Portuguese dentistry reaches the end of 2025 with a simultaneous feeling of accomplishment and responsibility. This year’s edition of the 34th OMD Congress , described in the opening pages of this magazine, left a clear message: the dentist of the 21st century needs to master more than just technique—they need to integrate science, ethics, humanization, and the ability to adapt to a sector undergoing profound transformation.
Over three days at Exponor, this vision took shape. The congress highlighted how the evolution of classic areas—from endodontics to orthodontics—can no longer be dissociated from emerging new approaches: orofacial harmonization, pain management, advanced digital technologies, and even light-based therapies. This disciplinary expansion demands reflection and clinical leadership, as well as the strengthening of ethical responsibilities that accompany an increasingly complex medical act.
But if the congress reflected the present state of the profession, the Oral Health Barometer 2025 exposed, with equal clarity, the challenges that persist in Portuguese society. The numbers leave no room for complacency: 64.6% of Portuguese people do not have a full set of teeth , 26% only seek emergency consultations , and only 6% were seen by the National Health Service (SNS) at their last appointment. These data, analyzed in this edition, remind us that clinical practice and science only fulfill their mission when they translate into real improvements in access, prevention, and health literacy.
2025 was also a year of strong international dynamism. Expodental 2026 is preparing to return with the motto “The Road to Dental Innovation ,” signaling that the industry continues to accelerate towards more advanced, interoperable, and sustainable solutions. Meanwhile, the FDI World Dental Congress 2026 in Prague promises to be a global stage for redefining paths, uniting the community, and debating the profession in a context of rapid technological change.
On the other hand, emerging themes — such as the impact of microplastics in dentistry — are now entering the scientific and environmental radar, showing that the sector’s responsibility goes far beyond consultation: it involves sustainable practices, innovative materials, and a commitment to future generations.
In this edition, we also give voice to the talents shaping Portuguese dentistry, to the laboratory advances that make digital workflows more predictable, and to the clinical cases that reflect the rigor and sensitivity required in each intervention.
Happy reading. Good practices. A bright future.
This and much more in your DentalPro magazine.
