International Association of Temporomandibular Joint Officially Inaugurated at Bangkok Ceremony
Updated: Jul 2
IATMJ launches as global home for TMJ surgery, uniting founding members from 15 countries
The International Association of Temporomandibular Joint (IATMJ) was formally inaugurated on 29th of June at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand, marking a landmark moment in the history of craniomaxillofacial and temporomandibular joint surgery. The ceremony brought together founding members, distinguished clinicians, and academic leaders from across the globe to witness the birth of the field's first dedicated international interdisciplinary professional society.
The inauguration, held during the association's founding congress, saw Prof. Chi Yang of Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital elected as Founding President by the founding members present. Prof. Julio Acero Sanz (Europe) and Prof. Ajoy Roychoudhury (Asia) were proclaimed as the association's inaugural Vice-Presidents, completing the founding leadership team. In a further distinction, Prof. Ulrich Joos — a luminary of European craniomaxillofacial surgery, former President of the European Association for Cranio-Maxillo-Facial Surgery (EACMFS), and representative of the Deutsche Chirurgiestiftung (German Surgical Foundation) — was conferred the title of Honorary Founding President in recognition of his distinguished contributions to the field and his support for the association's establishment.
In his inaugural address, Prof. Chi Yang reflected on more than two decades of advances in TMJ surgery and called on the global community to raise standards of care through collaborative research, education, and evidence-based practice. "This moment belongs not to any single institution or country," he said, "but to every surgeon, scientist, and patient whose lives have been shaped by the temporomandibular joint."
The IATMJ, registered as a non-profit company limited by guarantee in Hong Kong, comprises 35 founding members drawn from 15 countries across four regions — Asia, Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East — reflecting the truly global reach of the new society. The association unites seven recognised disciplines under one roof: TMJ Surgery, Orthodontics, Orthognathic Surgery, Craniomaxillofacial Surgery, Prosthodontics, CMD/Rehabilitation, and Imaging and Radiology.
The Founding General Assembly, convened immediately prior to the inauguration, formally ratified the association's charter and adopted the IATMJ's founding governance framework. Prof. Richard Su, on behalf of the Representative of the Central Committee, delivered the election address and proclaimed the newly elected leadership to the assembly. The ceremony was hosted at Mahidol University's Faculty of Dentistry, a leading centre of excellence in dental and craniofacial medicine and one of the most distinguished academic institutions in the ASEAN region.
The IATMJ's official slogan — "Where science meets the joint that moves you" — encapsulates its mission to bridge clinical practice and scientific inquiry in the pursuit of better outcomes for patients with temporomandibular joint disorders worldwide.
The association's secretariat will issue further announcements on membership, scientific programmes, and upcoming congresses in the months ahead.
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