Dear colleagues, partners, friends-dear dentists from every corner of the world,

Standing here in Shanghai, a city where ancient wisdom meets modern momentum, I accept the honor and responsibility of serving as President of FDI World Dental Federation. I extend heartfelt thanks to our hosts, the Chinese Stomatological Association for their leadership and hospitality. Your commitment showcases the energy and excellence of our profession in China and across Asia.

As I begin this journey, I want to set out the values that will guide my presidency: trust, unity, harmony, resilience, field work, and transperency. What I mean by this is to build trust between patients and dentists; unity across borders and disciplines; harmony in how we balance science, ethics, and the environment; resilience when challenges test our resolve; field work that brings care to communities; and transperency in how we lead and are held accountable. These are not slogans, they are daily practices. 

FDI’s mission is clear: optimal oral health for all-no person left behind. Vision 2030 is our roadmap to embed oral health within universal health coverage, to integrate oral health across health systems, and to elevate prevention as the foundation of care. With nearly 200 national dental associations in some 130 countries-representing more than a million dentists-FDI is uniquely positioned to turn this vision into results through partnership with governments, the WHO, academia, and industry. 

Yet we must be honest about the work ahead. Oral diseases affect billions of people worldwide, and inequalities persist both within and between nations. Workforce gaps and maldistribution keep care out of reach for too many; sustainability and climate pressures demand that we change how care is delivered; and the digital transformation challenges us to innovate without leaving anyone behind. We will meet these realities with evidence, action, and a clear moral compass. 

Our response will be practical and people-centered. We will expand prevention through World Oral Health Day-speaking with one voice to citizens and policymakers. We will deepen outreach through programs like Smile Around the World that bring education and services to children and families where the need is greatest. And we will support field work-mobile clinics, school programs, rural capacity-building-so that our global network translates knowledge into healthier mouths and lives. 

We will also lead responsibly on innovation. Digital dentistry and AI will help us diagnose earlier, personalize care, and reach remote communities. Continuing education will keep our colleagues-especially early-career dentists as well as  seasoned professionals-equipped to thrive. Last but not least sustainability will shape materials, workflows, and clinics that protect planetary health while improving patient outcomes. As we adopt new tools, we will uphold ethics and patient safety, and we will collaborate across the entire dental team to amplify our impact. 

Shanghai reminds us that progress is both swift and built step by step. As Lao Tzu taught, “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” Tonight, that step is a pledge: that every decision we take will be anchored in trust; that our unity will extend beyond our halls into ministries, schools, and neighborhoods. That our harmony will be seen in how we balance innovation with compassion, and that our resilience will help us turn setbacks into momentum for change.

To the sisters and brothers in this hall - your hands, your minds, and your hearts are the engine of FDI. I ask you to bring forward your best ideas. To mentor the next generation, to champion prevention in your clinics, to measure what matters, and to hold leadership, including me, to the highest standards of transperency.

Let us make the days we spent in Shanghai more than a congress. Let them be a launchpad. When we return home, let us carry with us new friendships, partnerships, fresh commitments, and practical plans: to integrate oral health in primary care, to strengthen workforces where shortages are greatest, to embed sustainability in everything we do, and to ensure that digital tools bridge gaps rather than widen them. 

Together-with trust as our bond, unity that creates strength, harmony as our guide, resilience as our habit, field work as our method, and transparency as our promise-we will shape a future where oral health is a right realized for every person. Thank you, Shanghai.