DZZ International, 03/2020

For some years now, scientifically active people have been the recipients of e-mails that advertise for their participation in two-, three- and sometimes even four-day conferences. It is not uncommon for the recipients to be offered the opportunity to attend as speakers or chairpersons. Specialist literature on this topic can easily be overviewed, as it is rather limited [1–10, 13, 17, 18, 20, 21, 23–26, 29–35]. For most publications, short articles, such as editorials or letters to the editors, are involved. There are very few data-based analyses of this phenomenon [6, 27]. In the only article in the field of dentistry to date, the British periodontist Peter Heasman describes his experiences with the organizers of such meetings.

A considerable proportion of the population avoids healthcare [8, 14, 16], even when people may be aware of the need for treatment. This well-known problem applies to dentistry as well, as about 7–10 % of the total German population avoids visiting the dentist. The research field of "Healthcare Avoidance" (HCA) deals with the problem of patient avoidance or delay of examinations or treatments. HCA is an interdisciplinary field of research involving medicine, social science and psychology, in which the causes of avoidance behavior, the early identification of risk patients and possible concepts for improving the current situation are examined. The following text presents an overview of literature relating to this phenomenon.

Caries and periodontitis are biofilm associated diseases with multifactorial causes. In addition to regular visits to the dentist and dietary control, the efficient removal of oral biofilm plays a major role in the prevention of these diseases. The removal of biofilm should not only be the concern of the dental professional, but rather that of the patient who should routinely employ home-based oral hygiene measures. Therefore, self-responsible, home-based oral hygiene is an important pillar for maintaining oral health.

Introduction: Karl Häupl is considered one of the most famous European dentists of the 20th century. The aim of this article is to trace the life and work of the Austrian university lecturer and to evaluate his professional contributions. An additional focus is put on Häupl's role in the Third Reich. Material and Methods: The methodological basis of the study is the evaluation of sources from various German and Austrian archives (some of which have been evaluated for the first time) and a critical re-analysis of the relevant research literature. Results: The analysis demonstrates that Häupl was one of the most influential and effective university lecturers in dentistry and, in particular, one of the pioneers of functional orthodontics; this is fully in line with the contempo-rary assessment. In contrast, the classification of his role in the "Third Reich" is clearly discrepant: Although Häupl's relationship to National Socialism was not addressed for decades, the archival sources provide clear evidence of political entanglement. Discussion and Conclusion: The analysis of the relevant sources leads to the conclusion that in the Third Reich Häupl was politically true to the line. He did not only join the National Socialist Party, but also enjoyed the backing and support of the major Nazi networks in his chair applications (German University Prague, University Berlin), honours, and further initiatives. Schlagwörter: NSDAP, National Socialism, functional orthodontics, history of dentistry, periodontology