Mr. Ivan Berov has been the President of the Bulgarian Dental Technicians Union since 2011.

He graduated Dentistry in 1990 at the Medical College “Yordanka Filaretova” in Sofia and Theology at the University of Sofia in 1997. He has his own dental laboratory.

Hello, Mr. Berov! Happy New Year!

IB: Many happy returns! I wish you good health and a successful year.

The Bulgarian Dental Technicians Union is an organization with a long history…

IB: Yes, the union is the successor to the Central Dental Professional Association, which was founded on June 23, 1910 in Sofia. After September 9, 1944, with the advent of the new regime all professional associations were banned. The trade union was restored on September 24, 1990 under the name Bulgarian Dental Technicians Union (BDTU) as a successor to the Central Dental Professional Association.

What are the Union’s goals? What keeps the members together?

IB: Membership with us is voluntary. Together we protect the reputation and interests of our profession.
For me, it is essential that we create a community united by a professional interest and characterized by an atmosphere of respect and cooperation. We help each other in our careers, and share knowledge and information through courses and qualifications. This enables us to quickly embrace the latest technology and the latest trends in the dentistry world.

One of our main responsibilities is to inform our community about new products, projects and programs that come from our international partners. We live in a very dynamic world and access to information is essential.

What was 2013 like for dental technicians in Bulgaria?

IB: Dentistry is no exception to the general economic situation in Bulgaria. Our professional challenges are often related to the low purchasing power of Bulgarians. We see how they make bad compromises with their health and this is an issue that concerns not only dental professionals but the health of the nation as a whole.

On the other hand, dental technology has developed rapidly and there are always new solutions that each of us would like to deploy immediately. Sometimes this is not possible, but I am extremely proud that Bulgaria has laboratories that are truly world class! Our country has long traditions in dentistry and we have not yet lost the momentum. On the contrary, we are developing excellent comprehensive dental services.

What do you expect from 2014?

IB: First I want to wish all my fellow dental technicians and peers from across the industry a much better and successful year! I would like us to have a great conference to show the latest and most important solutions that are of interest to our colleagues.

Another priority is to strengthen our cooperation with the Bulgarian Dental Association (BDA), as there are many things we can do together in the interest of our members and the dental industry as a whole and not least for our patients.

As President, I am faced with the challenge to attract new members, to learn to better communicate with each other and manage to create a strong working community.

Thank you and good luck!

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