Prof. Sanjiv Nair graduated from the Trivandrum Medical College, Kerala in the year 1987. He completed his post graduate degree in Oral and maxillofacial surgery from the same institution in 1990, passing out with distinction.

Prof. Nair served as a faculty in the College of Dental surgery, Kasturba Medical College between 2000 and 2004. He trained as Registrar in Maxillofacial surgery at the North Manchester General from 1994 to 1997 during which time he successfully completed the FFD RCS (Ireland). He is presently professor and head of department, oral and maxillofacial surgery, Bangalore Institute of Dental Sciences. Surgical Consultant at Columbia Asia hospitals and B.M Jain Hospital, Bangalore. Prof. Sanjiv Nair has served as the executive member of the International association of maxillofacial surgeons and was vice chairman of the 18th ICOMS; Bangalore. He has several international and national presentations and publications in Orofacial malignancies and Vascular lesions. Presently the editor Emeritus of Journal of maxillofacial and Oral surgery published by Springer.

Prof. Nair is a faculty for hands on training in head and neck surgery at the national level His surgical interests are ablation and reconstruction of head and neck tumors. Surgical management of vascular lesions. Aesthetic facial surgery and traumatology.

Dr. Elimairi is a renowned Sudanese Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon and Pathologist, holding professorships in surgery and pathology. He earned his BDS from the University of Khartoum and completed specialized training at the Eastman Dental Institute and The Royal London Hospital, UK. He holds multiple fellowships, including from The American Academy of Oral Medicine and The Royal Colleges of Surgeons in Edinburgh, Glasgow, and England (ad eundem). Dr. Elimairi is the current President of the African Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons and serves on the executive board of IAOMS. He has made significant contributions to curriculum development and oral cancer research, with numerous publications in peer-reviewed journals.

An Anaesthetist with extensive international experience in chronic pain management. Having worked across diverse healthcare systems,I have  developed a deep understanding of the complexities of pain and is passionate about sharing this knowledge to improve patient care in South Africa. A dedicated educator, I am involved in training registrars in pain management and interventional techniques and advocate for greater awareness of pain as a critical health issue. Over the years, I have presented at national and international conferences, facilitated hands-on workshops, and contributed to global and regional initiatives focused on pain. I recently served as the Scientific Chair for Pain SA 2025 in Cape Town, and am leading efforts to bring together multiple disciplines to reimagine the future of pain management in South Africa.

Srini R. Chandra BDS MD FDSRCS FIBCSOMS (Onc- Recon) FACS, is a Board Certified OMFS and Head Neck Surgeon- Formerly Associate Professor and Program Director at OHSU, Portland, OR; Buffett Cancer Center and the University of Washington, He is a surgical specialist with fellowship training in head-neck cancer, severe facial trauma, vascular tumors, airway, thyroid, and skull base reconstructive surgery. Proficient in a full spectrum of harvest and microvascular reconstruction. He holds a diploma from the Royal College of Surgeons England with extensive training received in various maxillofacial units in the U.S., UK, and India. He holds a medical and a dental degree. He has published and contributed to various peer-reviewed journals, and books, and has been an invited speaker in national and international educational forums. He is a board examiner in the national/international OMFS boards. He is currently an adjunct faculty at various international and national institutions, including ATLS, SORG, and AOCMF faculty.

Dr. Pramod Subash serves as the Clinical Professor & Chief of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery at Amrita Hospital, Kochi. He is also the Chief of the Division of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery, Director of the Cleft Lip and Palate Program, and Co-director of Craniofacial Surgery at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences, Kochi. With extensive expertise in craniofacial surgery, Dr. Pramod Subash specializes in treating congenital and acquired facial deformities, craniofacial trauma, and benign pathologies of the head and neck region. He is proficient in advanced procedures such as TMJ arthroscopy, TMJ surgery, and total TMJ replacement, craniofacial distraction osteogenesis, cleft lip and palate repair, and jaw surgery for facial asymmetry and deformities. Dr. Subash is a pioneer in utilizing virtual surgical planning, 3D printing, and robotic and navigation-assisted craniofacial procedures, ensuring precise and effective patient care. A competent and caring surgeon, he uses innovative surgical techniques and treatment strategies to optimize outcomes for his patients.

