Aiming for $1 Billion in Exports, Welcoming Nearly 30,000 International Visitors to Istanbul
Nearly 30,000 international visitors from over 100 countries have gathered at the IDEX Istanbul International Dental Fair and Conference, held at the Istanbul Expo Center. Holding the title of “Turkey’s most internationally attended specialty fair,” IDEX showcases the latest technological advancements in oral health and dental treatment from over 700 local and international companies. The event aims to generate a trade volume of at least $450 million.
The oral health and dental materials sector, which closed last year with $350 million in exports, continues its steady growth. IDEX, seen as the global showcase for the sector, has officially opened its doors at the Istanbul Expo Center. Recognized as Europe’s second-largest dental fair after the IDS Fair held biennially in Germany, IDEX continues to attract a significant number of international visitors. Organized by Winnow Fuarcılık with the support of the Association of Dental Materials Industrialists and Businessmen (DİŞSİAD), the fair features high-tech products, including AI-based devices, introduced to global markets.
The opening of the fair was attended by Mr. Erkan Uçar – Chairman of the Board of the Association of Dental Materials Manufacturers and Businessmen (DİŞSİAD), Mr. Fatih Güler – President of the Turkish Dental Association, Dr. Zülfü Kılıç – Head of Health Services, Istanbul Provincial Health Directorate, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health, Mr. Mustafa Yenilmez – Head of the Oral and Dental Health Department, General Directorate of Health Services, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health, Assoc. Prof. Dr. Emre Korkut – Deputy General Director of Health Services, Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Health, Mr. Şinasi Candan – Chairman of the Board and General Manager of the State Supply Office, Mr. Adil Pelister – President of the Istanbul Chemicals and Chemical Products Exporters’ Association and Vice President of the Turkish Exporters Assembly.
$450 MILLION TRADE VOLUME TARGET
DİŞSİAD Chairman Erkan Uçar shared the following assessment:
“Our sector continues investing in innovative, domestically-produced products. Currently, we have achieved a 70% domestic production rate in implant products and 50% in the field of endodontics. IDEX Istanbul is growing in line with the sector’s performance. Last year, we hosted 93,000 local and international visitors, and this year we aim to exceed 100,000. Our trade volume surpassed $350 million last year, and our target this year is at least $450 million. We are striving to increase our sector exports to $1 billion within five years. At IDEX, Turkish and international dentists are opening the doors to new treatment methods through hands-on courses and symposiums. Every device and material a dentist might need from A to Z is available under one roof at the 20th IDEX Istanbul International Dental Fair and Conference.”
ADIL PELİSTER: THE DENTAL SECTOR IS TURKEY’S RISING STAR
İKMİB Chairman Adil Pelister emphasized the dental sector’s strong export performance in recent years, stating: "IDEX is a fair that renews and improves itself every year, reinforcing the commercial success of the sector. In the field of oral health, this fair holds great potential, making significant contributions to our exports through education, promotion, and technological developments. We are closely monitoring the export-oriented initiatives of the oral and dental materials sector. As İKMİB, we would like to emphasize that we will continue to provide all kinds of support to the sector in terms of education, promotion, and technology. At our Chemistry Technology Center, which we launched last year and strive to leave as a legacy for future generations, we plan to initiate new projects for the oral and dental health sector. With our project that spans from the financial system to production, R&D, and logistics, we are working to bring our country to the position it rightfully deserves. As a sector, we have reached second place in exports. Our export target for 2030 is 50 billion dollars. As we move toward this goal, we aim to develop projects in collaboration with the oral and dental materials sector, which has already reached a trade volume of 1 billion dollars. We are aware that one of the common challenges faced by industrialists—exchange rate fluctuations and the resulting high costs—poses a serious obstacle in our sector. Nonetheless, we are hopeful that our global competitiveness will soon rise again."
57-YEAR-OLD HISTORIC CLINIC DRAWS MAJOR ATTENTION
The fair also features a historic dental clinic from the collection of the Dental Health Museum. The clinic belonged to retired Senior Colonel and dentist Dr. Nidai Ergun from Gülhane Military Medical Academy. According to his family, the dental chair once hosted prominent figures such as journalist Uğur Mumcu, members of the National Unity Committee Ahmet Yıldız, Suphi Gürsoytrak, and Sami Küçük, along with Turkish, German, Russian, and Iranian diplomats who served between 1970 and 1975. Actively used in Ankara between 1968 and 1995, the clinic drew strong interest from both local and international visitors.