Foreword

Dear Colleagues,

We welcome the Seattle Study Club to Germany! The Seattle Study Club was founded in 1992 by Dr. Michael Cohen, a periodontist from Seattle, Washington, who sought to bring general dentists and specialists together with the explicit goal of exchanging knowledge and ideas about comprehensive treatment planning. Three major principles form the foundation of the SSC:

1. True learning take places not through exposure to specific techniques - however advanced they may be - but through the understanding of total case management. All facets of our profession are considered and combined in a treatment plan that promotes the health and beauty of the patient over the long term and provides for retrievability in the event of failure.
2. True learning starts being effective when we replace observation with participation and when we interact actively while developing interpersonal relationships with clinicians at all levels in a respectful environment.
3. True learning is always a continuing, ongoing process whereby we all learn from each other as we seek the highest level of care achievable in fulfilling our commitment to our patients.

The philosophy of the German Association of Aesthetic Dentistry (DGÄZ) is very similar to that of the Seattle Study Club and the association is very keen to establish a similar study club network in Germany, which would aim to promote and support the continuing education of its members. “America meets Europe” is a wonderful opportunity for these two organisations to be able to come together and exchange ideas and we are excited about the start of a new era of excellence in postgraduate dental education.

Treatment planning will be at the centre of the presentations as this is the key to successful treatment and determines the probable outcome. However the special areas of interest of each speaker will themselves be a highlight and detailed questions will be answered during the presentations.

The quality of the speakers guarantees an innovative, up to date and scientifically grounded training opportunity.

We look forward to welcoming you to picturesque Tegernsee,

Dr. Siegfried Marquardt Vice President German Association of Aesthetic Dentistry

Dr. Michael Cohen President of the Seattle Study Club