Dr. Pramod Subash is a member of prestigious national and international organizations including the International Society of Craniofacial Surgeons, Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons of India, Indian Society of Cleft Lip Palate and Craniofacial Anomalies, American Society of TMJ Surgeons, and Indian Society of TMJ Surgeons. He is actively involved in research, particularly in the fields of cleft and craniofacial surgery, and his work is regularly published in peer-reviewed journals. Dr. Subash has also played a significant role in popularizing craniofacial surgery and TMJ surgery in India through annual teaching workshops and updates.

Brent Sin Hidge is a hospital pharmacist and pharmacist intern tutor in the private sector, currently practising in the Western Cape. He most recently joined a committee as a pharmacy specialist to assist his hospital’s trauma department obtain international accreditation from the WSO. His past professional societal roles include SAAHIP WC Vice-Chair and Member of the Steering Committee of the PSSA YPG. He currently serves as the Chair of the WC branch of SAAHIP in his second term. He has represented his profession on national television 6 times on varying healthcare topics educating the public and advocating the important role pharmacists play in our healthcare system. He is a member of the National Executive Committee of the PSSA. His passion lies in pharmaceutical digitalisation which led him to present on the topic at the National PSSA conference in 2022, as well as on various topics around AI (Artificial Intelligence) and digital technology at the international FIP Congress in 2024. He serves on the FIP TAG AI Working Group leading to his latest achievement: the co-authoring and co-editing of an FIP internationally published guideline entitled, “An artificial intelligence toolkit for pharmacy”.

Information to follow soon.

Dr Hermann W Kluge qualified as a Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgeon from the University of Pretoria in 2006. His qualifications include BChD(Pret), DipOdont(Oral Surgery)(Pret), MChD(ChirMax-Fac-Dent)(Pret) FCMFOS(SA) and MRSSAf. From 2006 until 2020 he held the position of Senior Specialist in the Department of Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgery at Pretoria Academical Hospital. He is in private practice at Cintocare Hospital in Pretoria and shows a special interest in the fields of TMJ treatment and Surgery , Head and Neck Oncology, Orthognatic Surgery, and Implantology. Dr Hermann W Kluge is a full member of the South African Society of Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgeons, , The South African Head and Neck Oncology Society, Pretoria Head and Neck Multi-Disciplinary Team and the South African Society of Dental Implantology. Outside of a busy practice he is a founding member and involved with developing of Cintocare, the first Specialized Head and Neck Hospital in Africa

Dr. Clayton Davis is a Canadian Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon with a specialized focus in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) surgery. He completed his undergraduate and dental degrees at the University of Alberta. He subsequently earned his Medical Degree, Master of Science, and completed his Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery residency at Dalhousie University in Halifax. Dr. Davis pursued further subspecialty training in TMJ surgery through a fellowship with Dr. McCain in Miami. Dr. Davis is a Fellow of the Royal College of Dentists of Canada and an international member of the American Society of Temporomandibular Joint Surgeons. He is an Associate Professor and also TMJ Surgery Fellowship Director at the University of Alberta Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry. In addition, he maintains a private surgical practice at Kingsway Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. Actively engaged in education and research, Dr. Davis teaches TMJ surgery courses internationally and is involved in numerous clinical and academic research initiatives aimed at advancing the field of TMJ surgery.

Professor Rushdi Hendricks is a maxillofacial and oral surgeon with over 40 years of clinical, academic, and research experience. He currently serves as Adjunct Professor in Plastic, Reconstructive, and Maxillofacial Surgery at the University of Cape Town (UCT), where he is widely respected for his contributions to the field. After obtaining his dental degree from the University of the Western Cape in 1979, Professor Hendricks went on to complete a Master’s in Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery in 1987 and later earned a PhD in Plastic Reconstructive and Maxillofacial Surgery from UCT. He has pioneered techniques in maxillofacial reconstruction, including curvilinear transport distraction osteogenesis, significantly advancing the treatment of post-maxillectomy defects.

