Background
The European Begg Society of Orthodontics (EBSO) was founded in 1967 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The society was named after the famous Australian orthodontist P. Raymond Begg (1898–1983), who developed his well-known fixed appliance technique. At that time the Begg technique was used by very many orthodontic clinicians worldwide.
For decades the EBSO was a leading organization of which many well-known orthodontists have been members. The special attractiveness of the biennial congresses was its clinical character, relaxed atmosphere, and sufficient time for presentations and discussions. In the past, clinicians also had to provide case presentations during congresses to become member of the EBSO. Over time, these exams were abolished. When other fixed appliance techniques got increasingly popular in later years, the topics of EBSO conferences gradually became less focused on the Begg technique, but they remained strongly oriented to daily practice.
The first EBSO congress was held in 1968 in Groningen, the Netherlands. President was professor Booy, at the time a famous Dutch orthodontist who introduced the Begg technique in the Netherlands and many other European countries. Many of the later EBSO congress presidents were also orthodontic celebrities and the congresses were very well attended. But times kept changing and gradually the Begg technique became less populair. That is why it was finally decided to dissolve the association.
In 2017 the Booy Foundation was involved in organizing the 50th anniversary EBSO congress in Amsterdam under the presidency of Hayé Remmelink. To mark the end of a period of 57 years EBSO, the foundation was also asked to organize the 30th and final EBSO congress: ORTHO-AMSTERDAM 2024, a clinically focused conference in a friendly atmosphere with many international top speakers. In addition, at the congress for the first time the biennal Begg Prize (€ 2500) was awarded for the most important scientific contribution to clinical orthodontics. Winner of the prize was the Dutch orthodontist Dr Aldin Kapetanović.
ORTHO-AMSTERDAM 2024 was fully booked and a very successful congress. That’s why it was decided to organize a follow-up congress in 2026: ORTHO-AMSTERDAM 2026, a European congress featuring 10 renowned international keynote speakers presenting clinically oriented topics. The conference took place at a prime location in the heart of Amsterdam: the Heineken Experience, the restored original Heineken brewery. The congress dinners were held at special venues: the EYE Film Museum and The Royal Concertgebouw. During the congress dinner in The Royal Concertgebouw the award-winning Dutch pianist and composer Floris Kappeyne gave a recital. At the meeting the Begg Prize 2026 (€ 2,500) was awarded to the Dutch orthodontist Sebastiaan Doornik. Like before, the congress was organized by the Booy Foundation under the presidency of Hayé Remmelink.
