24 hours in KOL straumann HQ

Last night I came back from Switzerland. We had a Key Opinion Leader Summit and, honestly, it was one of those moments that reminds me why these trips still matter. Beyond the lectures and the technology, it was another opportunity to reconnect with people — including Portuguese colleagues who, despite being geographically close, sometimes only truly connect when we meet abroad.

I took the opportunity once again to go for an early run along the Rhine River. There is something almost inexplicable about that river. At eight in the morning, with everyone still asleep, hearing only the force and sound of the water flowing… it feels like recharging batteries. Every time I go there, I feel that same mystique.

It was also impressive, as always, to see the engineering teams at Straumann Group continuously pushing technology forward and developing new solutions for patients. You can really feel the movement, the innovation, the obsession with improving details.

From my side, I had to deliver a one-hour presentation about full-arch rehabilitation, already integrating the 4 mm implants and the Falcon dynamic navigation system. I think it went well. I always analyze my performances carefully — not only the scientific content itself, but also the stage presence, the flow of ideas, the semantics, the rhythm of communication. A lecture has to be clinically and scientifically useful, but it also needs to be engaging.

What they asked from me was essentially our interpretation of contemporary full-arch rehabilitation, and I think I managed to transmit that message clearly. Today, rehabilitation is no longer only about teeth or implants themselves. We are moving into a phase where we need to understand the broader impact our treatments have on overall health: breathing, posture, sleep pathology, physiology. Dentistry has to enter those territories.

I also think I achieved a good balance between serious scientific content and making the audience feel comfortable. Humor, irony, satire — used carefully — can completely change how people absorb information. One of the things I try to do is create an atmosphere where people are not overfocused on me as the speaker, but rather immersed in the experience and the ideas themselves. This time, I genuinely felt the audience fully engaged. Seriousness, but without rigidity.

At the end, as always, everything became a rush.

I left the lecture, grabbed a coffee, stole two apples from the Straumann reception, and headed to the train station. Basel to Zurich. Then the transfer inside Zürich Hauptbahnhof to catch the airport train. Airport security, immigration, scanners, queues… and finally arriving at the gate exactly on time before another three hours back to Lisbon.

When I landed, I picked up my motorcycle outside the airport. It was raining heavily on Segunda Circular, Benfica had just drawn a match, so the city was still full of restless traffic and frustrated souls wandering around Lisbon.

I finally got home and, of course, there was no electricity. So I climbed seven flights of stairs up to my apartment.

Financially, after all the investments and effort lately, things are not exactly glamorous. I barely had money in my accounts and Swiss francs disappear frighteningly fast. The only thing I managed to eat at the airport was a Coca-Cola and a sandwich from a small Indian place I found there.

But then I arrived home and had homemade food waiting for me.

And honestly, after a day like that, that meal tasted better than any Michelin restaurant.

I ate, took a shower, and collapsed into bed.

So yes — it was an intense 24 hours at Straumann Headquarters in Switzerland. But absolutely worth it. Reconnecting with people, exchanging ideas, staying close to innovation, sharing knowledge, transmitting concepts… those things still matter.

Great day. Great rainy day in May.

Have a good day, everyone.