His research has resulted in several innovations, including a patented tongue suspension implant for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which has received international recognition and a U.S. patent. He has published extensively, peer-reviews for academic journals, and is an invited speaker at global conferences. His achievements have earned him the prestigious Fellowship of the Royal Society of South Africa, where he also serves as an elected councillor. Professor Hendricks is passionate about education and mentorship, having trained hundreds of undergraduate and postgraduate students both locally and abroad. He is an international faculty member of the AO Foundation, instructing advanced surgical courses.

Equally committed to social impact, he provides pro bono surgical care to underserved communities through initiatives such as the Al-Ansaar Project and the Vision Medical Suite. His dedication to patient care, innovation, and teaching has positioned him as a leader in maxillofacial surgery and a vital contributor to global healthcare advancement.

Prof. Guglielmo Ramieri (MD DDS) is a renowned Italian Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon. He is Full Professor of Surgery at the University of Turin, Italy and Head of the Department of Maxillofacial Surgery at the University Hospital “A.O.U. Città della Salute e della Scienza di Torino”. He is member of the Board of the Italian Society of Maxillofacial Surgery, of the AOCMF ESA Board, of the EACMFS, and of the IAOMS. His main professional activities are in Head and Neck Oncology and reconstruction, facial malformation, and TMJ surgery. He has contributed to more than 200 publications, books and international conferences.

Dr Phindi Mnguni is a Diagnostic and Interventional Radiologist who has been in the field of radiology for about 25 years. She is a medical graduate from UCT, and a Fellow from The Colleges of Medi-cine specialising in Diagnostic Imaging and Interventional Radiology. She is also an MDP graduate from the University of Stellenbosch Business School. Post specialty training, she has completed various courses and attended congresses locally and internationally. She is a Partner and Director in private practices with branches throughout South Africa. Her special interests in Radiology include cross sectional imaging including CT and MRI imaging. She has a broad spectrum of expertise in Radiology including Interventional Radiology, Oncology, Head and Neck Imaging as well as Neuroradiology. She is also interested in grooming and mentoring upcoming doctors, radiographers and radiologists through the projects like job shadowing (from Schools to Medical Students, Radiographers as well as continuous tutoring to Radiology Registrars). Lecturing and preparation for exams Radiology Registrars from Academic Hospitals have been an integral part of her activities. Creating protocols and training Radiographers in special radiology imaging from plain radiography through to CT, MRI and Mammography in both the Public and in the private sector are part of her ongoing day to day responsibilities, including Supervision of postgraduate radiographers in special subspecialty-training projects. Dr Mnguni has been involved with project management for various branches and sites in the Radiology sector from the planning phase, licenses, input on the architectural designs and radiology dept layout, equipment selection and commissioning from 2003 to date. She has served on various boards including Epilepsy SA, Hospital Advisory Boards in Private Practice, RSSA (various subspecialities) Community Projects she has been involved in include: Epilepsy SA, providing assistance to the underprivileged students so that they can realise their dreams and study without financial worries. She lives by the moto: “ You are enough; be the change you wish to see in the world

Dr. Deegesh Shah is an Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon at OMS Specialists and a Consultant at John Hunter Hospital. He is the former Head of the Department at John Hunter Hospital, Chair of the Regional Surgical Committee for Training, and a Conjoint Senior Lecturer at The University of Sydney. Dr. Deegesh’s special interests are in secondary repair of cleft lip & palate, corrective jaw surgery and surgery to correct obstructive sleep apnoea. After completing his dental training (BDS) at the University of Sydney, Dr. Deegesh moved to the UK for a three-year training position in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, where he attained his Membership of the Faculty of Dentistry from the Royal College of Surgeons of England (MFDS RCS). He then returned to Australia to complete his medical training (BMed) at the University of Newcastle. Dr. Deegesh completed six years of general and advanced medical and surgical training, ultimately finishing his advanced surgical training in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery. He was awarded his Fellowship in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery (FRACDS (OMS)) from the Royal Australasian College of Dental Surgeons.

