CECDO Content

The Council of European Chief Dental Officers

promotes dental public health throughout Europe

The Council of European Chief Dental Officers (CECDO) was inaugurated in July 1992 and was registered as an association under Dutch law with the Kamer van Koophandel (Chamber of Commerce) Den Haag in 1995.

Our Aims

The Council aims to provide a forum for the exchange of views on dental matters which affect European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) member countries. It exists to offer advice to National Governments, to the Commission and others on matters affecting European dentistry through the creation and maintenance of a contact organization for European Chief Dental Officers (CECDO).

Specifically we wish to facilitate:

improvements in the range of oral care services in all European populations

an increase in the quality of care

the development of high quality cost-effective dental care service

Who we are

The Chief Dental Officers are the senior professional officials or civil servants who act as advisers on dentistry to national European governments. All EU/EEA countries are entitled to full membership through their CDO.

The Council has full voting members and associate members.

What we do

We exchange knowledge and data between CDOs which can influence the current and future policy of national governments with respect of dental care. This is achieved by organizing two meetings each year, preferably in the country which holds the presidency of the European Union, to provide a confidential forum for this exchange of views.

We co-ordinate pan-European activities related to improvements in technology, dental care and dental education.

We take a proactive role in the development of programs designed to improve the quality of dental public health.

We publish articles and reports.

In addition the Council has developed a databank on European oral health, dental care, dental workforce and education. This databank will serve as a source of validated, quantitative and qualitative information against which programs to improve oral care can be measured.

The Council also maintains links with international organizations, research institutes and industry. Cooperation with European countries outside EU/EEA is also considered important.

Our finances

The Council is supported firstly by the EU country holding the Presidency, which normally funds a meeting as part of their Presidential initiative. Secondly the Council is supported by grants obtained from funding agencies.

At present, there is no direct funding from the EU commission, so that travel and associated expenses for the meetings are met by members' own travel budgets.

Members

The Council of European Chief Dental Officers currently (2005) has delegates from nearly all EU countries (incl. accession countries) and two EEA countries and from five countries outside the EU/EEA. A photograph of those who attended a recent CECDO meeting in Greece appears below.