The dinner was a culmination of the Alpha Omega European Convention, which ran on June 10-14. The dinner held at the Marriott Hotel, Regents Park, was attended by over 200 people and included notable attendees such as Professor Nairn Wilson (current President of the BDA), Ishmael Khaldi (the first Bedouin diplomat in the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the Deans of Tel Aviv Dental School and School of Dental Medicine Jerusalem, Professor Adam Stabholz (International President of Alpha Omega) and Professor Dianne Rekow (Dean of the Dental School of Guy's and St Thomas' Hospitals).
Not only was Mervyn’s dedication to dentistry recognised by Alpha Omega, but he also received two prominent letters of congratulations. The first came from Professor Joseph Klafter, President of Tel Aviv University, which acknowledged his “longstanding contribution to Alpha Omega,” and “bears witness to [his] major impact in the area of dental medicine.” The second letter was from Daniel Taub, Israel's Ambassador to the United Kingdom, which observed that “ Mervyn Druian is not only an extraordinary dentist but an extraordinary friend of Israel, who has supported our State both as leader of Alpha Omega and as a visiting lecturer to dental schools across the country, passing on his expertise to the next generation. His efforts, in addition, to reach out to Palestinian dentists are testament to his dedication to building personal and professional relationships that advance the prospect of peace.”
All of Mervyn’s family were in attendance to see him honoured and he commented: ”I am incredibly privileged to be given this recognition by the Alpha Omega. I truly love my profession and I strive to see others enjoy it as much as I do. I work closely with the Tel Aviv Dental School and School of Dental Medicine Jerusalem and I thoroughly enjoy teaching the next generation the fantastic profession of dentistry.”
In the dental industry for over 30 years, Mervyn Druian is a true visionary and leader in his profession. Always striving to give his patients the best, he is well known for his ground breaking treatments and techniques. In 1983, he became the first UK dentist to introduce the practice of porcelain veneers and in 1990, he was the first to bring to the UK a power tooth whitening system. Since then, Mervyn’s cosmetic and aesthetic work has become world renowned and he frequently lectures and teaches around the world. Not only is Mervyn recognised by his peers as one of the foremost innovators, but he is often heralded by beauty editors as “the leading expert in cosmetic dentistry.” He was the principle dentist on Extreme Makeovers UK, X Factor’s official dentist in 2009, and he frequently works with the casts of Britain & Ireland’s Next Top Model and Made in Chelsea.
Not only is Mervyn a committed supporter of his profession, but he is also an outstanding member of the London Jewish community. A key founder of the Northwood United Synagogue, Mervyn also helped to set up the library within it.
The Alpha Omega International Dental Society is the oldest international medical organisation and was founded in 1907, at the University Of Maryland School Of Dental Medicine. The Alpha Omega international community is comprised of over 100 alumni and student chapters in ten countries.