Professor Johan Fagan is Emeritus Professor and Leon Goldman Chair of Otolaryngology at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and Immediate Past President of the Colleges of Medicine of South Africa. He trained in Otorhinolaryngology at UCT and completed fellowships in Head and Neck / Cranial Base Surgery and Otology / Neuro-Otology at the University of Pittsburgh.

He has authored >300 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters and delivered more than 250 international lectures across 35 countries. He self-publishes two widely used open-access textbooks—Open Access Atlas of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Operative Surgery and Open Access Guide to Audiology and Hearing Aids for Otolaryngologists. Chapters have been translated into French, Spanish, Portuguese and Chinese and have been downloaded >5.6 million times. The Atlas was awarded the 2017 Open Education Excellence Award from the Open Education Consortium and UCT’s Open Textbook Award in 2020.

Prof Fagan has played a pivotal role in advancing otolaryngology in Africa and Low- and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs). He established Africa’s first Head and Neck Surgery Fellowship at UCT, training 18 of the continent’s approximately 25 Head and Neck surgeons. Fellows have gone on to create new training programs in Uganda and Ethiopia. His department also launched Africa’s first fellowships in Otology, Rhinology, and Paediatric Otolaryngology, training 38 fellows to date.

A strong advocate for ethics and equity in global health, Prof Fagan has published on racial bias in research, vaccine nationalism, unethical recruitment practices, open-access publishing barriers in LMICs, and ethical practice in resource limited settings. In recognition of his global impact, he has received numerous honours, including a Gold Medal from the International Federation of Otolaryngology Societies, the Nikhil J. Bhatt MD International Public Service Award from the American Academy of Otolaryngology, and a Paul Harris Fellowship from Rotary International. In 2025, he will be the first non-American inducted into the American Academy of Otolaryngology’s Hall of Distinction.

Dr. Nehal Patel is a highly respected Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon based in Surat, India, renowned for his advanced clinical skills and significant contributions to temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, TMJ arthroscopy, orthognathic surgery, as well as cleft and craniofacial surgery. He is the founder and Director of NuFace Maxillofacial & Dental Hospital, a state-of-the-art surgical center, and serves as Director of the ABMSS Cleft Center at K.P. Sanghvi Hospital, overseeing comprehensive patient care across Gujarat. Dr. Patel’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) from Government Dental College & Hospital, Ahmedabad, a Master of Dental Surgery (MDS) from A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, a Fellowship in Cleft & Craniofacial Surgery completed in 2006, and a Mini Residency in TMJ Arthroscopy & Total Joint Replacement completed in 2017, highlighting his advanced training in minimally invasive TMJ procedures.

I have been in legal practice since 1988 to date hereof, starting as a public prosecutor, thereafter a magistrate, in the criminal and civil magistrate’s courts, sat as an Acting Regional Court judge in Cape Town and as a practising advocate since approximately 10 July 1995 to date hereof.

I have a successful practice as an advocate which is diverse, covering almost all branches of the law, except maritime law, in which I was never briefed. I also, on a few occasions, represented clients in the CCMA. My practice comprises important components of administrative and constitutional law. My work extends to cases involving public administration law (local, provincial and national government), correctional law (including cases relating to parole for sentenced and incarcerated offenders for and against the Department of Correctional Services and/or the Minister of Correctional Services), Administrative and Constitutional Law, Delict, including medical negligence, contract, criminal law and procedure, including criminal appeals, cases involving PIE Act, ESTA, Local Government and Town Planning, electoral law, education, sequestrations and liquidations, and to a lesser extent now, family law. I have sat as an arbitrator occasionally and have appeared as both plaintiff’s and defendant’s counsel in arbitration proceedings in the Arbitration Forum, mainly in Road Accident Fund matters.

