WELCOME MESSAGE
Dear Colleagues, Distinguished Speakers, and Esteemed Guests,
It is both a privilege and a great pleasure to welcome you to AICOT 2026 – Atlas International Congress on TMD, hosted by the Faculty of Dentistry of Istanbul Atlas University.
AICOT 2026 marks the inaugural scientific meeting of the Atlas International Congress on Dentistry (AICOD), a new international congress series established by Istanbul Atlas University with the vision of creating a sustainable global platform for scientific exchange, interdisciplinary collaboration, and innovation in dentistry. While AICOD serves as the umbrella congress brand, each annual meeting will focus on a contemporary topic of particular scientific and clinical importance. For this inaugural edition, we have chosen Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) as the central theme, proudly presenting this year’s meeting as AICOT 2026 – Atlas International Congress on TMD.
As a city where continents, cultures, and civilizations have met for centuries, Istanbul provides an inspiring setting for scientific dialogue, international friendship, and academic collaboration. We are delighted to welcome participants from around the world to this unique city, where tradition and innovation meet to shape the future.
AICOT was founded with a clear vision: to provide a truly international scientific forum where clinicians, researchers, educators, biomedical engineers, and industry innovators can exchange knowledge, challenge ideas, and advance the science of occlusion, temporomandibular disorders, prosthodontics, digital dentistry, and interdisciplinary patient care.
We are living in an era of extraordinary transformation. Digital technologies, artificial intelligence, objective diagnostic systems, and personalized treatment concepts are rapidly reshaping modern dentistry. Yet, while technology continues to evolve, the principles that define our profession remain unchanged: scientific integrity, ethical responsibility, critical thinking, respect for evidence, and an unwavering commitment to lifelong learning. These values form the foundation upon which AICOD and AICOT have been established.
One of the defining characteristics of AICOT is its commitment to scientific openness. AICOT does not seek to promote a single philosophy of dentistry; rather, it provides an open scientific platform where different concepts, approaches, and treatment philosophies can be presented, respectfully discussed, and critically evaluated through the lens of contemporary evidence. We firmly believe that meaningful progress is achieved through collaboration rather than polarization, and through evidence rather than opinion.
In this spirit, AICOT 2026 is honored to strengthen its international scientific collaborations, including its close academic engagement with the International College of Cranio-Mandibular Orthopedics (ICCMO). Our Pre-Congress Neuromuscular Dentistry Masterclass reflects this shared commitment by bringing together internationally recognized clinicians, researchers, and biomedical engineers whose pioneering work has significantly contributed to the advancement of neuromuscular dentistry and objective functional diagnostics. Together, we aim to bridge scientific evidence with clinical excellence, providing participants with practical knowledge that can be translated directly into daily patient care.
The scientific program has been carefully designed to encourage interdisciplinary learning and meaningful discussion. Participants will explore the latest advances in occlusion, temporomandibular disorders, neuromuscular dentistry, prosthodontics, implant dentistry, digital workflows, biomechanics, artificial intelligence, and evidence-based rehabilitation. Beyond presenting current research, our goal is to inspire new ideas, establish lasting international collaborations, and promote future scientific discoveries that ultimately improve the quality of patient care.
Equally important is our commitment to supporting the next generation of dental professionals. We believe that education should cultivate not only knowledge and clinical competence but also curiosity, humility, ethical responsibility, and the courage to question established concepts through scientific investigation. Today’s students and young clinicians will become tomorrow’s educators, researchers, and leaders, and AICOD aspires to contribute to their professional journey.
Scientific excellence also carries a responsibility toward society. For this reason, AICOT 2026 proudly supports the Turkish Education Foundation (TEV – Türk Eğitim Vakfı) by donating the congress’s net proceeds to scholarships for talented students in need. We hope that the knowledge shared during this congress will extend beyond scientific advancement and help create educational opportunities for future generations. In this way, every participant, speaker, sponsor, and supporter becomes part of a meaningful investment in education and society.
This congress would not have been possible without the dedication of our Scientific Committee, Organizing Committee, distinguished speakers, sponsors, partners, volunteers, and participants from around the world. Your trust, enthusiasm, and commitment have transformed a vision into reality, and for this I extend my deepest gratitude.
We sincerely hope that AICOT 2026 marks the beginning of a long-standing scientific tradition under the AICOD umbrella—one that will continue to unite the global dental community around new themes, emerging technologies, and evidence-based clinical excellence for many years to come.
Thank you for being part of this historic beginning.
I wish you an inspiring, productive, and memorable congress, and I look forward to welcoming you to future AICOD meetings.
With my warmest regards,
Dr. Serdar Gözler
Congress President
AICOT 2026 – Atlas International Congress on TMD
The Inaugural Thematic Congress of the Atlas International Congress on Dentistry (AICOD)
Faculty of Dentistry, Istanbul Atlas University