SPEAKERS FOR DOCTORS
Prof. Ambrosina Michelotti
Professor Ambrosina Michelotti graduated in Dentistry (DDS) in 1984 and received the Honorary Degree in Dentistry at the University of Malmo (Sweden) in 2018. In 1991 she’s got the degree of specialist in Orthodontics. She is full professor in Orthodontics and Clinical Gnathology. She is director of the post-graduated School in Orthodontics and responsible of the Master course on “Orofacial pain and Temporomandibular Disorders” at the University of Naples Federico II. She has authored or co-authored more than 200 papers published in Italian and international journals, and co-author of several book chapters. She also gave numerous lectures at international congresses. Her research interests are mainly focused on clinical orthodontic, the basic physiology of the jaw muscles, on the etiology, diagnosis and management of temporomandibular disorders and on the relationship between the jaw musculature and orthodontics.
She was the president of the European Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders (2010), President of the Neuroscience group of IADR (2011); President of SIDA (società italiana di disfunzioni ed algie temporomandibolari; 2012-2013); President of the RDC/TMD Consortium at the International Association of Dental Research (2013-2014); President of the Italian Board of Orthodontics (2020-2021), President of the European Society of Oral Physiology (2024), President elected of the SIG-Orofacial Pain di IASP (2026) and President elected of the Italian Society of Orthodontics (SIDO – 2028).
Editor in Chief of the Orthodontic and Craniofacial Research journal, Associate Editor of the European Journal of Oral Science, Associate Editor of the Journal of Oral Rehabilitation, member of the Editorial Board of the European Journal of Orthodontics and referee of several national and international journals.
Prof. Alberto Caprioglio
Prof. Caprioglio is Full Professor and Chairman of Orthodontics at the University of Milan. In the past he has been Associate Professor and then Chairman of Orthodontics at the University of Insubria, Varese, Italy and the Director of I.T.E.B. (Innovative Technology and Engineered Biomaterials) research center from 2002 to 2020.
He has published extensively in the leading referred international orthodontic journals. He is author of 10 books and 6 chapters.
His current research interests include early and interceptive treatment, vertical dimension in growing patients, applications of artificial intelligence to orthodontics and materials related to orthodontic aligners. In addition, Prof. Caprioglio is an internationally recognized key-note speaker in sleep disorder problems, impacted canines, molar distalization and dental traumatology associated to orthodontics treatment. He lectured around the world for regional and local societies, for EOS, AAO and WFO.
He is a Certified Member of the Italian Board of Orthodontic and of the European Board of Orthodontic moreover he is an Active Member of the Angle Society of Europe. He is the President of the European Board of Orthodontics (EBO) for 2024-2026
He is the recipient of several national and international grants and research prizes such as the “F.E.O. Best clinical Paper 2014” (London, Great Britain 2015), the “Gold medal for Orthodontics” presented by Croatian Orthodontics Society (Split, Croatia, 2016), the “2018 Best paper publish in JOO” by Deuthsche Gesellschaft für Kieferorthopaedie and the prestigious “2017 B.F. and Helen Dewel Clinical Research Award” presented by the American Association of Orthodontics (San Diego, CA, U.S.A., 2017) and given for the highest ranked clinical research published in the American Journal of Orthodontics & Deantofacial Orthopedics.
Prof. Jiří Šedý, DMD MD PhD MBA
Professor Jiří Šedý completed his studies in General Medicine, Dentistry, and Business Administration (MBA). He subsequently earned a Ph.D. in Neurosciences, completed his habilitation at Masaryk University in Brno, and was appointed Professor at Charles University in Prague.
His professional interests focus primarily on temporomandibular disorders, clinical anatomy, gnathology, the synthesis of interdisciplinary knowledge, and the principles of critical thinking. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 scientific publications, which have been cited over 1,300 times according to the Web of Science (H-index: 22).
He is also the author or co-author of numerous monographs, including Primary Hyperparathyroidism (Galén, 2006), Surgical Anatomy of Hernias (Triton, 2007), Compendium of Dentistry I (Triton, 2012), Compendium of Dentistry II (Triton, 2016, 2022), Clinical Anatomy of Teeth and Jaws (Triton, 2010), Atlas of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders Treatment (Triton, 2014), The Dentist – Man’s Best Friend (ALMI, 2014, 2018; Galén, 2023), Foundations of Evolutionary Theory for Dentists (Galén, 2019), Somatic Examination in Dentistry (Galén, 2020), Critical Thinking (Galén, 2021, 2024), Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Teeth (Galén, 2022), Justice in Medicine (Grada, 2022), Foundations of Gnathology (Triton, 2023), Bruxism (Galén, 2024), Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (Galén, 2024), and Temporomandibular Joint Disorders – Diagnosis and Treatment (Grada, 2024).
Prof. Šedý is the recipient of 31 awards, including the Czech Head Award, the Josef Hlávka Award, and the Prize of the Learned Society of the Czech Republic. He has served as a co-investigator on national and international research grants, is a reviewer for international scientific journals, and a member of editorial boards of international journals.