I have a wide-ranging practice, which is mainly determined by the nature of instructions that I receive from instructing attorneys, ranging from criminal law and procedure, contracts, delict, administrative and constitutional law matters.

Dr Yash Naidoo is a Dentolegal Consultant at the Medical Protection Society, where he supports healthcare professionals through some of the most challenging ethical, legal, and professional moments of their careers. A qualified dentist and lawyer, Yash began his career in clinical dentistry before completing an LLB (cum laude) and transitioning into healthcare law. He has worked at leading firms including Norton Rose Fulbright and ENS, with expertise in medical negligence litigation, regulatory matters, and professional conduct. At MPS, Yash draws on his unique background to empower clinicians to practise with confidence, clarity, and integrity. He is also the host of Why Did I Become a Doctor South Africa, a podcast celebrating the human stories behind healthcare professionals.

Doug has been in Private Practice for 32 years at St Augustine’s Hospital in Durban. He did a Cranio Maxillofacial Fellowship at the University of Alabama at Birmingham in 1994. He is a part-time consultant in the Maxillofacial Unit at Inkosi Albert Luthuli Central Hospital. He is now Director of Advance Trauma and Life Support and has done over 70 courses since he qualified as an Instructor in 1996. Doug has multiple interests in cranio-maxillofacial problems, including facial deformity surgery, cranio-facial trauma, cosmetic facial plastic surgery, as well as management of chronic facial pain.

FORMAL EDUCATION: Master of Business Administration, Postgraduate Diploma in Business Administration, Bachelor in health service management and public administration and Diploma in Biomedical Technology. Currently studying towards LLB degree. RELEVANT WORK EXPERIENCE: Health Professions Council of South Africa (Head of Division), National Health laboratory services (Regional Training Manager). Vermaak and Partners Pathologists (Laboratory Manager), Lancet laboratory (Medical Technologist), AMPATH laboratories (Medical Technologist). PROFESSIONAL INTEREST: Management sciences (with special interest in how strategic processes and how policy and people interface).

Elsabė Klinck is the Managing Director of Klinck & Samuels, an entity that specialises in health law, health policy and ethics. Elsabė has worked in the health sector for 24 years, as legal advisor, director, projects manager and consultant. K&S provides consulting services to healthcare professionals, professional societies, health products suppliers and health facilities. Prior to her health sector involvement, Elsabė was a senior lecturer in Constitutional Law. During that time, she also worked at the Free State Centre for Human Rights Studies. There she worked on projects relating to paralegals, land reform and social security (which includes social insurance mechanisms, such as the current proposed NHI). Elsabė has published- and spoken widely on topics relating to constitutional law, human rights, health law, ethics and social security. She is co-author of, amongst others, the books Employment Equity Law and International Human Rights Standards and has published chapters in Social Security Law and Occupational Health Nursing. She has undertaken research for, amongst others, the Taylor Committee of Enquiry into Social Security and the SA Business Coalition on HIV & Aids. She holds degrees in law, German and applied psychology. She lives in Hermanus with Louis, and two unruly labradoodles: Cosmo & Calamity Jane.

Dr Dinita Devchand is a Specialist Neurologist. With an interest in Movement Disorders, Stroke, Epilepsy and Pain syndromes in Neurology. She has been a previous presenter at SASMFOS, and is honoured to be presenting again this year. She has recently returned from the United Kingdom. Having worked in various hospitals in The East of Scotland, and affiliated as an honorary lecturer at with the University of Edinburgh Medical school and the University of Dundee Medical school. Dr Dinita Devchand has been actively involved in the subspecialty of movement disorders in the United Kingdom, and assisted at the MRI-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) at Ninewell’s Hospital, a non-invasive treatment option for tremor. Dr Devchand was the recipient and graduate of The Young Neurologist Training Program in Deep Brain stimulation and Movement Disorders. She has had subsequent training and experience in Lausanne Switzerland, The Haga Training Hospital, in the Hague Netherlands, Agostino Gemelli University Policlinic, Rome, Italy, and the Neurological unit in Queensquare at University College London. She has also completed a fellowship, in Dementia, at Pitiè Salpêtrière Hospital in Paris, France, With Professor Bruno Dubois at the Paris, National Dementia Day Clinic. Dr Devchand has presented internationally, at the British Neuropsychiatry Association meeting in Oxford, England and at the Neurology Academic meeting in University College London, Queensquare. She has completed her Masters of Medicine in Neurology, focusing on Phantom pain, at the University of KwaZulu Natal, in South Africa in 2017 and has been a previous member of Pain SA and has presented on a multitude of occasions both locally for Pain SA and on international platforms with reference to neurological pain management. She is currently based at Netcare Blaauwberg Hospital.

