Prof Filippo Graziani: 5 questions interview

Prof. Filippo Graziani is another good friend of Zerodonto. Probably one of the nicest and most likeable dentists of the world. He is not only a dentist, but he is also Full Professor of Dental and Stomatological Diseases at the University of Pisa; Italy Coordinator of the sub-unit of in Periodontology, Halitosis and Periodontal Medicine in the same University; Italy Visiting Professor in Periodontology at the Eastman Dental Institute; UK Honorary Professor at the University College of London; President of the European Federation of Periodontology and probably we are forgetting something…

A quick chat on Facebook Messenger and he immediately accepted to answer our 5 questions, just to prove we are not wrong when we mention his kindness. 

5 questions interview, a new column

Here in this new section, we show snapshots of the best dentists in the world. We are starting with the professionals we know personally and we plan to reach many many colleagues all around the globe, in the next future.

Due to the nature of this website – a calendar of dental events – our questions usually concern the education, the career, the multifaceted aspects of this profession that is going to change just as it did in the last century.

We know you all would like to ask Filippo many questions on Periodontology. Sorry, next time!

Ciao Filippo, I’ll start quoting you. “how many things could change in 25 years?” How did you start? 

A quarter of a century is such a looong time.
Obviously I have aged but I grew, I have matured, I have changed personally and professionally.

My career started when I was 22 years old and I saw my chairman Prof. Gabrielle lecturing on oral and maxillofacial surgery. I fell in love with the surgical aspect and I asked him to become an internal student and do my project with him. Since then I developed, started my PhD and little by little everything unfolded.

I am so at ease with my 46 years that I can’t wait to go further. In fact, I like to think that little by little I am becoming the man I wanted to be…

According to your experience and the last 25 years, how dentistry changed and how is it going to change? 

I believe dentistry changed dramatically because we moved – especially I would say in the surgical implant scenario – from a kind of dentistry that was designed with some objectives in mind without taking account patients’ needs and wishes, to patient-centred dentistry. I believe that more important, we value now the person as the patient and that created a tremendous revolution in term of the treatment plan.

You are well renown and esteemed speaker. Suggest to the next generation of lecturers how to manage the relationships with the companies.

First of all, companies are not companies. They are partners. I have a very open view about it. There is an old say that stated that

If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.

Partners can help you to develop, to support your research and to support your person. At the same time, however, it is important from the very first moment that intellectual independence and intellectual honesty is the mean value of a public speaker.

If you are looking for a training experience, would you choose a university course or an independent one?

It really depends on the type of course, you know, some are amazing in respective of whether they are from University or independent.

Teaching makes you happy, but what is the future of the dental events after the pandemic spread of the COVID-19?

Well, dentistry will adapt and will be even better, but to be honest I don’t think it will change dramatically after the pandemic. Of course, we just wish an after to get very soon!