PRAGUE, Czech Republic — The FDI World Dental Congress 2026 officially opened in Prague on Friday, Sept. 4, bringing more than 6,000 dental professionals from 122 countries and territories together for four days of scientific exchange, professional education and discussion on the future of oral health care.
The opening ceremony, held from 6 to 7 p.m. at Prague’s O2 arena, marked the beginning of the first FDI World Dental Congress to be hosted in the Czech Republic. The congress, organised by the FDI World Dental Federation in collaboration with the Czech Dental Chamber, runs through Sept. 7 at the O2 arena and O2 universum.
FDI said the congress has attracted more than 1,500 research abstracts from 74 countries, adding a substantial research component to the four-day programme. The scientific programme combines clinical education, research, professional discussions and an international dental exhibition.
The opening ceremony featured FDI President Asst. Prof. Dr. Nikolai Sharkov and Assoc. Prof. Roman Šmucler, president of the Czech Dental Chamber. The programme also included the traditional FDI Flag Ceremony, reflecting the international participation at the World Dental Congress.
The official ceremony programme included performances by Losers Cirque Company, accompanied by the Karlovy Vary Chamber Orchestra, alongside elements highlighting Czech history and culture.
Prague becomes a meeting point for global dentistry
For the Czech dental profession, the congress represents a significant international gathering on home ground. The Czech Republic is hosting the FDI World Dental Congress for the first time, bringing representatives of national dental organisations, clinicians, researchers and other members of the dental community to Prague.
Speaking at the opening, Šmucler highlighted the significance of bringing the international dental community to Prague and described the city as a potential “crossroads” for the profession — a place where dental professionals can meet and contribute to discussions affecting the future of dentistry.
He also pointed to a wider transition in dental care, expressing the hope that the congress would help move the profession beyond the traditional “drill and fill” approach toward greater emphasis on prevention, education and preservation of healthy, vital teeth.
That emphasis on prevention sits alongside the congress's broader scientific agenda, which covers clinical practice, research, technological development and oral health policy.
AI takes a prominent place in the conversation
Artificial intelligence is among the major themes running through the Prague congress, reflecting the growing presence of digital technologies in dental diagnosis and clinical workflows.
The programme addresses applications of AI in areas including caries detection, endodontic diagnosis and assessment of periodontal bone loss, while also raising questions around data security, accountability and patient safety.
Šmucler, who chairs the FDI European Regional Organization's working group on Digitalization, eHealth, Artificial Intelligence and Digital Dentistry, has emphasised the need for the profession to consider not only what AI can do, but how such systems make decisions, explain their outputs and learn.
The congress is also using AI directly to broaden access to its scientific programme. AI-powered live translation is available across designated scientific sessions in up to 16 languages, including Czech, English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese and Ukrainian.
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