RISIMATI EPHRAIM RIKHOTSO received his undergraduate degree in Dentistry (BDS) at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in 1993. He worked as a dentist at Soweto Oral Health Services for one year before commencing private practice Johannesburg. In 1999 he commenced his registrarship at Wits in the Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery, which he completed in 2002, obtaining his Fellowship with the College of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery (FCMFOS-SA). In 2005 he completed his Masters of Dentistry (MDent) at Wits. He graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) from Wits University, in 2019. He has published in peer reviewed journals and presented in many local and international conferences. He is currently Head of Department of Maxillofacial and Oral Surgery at Wits University.

Matthew Gibbons is the Commercial Director of KLS Martin Australia and a recognised leader in the development, commercialisation, and global adoption of patient-specific surgical solutions. With over a decade of experience in medical device sales, regulatory strategy, and health technology implementation, he has played a pivotal role in advancing additive manufacturing and custom implant technologies for craniomaxillofacial reconstruction. Matthew has led the introduction and growth of Individual Patient Solutions (IPS®) in Australia, expanding its use from a small number of cases to thousands performed annually. He has overseen engineering team development, quality systems, and the establishment of local manufacturing capability. His expertise spans regulatory compliance, reimbursement strategy, and collaborative R&D, with a strong focus on applying KLS Martin’s stringent quality and development processes to ensure safe and effective clinical solutions. Working across markets in Australia, New Zealand, and internationally, Matthew has partnered with surgeons and research teams to integrate cutting-edge planning tools and patient-specific implants into routine clinical practice. His work bridges the gap between technology innovation and surgical application, ensuring that emerging solutions are both clinically relevant and accessible to patients worldwide.

Dr Mark Meyer is a Board Certified and Fellow of the College of Maxillo-Facial and Oral Surgeons in South Africa. Dr Mark Meyer not only obtained his training in South Africa but was awarded the prestigious AOCMF fellowship and the opportunity to train in Austria where he pursued his passion in Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) surgery. He also obtained a mini-residency fellowship in Arthroscopic TMJ Surgery. He was invited to the Biomet institute in Jacksonville that focus on TMJ replacement surgery. He is therefore trained in the full scope of Temporomandibular joint Disorders and currently serve as Consultant TMJ surgeon at Groote Schuur Hospital. He completed his PhD degree focusing on the Impact of Genetics in the etiology of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders.

Strategist in Health Economics and Funder Negotiations with 17 years in private healthcare, driving dual strategic portfolios at Life Healthcare. Amrita Raniga brings a distinctive blend of biomedicine, health economics, and strategic risk management expertise to shape national policy and funder strategy. Her career spans key roles at Discovery Health and Life Healthcare, where she now leads engagements on South Africa’s evolving policy landscape in the private healthcare sector. As Chair of HASA’s Policy and Research Subcommittee and industry representative on BUSA’s Health Policy Committee, she plays a catalytic role in advancing healthcare reform, sustainable financing, and equitable access. Amrita’s academic foundation includes a BSc in Biomedicine, an International Master’s in Health Economics and Pharmacoeconomics, she is currently pursuing a BCom in Law. A committed champion of evidence-informed policy and inclusive health system architecture, Amrita is guided by a resolute vision to expand universal healthcare access through sustainable and equitable reform.