More than 450 dental professionals from Spain and Portugal are gathering from today through Saturday, May 16, at the Zaragoza Auditorium to participate in the 47th Annual Meeting of the Spanish Society of Pediatric Dentistry (SEOP). This event, held for the first time in Aragon, coincides with the 14th Meeting of the Portuguese Society of Pediatric Dentistry (SPOP) and the 5th Iberian Meeting, establishing itself as the leading forum for children’s oral health care on the Iberian Peninsula.
Dr. Beatriz Auría Martín of Zaragoza, president of the organizing committee, explained that the main objective of the conference is “to share knowledge with professionals from different specialties and discover scientific advances in diagnosis, prevention, and treatment that make it possible to intervene early and guide the growth of pediatric patients.”
Over the course of the three-day event, more than thirty lectures, workshops, and hands-on courses will be held, with a special emphasis on new diagnostic and treatment techniques for pediatric patients, functional analysis of children, and the prevention of oral health issues in the early years of life.
Key message for families and pediatricians
One of the central messages of the conference is the need for early visits. As Dr. Auría emphasized, the first visit to the pediatric dentist should take place before the child turns one year old or, at the very latest, when the first tooth erupts. The goal is to correct harmful habits (prolonged pacifier use, thumb-sucking, excessive sugar consumption) and prevent early childhood caries, a problem that still affects many preschool-aged children.
Featured Program
The keynote lecture will be delivered by Zaragoza-based pediatrician Carlos González, president of the Catalan Association for Breastfeeding, who will speak on “Sleep in Children” on Thursday, May 14, at 6:45 p.m.
Notable speakers include professionals from the Illustrious College of Dentists and Stomatologists of Aragon, such as:
- Andrés Villanueva, who will speak on “Restoration of young permanent teeth using adhesive techniques and layered composites.”
- Oliver Valencia, who will address “Endodontic failure and loss of young permanent teeth: from re-endodontics to autotransplantation.”
In addition, a charity conference will be held on the Tessaout projects in Morocco, featuring Goyi Alonso, Mª Eugenia Guerra, and Elena Lahoz.
On Saturday, May 16, starting at 9:30 a.m., a specialized training session will be offered for dental hygienists, reinforcing the message that “the prevention of oral disease must begin during the first months of life.”
A Comprehensive View of the Pediatric Patient
Experts agree that pediatric dentistry goes far beyond the treatment of teeth: it directly influences a child’s nutrition, speech development, self-esteem, and sleep patterns. Early, multidisciplinary care allows for the preventive detection of problems and educates families on healthy habits that will last a lifetime.
This Iberian conference in Zaragoza highlights the growing interest in pediatric dentistry and the need to strengthen its presence in both the public and private sectors.
Iberian pediatric dentistry emerges stronger from the Aragonese capital with a clear and urgent message for parents, pediatricians, and society at large: caring for children’s oral health from the very first tooth is not a luxury; it is a fundamental investment in their health and future development.
