From 21-23 May 2026, dental professionals from across Europe and beyond gathered in Lisbon for the very first European edition of Bridges, Ultradent Products’ signature educational event that has already become a well-established experience in Brazil and North America. And if there was one thing everyone agreed on by the end of the weekend, it was this: Bridges is about far more than lectures and presentations. It is about connection.

Hosted in the vibrant atmosphere of Lisbon, Bridges 2026 brought together clinicians, educators, innovators, and industry leaders for three days filled with hands-on workshops, scientific lectures, and meaningful conversations. From restorative dentistry to lasers, esthetics, innovation, and digital communication, the program reflected the diversity and forward-thinking spirit of modern dentistry.

One of the highlights of the event was the exceptional scientific program, featuring internationally renowned speakers and hands-on education. Attendees had the opportunity to hear from experts such as Dr. Newton Fahl on anterior composite mastery and diode laser applications, Prof. Lorenzo Breschi on modern adhesion protocols, Dr. Fadi Khuffash on durability of direct restorations, Dr. Ana Cecilia Aranha and Dr. Stephanie Garofalo on clinical excellence with lasers, Dr. Paulo Vinícius Soares on strengthening digital presence in modern dentistry, and many more.

But what truly made Bridges special was the atmosphere created by the people attending it.

As Dr. Fadi Khuffash described it:

“This event actually makes you feel as with your family. It differs from other dental meetings because it’s like one family. It’s not just about science. It’s about gathering, spreading knowledge, and even spending time with each other.”

That feeling of connection was echoed throughout the entire event. Whether during lectures, coffee breaks, or evening networking, Bridges created opportunities for dentists to learn directly from one another, through education and shared experiences.

Dr. Stephanie Garofalo highlighted exactly why this matters:

“I think the most valuable part of dentists being together is learning from one another and exchanging experiences, exchanging specialties. And every time it gets better; we build more and more bridges.”

And the idea of building bridges between people, knowledge, and innovation was present everywhere throughout the congress.

For Dr. Newton Fahl, Bridges represents the flow of knowledge itself:

“Knowledge is like water. It must flow through us and reach others. And this is what Bridges 2026 is doing to all the participants: It's […] connecting people, and letting them get information that will flow into them and through them to make an impact on the lives of their patients, their colleagues, their peers, and make them better dentists.”

Many attendees emphasized how valuable it was to reconnect with colleagues and create new professional relationships. Dr. Rui Falacho shared:

“You can be here and get to know the professors you've always admired, get to know dentists from all over the world, and get to have lunch with them, have dinner with them, have that kind of networking that allows you to learn outside of lectures.”

That international spirit could be felt throughout the entire event. For Dr. Christian Hammerer, the name “Bridges” optimally captured the experience:

“What’s really amazing at this convention is that it’s connecting people. […] I met a lot of colleagues again and it’s fantastic to connect again. The name Bridges is more than perfect for that.”

For the people at Ultradent Products, the event represented the successful evolution of a vision years in the making. Dr. Renato Miotto Palo, Clinical Advisor at Ultradent Products and speaker at the event, reflected on the journey of Bridges since its beginnings in Brazil in 2017:

“We are very happy that the concept of Bridges evolved so well because the idea is to get a connection between the audience and the information, the audience and the education, because Bridges connect. So we are very happy to create this idea, this concept, and we are very happy to bring it to Europe.”

The European debut of Bridges also demonstrated Ultradent Products’ long-standing commitment to education and collaboration. As Dr. Jaleena Jessop, Chief Clinician at Ultradent Products, explained, dentistry grows when professionals openly share their experiences and techniques with one another:

“Dentists love to share. They love to share their knowledge, they want to see their colleagues grow. […] There’s always something you'll find that a dentist will do a little bit different in their office than I do in mine that can make our lives better, that can make our patients' lives better.”

That spirit of openness and innovation could be felt throughout the entire congress. Bridges 2026 created a space where education felt personal, collaborative, and inspiring.

Or, as Dr. Esra Üzer Çelik summarized it perfectly in few words:

“Innovative, network, and excellent presentations.”

As the first European edition of Bridges comes to an end, one thing is certain: Lisbon was only the beginning. Bridges 2026 showed how powerful it can be when education, innovation, and genuine human connection come together in one place, and we are already looking forward to building even more bridges in the future.

To capture the spirit of Bridges beyond the lecture halls, we interviewed many of our speakers and Key Opinion Leaders throughout the event. Their personal insights, experiences, and highlights from Lisbon will be shared in our dedicated YouTube playlist, where you can relive the Bridges experience through the voices that shaped it: