Taking into account the epidemiological situation, which has improved signi cantly, dentists in Serbia have entered the year 2022 relaxed in terms of the strict epidemic measures that have been in force since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Immunization against COVID-19 in Serbia is not an obligation, however, strict protection measures are still in force. If it can be said that something good came out of the COVID-19 epidemic, it is that dentists are now taking protection measures much more seriously.
Unlike the private practice in medicine, which simply thrived during the epidemic because state health
institutions were mostly engaged in the treatment of the Corona, private dental practices were suppressed with a reduced in ux of patients. This trend occurs mainly for two reasons. First, however, patients fear that they may be infected with the Coronavirus, and thus leave complex dental reconstructions for “better times.” Also, not a small number of surgeries in Serbia provide dental services to patients living abroad, although they are mostly citizens of Serbia. It is well known what problems people encountered regarding travel during the COVID-19 epidemic.
Another global problem that affects the reduced number of patients has appeared in Serbia in the last month, and that is, of course, the war between Russia and Ukraine. Although life in Serbia is going on almost normally for now, without any restrictions or shortages, world crises such as Ukraine’s are generally negatively affecting people who are worried about what will happen in the future. This, of course, is also repercussed on dental practices, because patients certainly do not prioritize dental services, except, of course, emergencies.
However, not everything is so upsetting. The Dental Chamber of Serbia, in co-organization with the School of Dental Medicine, University of Belgrade, is once again, seventh years in a row, organizing the
21st Serbian Dental Congress in Belgrade, October 6-9-2022, the largest event of its kind in the region.
This year, the congress will be organized in a hybrid form, unlike last year, which was organized using the
online web platform. We hope that the epidemic, as well as world situation, will allow the congress to be held live, et least, for the most part. Besides this Congress, the most important dental event in the region, various types of continuous medical education are also organized, to which dentists gladly respond, especially since they are held live again.
Statement see EDI Journal 1/2022