The neglect of global oral health: symptoms and solutions - Acknowledgements

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The neglect of global oral health: symptoms and solutions

Benzian, H.

Publication date

2014

Link to publication

Citation for published version (APA):

Benzian, H. (2014). The neglect of global oral health: symptoms and solutions.

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Acknowledgements

I am humbled by the outstanding support of Prof Wim van Palenstein Helderman during the preparation of this thesis. His experience, insight and wisdom in international health have shaped my thinking ever since we first met back in the year 2000. Working, thinking and travelling with him was an experience that I will treasure forever. I look forward to a lifelong friendship with him and his wife Lenie.

This thesis would not have been possible without the support and encouragement of Prof Fridus van der Weijden. I am deeply grateful for his leadership and commitment.

My grateful thanks go to Dr Christopher Holmgren for his friendship, collegial support and critical input to this thesis. The countless hours of passionate discussion on oral health is­ sues over a bottle of French wine are moments I remember fondly.

Prof Martin Hobdell has been an advocate for global oral health and role model for me ever since I was privileged to meet him. His profound knowledge, analytical mind and passionate commitment are a constant source of inspiration and motivation. I am most thankful for his critical review of the thesis concept.

The energy and vision of my dear friend and colleague, Dr Bella Monse, was a tremendous source of motivation. Her exemplary and inspiring work in the Philippines provided the backdrop for many of the papers in this thesis. I sincerely hope that the concepts we have de­ veloped together will continue to have positive impact on children’s lives around the world. Heartfelt thanks go to my friends and colleagues Prof Judith Mackay (Hong Kong), Dr Roby Beaglehole (New Zealand) and Jon Crail (Switzerland) for the wonderful team effort in editing The Atlas of Oral Health, which was an excellent preparation and basis for the thesis.

This thesis is also result of more than 10 years of involvement in global oral health. I am grateful to all those that helped me on this way; in particular Prof Stanley Gelbier, King’s College, London, and Dr Per Åke Zillén, Past Executive Director of the FDI World Dental Fed­ eration, who both gave me the skills and opportunity to assume a significant role in interna­

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tional oral health. Dr JT Barnard, Past Executive Director of the FDI World Dental Federation, supported and facilitated my exposure to global oral health with his experience and through creating an environment that allowed me to grow and develop ideas that laid the founda­ tions for this thesis.

Last, but not least I am indebted to my partner Martin Lack for his patience, his support and his encouragement during my journey in international health.

Many other people contributed directly or indirectly to the thesis and the spirit of the papers contained – I thank them all: Cromwell Bacareza (Philippines), Vincente Belizario (Philip­ pines), Denis Bourgeois (France), Donald Bundy (USA), Lois Cohen (USA), Bernard Decroix (France), Saskia Estupinian­Day (USA), Christopher Fox (USA), Ann Goldman (USA), Roswitha Heinrich­Weltzien (Germany), Djerdana Ivosevic (Switzerland), Naty Lacasan (Philippines), Jenny Lee (Trinidad & Tobago), Brian Mouatt (UK), Anne­Charlotte Nackstad (Sweden), Sudeshni Naidoo (South Africa), Charlotte Ndiaye (Cameroon), Ralf Panse (Germany), Murat Sahin (USA), Jennifer Sardo­Infirri (Italy), Andreas Stadler (Germany), Nicole Stauf (Germany), Sam Thorpe (Sierra Leone), Benoit Varenne (Congo), Alessandro Vitale (Italy), George Weber (Canada), Robert Yee (Singapore) as well as Alexander Schratz and the entire team of Fit for School Inc. (Philippines).