Rainer Schlegel (Director of the SGF) and Alexander Ochsner (CEO of the ITI)
Access to the largest expert community – a new chapter for the Straumann Group Foundation (SGF)
What could be more natural than two organizations sharing a deep passion for oral health and offering one another inspiration, synergies, and support in spirit? The still young Straumann Group Foundation and the more than 40-year-old International Team for Implantology – the largest expert community in the dental world – each bring their own perspective to a common purpose: putting patients’ well-being at the center of everything they do. The ITI focuses on empowering dental professionals worldwide through collaboration, education, research, and evidence-based practice. SGF works to increase awareness, accessibility, affordability, and availability of oral care in underserved communities. Now, as SGF has been fully operational since July 2025, a new and encouraging development is taking shape: the ITI community has begun to actively acknowledge and share SGF’s mission across its global network. Although SGF and the ITI are independent organizations, their alignment in purpose fosters a natural, positive connection. It reflects mutual respect, shared values, and genuine sympathy between two organizations that care deeply about oral health and patients’ quality of life.
Independent missions, clearly defined
Although SGF and the ITI are sometimes mentioned in the same breath, their purposes are distinct and complementary.
| Straumann Group Foundation (SGF) |
International Team for Implantology (ITI) |
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The ITI leadership has expressed clear appreciation for SGF’s mission and is encouraging its members to take note of the Foundation’s work and goals.
"The collaboration between the ITI and SGF reflects a shared belief that advancing oral health goes beyond professional excellence — it’s about creating lasting impact in people’s lives. We are proud to see our members’ expertise and commitment helping to shape a more inclusive future for oral care."
From SGF’s perspective, this is a strong and encouraging sign that the Foundation can count on moral support and potential engagement from a highly respected international community of dental professionals.
Connecting professional excellence with social responsibility
For SGF, seeing its mission shared within the ITI network is more than visibility — it is a meaningful opportunity to connect professional excellence with social responsibility. As more ITI members learn about SGF, they may discover new ways to support underserved communities — through teaching, mentoring, treatment, project partnerships or simply by amplifying SGF’s message within their networks.
“The ITI’s endorsement of our mission highlights how education, science and compassion can come together to make oral health accessible for all. By connecting professional excellence with social responsibility, we can unlock real, sustainable change across communities.”
Looking ahead
SGF will continue pursuing its mission by working with trusted partners on projects that improve access to oral health for people in need. The fact that this mission is now present and visible within the ITI community marks an important milestone. It shows that two independent organizations, each with its own mandate, can still inspire one another and move in the same direction: toward a world where oral health is a source of confidence — not a privilege.