The 101st Congress of the European Orthodontic Society (EOS 2026), held from June 7–11 in Dublin, Ireland, convened orthodontic clinicians, researchers, educators, and industry leaders under the theme “Bridging Science and Clinical Practice in Orthodontics – Innovation, Efficiency, and Intelligent Systems.”
Against the backdrop of the 2026 AAO Annual Session, EOS 2026 presented a distinct European academic perspective. While innovative digital orthodontic technologies remain a core focus, the conference prioritized rigorous scientific validation and evidence-based clinical practice, fostering new discussions on how to evaluate the tangible clinical value of digital technologies from both patient experience and treatment outcomes. In this special issue of IOF Spotlight, we highlight the key trends and insights emerging from EOS 2026 for the IOF Circle community.
Drawing on expert perspectives from Prof. Padhraig Fleming (Scientific Chair of the EOS 2026 Congress), Prof. Theodore Eliades (Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Orthodontics [EJO], the official publication of the European Orthodontic Society), and Prof. Conchita Martín (EOS Council Member and EJO Editorial Board Member), this report examines the evolving direction of the specialty — identifying which technologies are entering routine clinical practice, where digitalization and AI are delivering tangible value, and where evidence, biological understanding, and clinical judgment remain essential.
Across their perspectives, a common theme emerges: orthodontics is moving beyond enthusiasm for digital tools toward a more critical and evidence-driven question — what truly improves patient care?
Digital Orthodontics: Foundational Tools, Unproven Clinical Value
EOS 2026 devoted substantial attention to digital orthodontics, particularly intraoral scanning, CAD/CAM workflows, integrated digital treatment systems, and digitally driven communication between clinics, laboratories, and patients.
As Prof. Martín noted, “Digital workflows have become the backbone of modern orthodontics and the new standard of orthodontic care.” She emphasized that the most impactful developments of recent years are not new inventions, but systems that have become fully integrated into daily practice — intraoral scanning, CAD/CAM fabrication, and interconnected digital workflows spanning diagnosis to retention. She highlighted that these technologies now influence virtually every stage of treatment, from patient communication to appliance design, describing them less as innovations and more as clinical infrastructure. Even so, she raised an important caveat: while digitalization has solved many workflow problems, it has not solved the biological complexity of orthodontics.
Prof. Fleming similarly observed that digital systems are clearly refining orthodontic workflows and improving efficiency across diagnosis, planning, and communication. However, he emphasized that how this translates into patient outcomes remains to be seen, particularly as new research continues to emerge.
Prof. Eliades echoed that while digital orthodontics has undoubtedly transformed clinical logistics, its clinical impact remains overestimated in some areas. He pointed out that improvements are most clearly seen in communication between clinics and laboratories and in workflow streamlining, rather than in demonstrable improvements in treatment outcomes.
Collectively, the experts reached a shared conclusion: digital orthodontics is now foundational — but its clinical superiority remains an open question rather than a settled fact.
Artificial Intelligence: A Decision-Support Layer, Not a Substitute for Orthodontists
The EOS 2026 also turned its attention to artificial intelligence (AI), particularly in imaging, diagnosis, treatment planning, and remote monitoring.
Prof. Martín described AI as increasingly embedded within clinical systems, where it supports automation of repetitive tasks, reduces administrative burden, and improves workflow efficiency. In her view, AI is best understood as a decision-support layer rather than a substitute for clinical expertise, reinforcing rather than replacing clinical judgment.
Echoing Prof. Martín’s observation, Prof. Fleming acknowledged that AI has already made meaningful contributions in automating cephalometric analysis, imaging interpretation, and baseline record processing.
He agreed that AI functions merely as a decision-support tool to assist rather than supersede professional clinical judgement. Even so, he added, “I remain unconvinced that AI-based planning is capable of rivaling the planning decisions of genuine experts within our specialty.”
Across both perspectives, AI is increasingly enhancing efficiency and workflow integration, but its impact on improving clinical outcomes has not yet been demonstrated.
Basic Science May Redefine Orthodontics Through Biological Variability
Although EOS 2026 featured extensive discussion on innovative technologies such as digitalization and artificial intelligence, Prof. Martín emphasized that some of the most important signals emerged from basic science.
She highlighted areas such as mechanotransduction, genetic determinants of treatment response, bone remodeling biology, periodontal adaptation, and craniofacial growth as having strong translational potential.
These fields, she noted, may ultimately help explain why patients respond differently to the same orthodontic intervention, shifting the focus of orthodontics from mechanical control toward biologically informed precision care.
However, she also emphasized that despite significant scientific advances, translational barriers remain, due to the lack of robust human clinical studies, substantial inter-individual variability, and the inherent complexity of craniofacial biology.
Her interpretation suggests a longer-term paradigm shift: orthodontics may increasingly depend on understanding biology as much as on applying technology.
Efficiency Brings Opportunity — But Also Expands Responsibility
Alongside enthusiasm for digital efficiency, Prof. Fleming highlighted a growing need to reflect on unintended consequences. He noted that digital orthodontics can streamline workflows and improve accessibility, but it may also make it easier to apply complex biomechanical decisions without sufficient evidence-based justification. In this sense, efficiency may inadvertently accelerate clinical adoption beyond the pace of scientific validation.
He also pointed to broader concerns discussed at EOS 2026, including material safety, biocompatibility, and growing attention to long-term biological effects such as microplastic exposure.
While innovation is essential, it must remain anchored in evidence and fundamental orthodontic principles, ensuring that technological capability does not outpace clinical responsibility.
Overall, EOS 2026 clearly reflects that modern orthodontics is undergoing progressive transformation rather than disruptive revolution. Synthesizing these expert perspectives, orthodontics is entering a phase where digital infrastructure has been largely established, and the next meaningful advances will depend on two parallel developments: stronger clinical validation of technologies, and deeper understanding of biological variability driving treatment response.
Special Thanks to Our Distinguished Experts
We would like to express our sincere gratitude to the three leading scholars who shared their profound insights at EOS 2026 for this feature report.
Prof. Padhraig Fleming, Scientific Chair of the EOS 2026 Congress, is Chair and Programme Director of Orthodontics at Trinity College Dublin, Ireland, with research expertise in retention, fixed appliance mechanics and functional appliance therapy.
Prof. Theodore Eliades, Editor-in-Chief of the European Journal of Orthodontics, is Professor and Clinic Director at the University of Zurich, Switzerland, and a leading authority on orthodontic biomaterials.
Prof. Conchita Martín, EOS Council Member and EJO Editorial Board Member, is Professor of Orthodontics at the Universidad Complutense of Madrid, Spain, with long-standing expertise in craniofacial biology and multidisciplinary research.
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