to use more and more single-use instruments (disposable) in the dental field and to be economically prepared for Future regulation.
Green Dentistry Day is held each year on 22 May. It was launched in 2020 by competition among worldwide dental students in order to promote green dentistry.