Message from the President

Dear Colleagues, Members and Guests,

As the 20th President of the Association and on behalf of the Executive Committee, I am pleased to invite you to the XX congress of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery. The meeting venue is located in Bruges, a compact Flemish city, rich in cultural and architectural heritage. It will be easy to meet with old friends and to make new ones, since all hotels and meeting places are within walking distance.

The theme of the meeting is “Plus Ultra”, the personal motto of Charles V, ruler of the Holy Roman Empire from 1518 till 1558. Charles V was born in Ghent, a sister city of Bruges. His father was Philip the Handsome, born in 1478 in Bruges. Charles V is known for his “Habsburg Jaw”, an inherited condition of mandibular prognathism and midfacial hypoplasia. Charles V’s facial deformity rather directly resulted in the birth of this Association. Indeed, its founding father Professor Hugo L. Obwegeser pioneered and popularised corrective surgery for both mandibular and maxillary deformities.

Charles V’s motto “Plus Ultra”, meaning “further beyond” is the theme of the 2010 meeting. We will explore the borders of our profession and “go beyond” to tackle new challenges.

On this occasion, I would like to thank the membership for the honour to serve you as the president during the next two years. Receiving the presidential medallion was one of the highlights of my life. It is not its size that makes it so heavy; it is the name and history of the former 19 presidents that weighs you down.
The specialty of cranio-maxillo-facial surgery is a dynamic and evolving one and as such, our initiatives need to be forward-thinking. Our efforts in the coming years will focus on expanding the fellowship, preceptorship and scholarship opportunities available to interested trainees, which will enhance the quality and quantity of education offered through EACMFS.

Prof. Maurice Mommaerts, MD, DMD, PhD, FEBOMFS
President of the XX EACMFS Congress
President EACMFS 2008-2010
Bruges, Belgium