#Education 04. Jun 2019

WIN launch in United States and Canada: A WINning Initiative!

The Women Implantology Network – also known as WIN – has officially launched in the United States and Canada! In partnership with the ITI, Straumann supports WIN, a global network of dental professionals committed to inspiring and engaging more women in implant dentistry. WIN’s network of ambitious and successful dentists will drive innovation, bring positive change in the field of implantology, and increase future global access to implant therapies. By building a strong community of educators and practitioners, WIN aims to identify and remove the barriers to involvement and support individual career growth at all stages. Together, ITI and WIN will provide a global network for lifelong learning in implant dentistry and foster peer support across all genders, age groups and experience levels.

The founding

Eight prominent members of the dental industry from across the United States and Canada with diverse backgrounds including private practice, academia and research came together under the direction of Dr. Riddhi Gangolli to help build an inclusive communication network of women.  The core team met for a 2-day planning session in Boston in December 2018 to strategize and plan goals for a WINning initiative!

The Core Team

The North American WIN Core Team is Dr. Maryanne Butler of Colorado, Dr. Donna Lee of Minnesota, Dr. Acela Luna of North Carolina, Dr. Brittany Matin of Alabama, Dr. Anya Rost of Massachusetts, Dr. Eszter Somogyi-Ganss of Ontario, Dr. Joy Wang of California and Dr. Pinelopi Xenoudi of California.  This inspiring group led intense discussions around empowerment, career development, and stumbling blocks and blind spots in their respective careers, and together they worked to develop a plan of engaging more women in implantology – and men, too!

First event at ITI North America Congress

The formal launch of the Women’s Implantology Network in North America took place at the ITI North America Congress in San Francisco on April 26, 2019.  During this important national event, the Straumann Corporate Forum had a 50% female speaker presence and was moderated by a Straumann female professional as well, Dr. Riddhi Gangolli. Our speakers, Dr. Sonia Leziy, Dr. Jill Bashutski, Dr. Edmond Bedrossian & Dr. Farhad Boltchi presented novel clinical ideas, which made for an interactive scientific interchange.

At the WIN Corner within the Straumann booth, the WIN Core Team Members—along with Guillaume Daniellot, Head of Sales, North America; Alejandro Camino, VP Customer Marketing and Education; and Craig Kierst, VP Sales North America—raised a glass in celebration of WIN and welcomed new members into the group.

In the evening, the Core Team Members enjoyed a dinner together along with special invited guests Charlotte Stilwell (co-founder of WIN and president elect of ITI), German Gallucci (Chair of Restorative Dentistry and Biomaterials Sciences Department at Harvard School of Dental Medicine) and Stephen Chen (president of ITI). The dinner was an opportunity to further connect and discuss the role of WIN. A lot of support and enthusiasm was expressed, paving the way to new opportunities and success: “The WIN initiative is a fantastic opportunity for the profession to discover the power of inclusiveness,” stated Dr. German Gallucci.   

The WIN Core Team in North America looks forward to building an empowered group of women that will change the future of dentistry!

Find out more on www.straumann.us/win