IDEA, 14th-16th DECEMBER 2017

The third edition of IDEA (International Dental Exhibition Africa), the dental trade-show organized by UNIDI (the Italian Dental Industries Association) in cooperation with ITA (Italian Trade Commission), has successfully closed on Saturday December the 16th, 2017.
After two successful years in Senegal, IDEA moved to Ethiopia to approach the East African Countries; Ethiopia is the fastest growing economy and the second largest market in Africa: a perfect location to host an event that is becoming the most relevant international trade-show for the dental, medical and pharmaceutical sectors in Africa.
On Thursday, December 14th the President of UNIDI Gianna Pamich and the President of IDEA Gianfranco Berrutti opened the event. At the opening ceremony, an impressive panel of speakers intervened: Dr. Seeberger, President Elect of FDI (World Dental Federation), the presidents of the Ethiopian Dental Professionals Association, the Ethiopian Medical Association and the Ethiopian Pharmaceutical Association, as well as the representatives of ITA and of the Ethiopian Government, which gave their patronage to IDEA together with the Italian Embassy.
The speakers welcomed more than 1.000 professionals and operators and highlighted the key-role of IDEA, giving an all important contribution to the dental sector in Africa. This has been granted both by the opportunity to get in touch with the latest innovations of the industry and by the possibility to take part to high level scientific events held by internationally renowned.
The involvement of the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, strictly related to the dental market, means bigger margins of growth for IDEA and more training opportunities for the local professionals; it contributes to make IDEA the most important “meeting point” for the medical sector in Subsaharian Africa.
From 14th to 16th December at the UNECA Congress Center 50 International Companies met more than 3.000 dental, medical and pharmaceuticals professionals coming from several African Countries. Besides, a numerous group of dealers had the chance to get in touch with international manufacturers in their own continent: the exhibitors met 30 dealers, selected by UNIDI in partnership with ITA, coming from Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda, Zambia. The President of the local dentists Associations of these Countries were also part of the delegation.

Besides the exhibition, a very high level scientific congress was held during IDEA, including conferences, workshops and panel discussions: thanks to a partnership agreement, the Ethiopian Dental Professional Association (EDPA) supported UNIDI by organizing and promoting a comprehensive scientific programme. A panel of international speakers, including Dr Castellucci, Dr Fornara and Dr Seeberger, attended the event under the scientific direction of Dr Renato Gullà, member of the cultural committee of the Italian Society of Endodontics and active member of the EDPA. An entire day was focused on exhibitors’ workshops. The high number of people attending the scientific events confirmed the local professionals’ strong interest in training opportunities.

IDEA, being part of UNIDI’s strategy for the internationalization of the Italian dental industry in emerging markets, “is not about foreign companies coming to Africa to organise their event, rather, it is about building together a common project in Africa” (G. Berrutti, President of IDEA).

In order to consolidate the success of IDEA 2017, the next edition will be held in Ethiopia from 13th to 15th December 2018.
For further information please visit www.idea-africa.com or contact us: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.