Journal of Disability and Oral Health

cover art

Cover Date:
June 2009
Print ISSN:
1470-8558
Electronic ISSN:
1754-2758
Vol:
10
Issue:
2

Editorial

It was with great delight that I said ‘yes’, when I was kindly asked to put some words together for this Editorial as the current President of IADH. When a president is elected, naturally he or she has in mind goals to be achieved during the presidency. As the president of IADH, and as an individual who has had the opportunity of living overseas several times, one of my biggest goals is honouring the ‘international’ word in the Association’s acronym. In order to do so I have been working very seriously and consistently in creating different arms to link IADH to other Associations and Societies across the Globe. Collaboration is the word! Internationally is the adverb for it! By definition, collaboration is a recursive process where two or more people or organisations work together, an intersection of common goals. Collaboration does not require leadership and can sometimes bring better results through decentralisation. In particular, teams that work collaboratively can obtain greater resources, recognition and reward when facing competition for finite resources. In the March 2009 Issue of the Journal, Professor Nunn pointed out the differences between equity and equality and their relation to oral health as a part of health promotion. Perhaps, we can add to it the intrinsic concept of collaboration and partnership, to which IADH has been opening its doors; IADH, as an international organisation has a lot to offer and a lot to contribute but we need to maintain the momentum initiated at congresses. An initial partnership with Special Olympics International has been expanded to a future collaboration with

the re-activated Developing Countries Working Group. This has been with a view to bringing some ‘equity’ for people who are marginalised and most disadvantaged. IADH and the Special Care in Dentistry Association, from the United States of America, have started to work closer together – a significant partnership for future achievements, both at conferences and in day-to-day working. Another goal is bridging IADH to Asia and Asia to IADH. Let’s allow the ‘Dragon’ to bring out the light of the Asian culture to our patients and colleagues. And the bridge shall go to other countries and continents creating links and shelter to National Societies and Associations, as it should be one of the primary roles of an international organisation. Perhaps I am a dreamer, a romantic dreamer willing to make IADH a ‘small World’ or maybe I am more than that … I am a believer! And if I may make my own the words of a recently elected President in his Presidential speech I will say: “YES! WE CAN!” Leda Mugayar President of IADH

Article Price
£15.00
Institution Article Price
£
Page Start
0
Page End
0
Authors
Leda Mugayer

Articles from this issue

  • Title
  • Pg. Start
  • Pg. End

  1. Editorial
  2. 0
  3. 0

  1. An overview of the Oral Motor Function Therapy Clinic in the Special Care Unit in Westmead Hospital, Australia
  2. 1
  3. 12

  1. Recruitment difficulties associated with epidemiological surveys of the dental health of children with a Statement of Educational Special Needs in four PCTs in the Northwest of England in 2006/7
  2. 1
  3. 8

  1. An investigation of the caries experience of children with an intellectual disability living in a residential centre or at home
  2. 1
  3. 4

  1. Evaluation of the impact of dental status and salivary secretion on people with dysphagia
  2. 1
  3. 6

  1. Further abstracts from the IADH Congress, Santos, Brazil October 2008
  2. 1
  3. 1

  1. Oral hygiene education programme for intellectually impaired students attending a special school
  2. 1
  3. 7

2024 rates