Founded in Zurich in November 2021, the ICCO (Interdisciplinary Competence Center of Orthodontics) aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration in orthodontics and related fields. The ICCO covers three topics: Continuing Education, Clinical Evidence and Digitalisation. The conference, chaired by Prof. Dr. mult. Ted Eliades (University of Zurich), also collaborates with other groups with the aim of achieving better and more predictable results at the lowest possible cost through a systematic approach.
The ICCO organises Study Club meetings (the next one will take place on 22.6.22) to discuss topics and experiences intensively and openly in a small, personal forum. In addition, the ICCO offers topic-specific courses and workshops with a focus on digitalisation. At a later date, it is also planned to conduct clinical studies.
At the first Study Club Meeting on 23.3.22 in Zurich, participants were taken into a fully digitised practice by Nearchos C. Panayi (DDS, DOrth, MOrth) from Limassol (Cyprus). Dr Panayi's passion for all things digital led to an in-house 3D design and printing concept that transfers conventional orthodontics into the digital world.
Dr Panayi designs and produces patient-specific, fixed-fit orthodontic appliances, which he plans beforehand using his own CAD software. Or he prints aligners without making physical study models in advance, all fully digital.
He is the author of the book DIY Orthodontics, which details his developments and procedures. Dr Panayi is a pioneer and trailblazer who, with this glimpse into the future of orthodontics, impressively demonstrated at the 1st ICCO Study Club Meeting the immense potential that awaits digital development in our practices.
The evening was rounded off with lively discussions during the aperitif. We are looking forward to the next meeting, which will take place on 22.6.22, again in Zurich. Further information will be available soon at www.iccortho.org .