It is with great dismay and concern that dentists in Europe, represented by the Council of European Dentists (CED) and the European Regional Organization of the World Dental Federation (ERO), look at the events in Ukraine. After more than seven decades of peace and security, no one would have believed just a few days ago that they would have to witness a war of aggression in Europe. The images of the people tightly packed in the metro stations of the capital Kiev, seeking shelter from the bombings, painfully remind us all of how fragile and in need of protection even our long taken-for-granted state of peace really is. Russia’s attack has turned the wheel of history far back. The fear of a third world war, perhaps even waged with nuclear weapons, has returned.

All over the world – on the streets as well as on social media – there is an impressive show of solidarity these days with Ukraine and its people, who are fighting with great bravery to be able to continue as a free country governed by democracy, and the courage and determination demand the greatest respect from all of us.

The leading organizations of European dentists, on behalf of their member organizations in the countries of the European Union and – in the case of the ERO – other countries outside the Union, declare their full solidarity with the dentists in Ukraine, their practice teams and all the inhabitants of this embattled country. In many member states of the CED and the ERO, fundraising and relief actions have already been launched, also by the dentists, and we ask you to support these actions in the interest of all those who are affected by the consequences of the fighting.

The Council of European Dentists (CED) is a European not-for-profit association which represents over 340,000 practising dentists through 32 national dental associations and chambers from 30 European countries. Its key objectives are to promote high standards of oral healthcare and effective patient-safety centred professional practice across Europe, including through regular contacts with other European organisations and EU institutions.