He openly and respectfully acknowledges his teachers and mentors, particularly Prof. Miloš Grim (Anatomy, Czech Republic), Dr. František Koukolík (Neuropathology, Czech Republic), Prof. Jan Kučera (Neurology, USA), Dr. Josef Zicha (Physiology, Czech Republic), and Prof. Mariano Rocabado (Rehabilitation Medicine, Chile).
Marek Vlna, DMD MSc
Dr. Vlna graduated in 2011 from the Faculty of Medicine, Palacký University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, with a degree in Dentistry. He is a graduate of the Dawson Academy (USA) and earned an MSc in Orofacial Pain and temporomandibular disorders (TMD) from the University of Siena, Italy, in 2024. He is an accredited member of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) and a certified member of the Czech Academy of Dental Aesthetics (ČADE).
He regularly lectures at professional meetings on TMD, orofacial pain, and aesthetic dentistry. He also serves as a reviewer for the journal CRANIO and is involved in research in the field of TMD. He is the founder of Dentalis Education, an educational platform providing training courses for dental professionals.
He currently leads private practices Dentalis in Trnava and Skalka nad Váhom (SK), focusing on aesthetic dentistry, orofacial pain, and temporomandibular joint disorders.
Dr. n.med Agnieszka Predko-Engel
She graduated from the Faculty of Medicine with a Department of Dentistry at J. P. Šafarik University in Košice (Slovakia) in 1994. In 1999, she obtained her first degree of specialization in general dentistry. Between 2000 and 2004, she underwent orthodontic training at the Dental Clinic of the Medical Academy in Białystok. In 2014, she obtained the title of specialist in orthodontics and completed her doctoral studies at Palacký University in Olomouc (Czech Republic), obtaining a doctorate in medical sciences at the Faculty of Medicine (Phd). Her doctoral dissertation was devoted to the issue of skeletal age in orthodontics.
Since 2004, she has been running her own dental practice in Białystok, initially focusing on orthodontics. In 2011, she expanded her practice to include multiple specialties, including orthodontics, prosthetics, surgery, and conservative dentistry with endodontics. Currently, her professional interests focus on treating patients with skeletal malocusion requiring an interdisciplinary orthodontic-surgical approach.
Since 2014, she has been the chairwoman of the Podlasie Orthodontic Circle of the Polish Orthodontic Society (PTO), and since September 2022, she has been the treasurer of the Main Board of the Polish Orthodontic Society.
In 2023, she was the president of the organizing committee and a member of the scientific committee of the 24th Polish Orthodontic Society Congress in Białystok (September 13-16, 2023). On November 24-25, 2023, she was a member of the scientific committee of the Scientific Conference in Olsztyn on Complications in Maxillofacial Surgery.
She is the author of numerous publications and presentations at orthodontic congresses. For many years, she has been translating orthodontic courses from Czech and German and conducting training sessions, lectures, and postgraduate courses for doctors, focusing on orthodontic-surgical treatment of malocclusion and the basics of orthodontics.
She is a member of the Polish Orthodontic Society, the Czech Orthodontic Society, the European Orthodontic Society, and the Polish Society of Dental Radiology. On behalf of the Polish Orthodontic Society, she participated in the preparation of a joint statement by the Polish Medical Radiological Society and the PTO on magnetic resonance imaging in patients undergoing orthodontic treatment.
Privately, she is a member of the Support Council of the Prophet Elijah Hospice in Makówka, enjoys outdoor sports, especially golf, and is a mother of two daughters and a wife.
Assoc. Prof. Krzysztof Dowgierd, MD PhD
Dr. Krzysztof Dowgierd is a distinguished maxillofacial surgeon and a pioneer in craniofacial reconstruction in both pediatric and adult patients. He began his medical career at the Medical University of Gdańsk, where he completed his studies and earned a doctoral degree with a thesis on the application of palatal distraction in maxillary constriction treatment—an innovation he was the first to introduce in Poland.
He commenced his specialization in maxillofacial surgery in 2000 during his residency in Olsztyn. He further advanced his career as an assistant at the Pediatric Surgery Department of the Institute of Mother and Child in Warsaw under Professor Zofia Dudkiewicz and later served as a consultant in several specialist hospitals. Since 2008, he has been the Head of the Craniofacial Center and Chief of the Maxillofacial Surgery Department at the Voivodeship Specialist Children’s Hospital in Olsztyn. He is also an academic faculty member at the University of Warmia and Mazury in Olsztyn.
Dr. Dowgierd has authored numerous scientific publications, including articles in leading international journals and book chapters on orthognathic and maxillofacial surgery. His research focuses on innovative craniofacial reconstruction techniques, including pediatric facial microsurgery and the use of custom 3D-printed implants such as pediatric temporomandibular joint prostheses. His interests also include osteodistraction methods for craniofacial malformations in children and adolescents, as well as cutting-edge approaches in orthognathic surgery.
He has completed numerous international fellowships at prestigious medical centers in the United States, Switzerland, Belgium, France, Spain, and India. His academic and educational contributions are widely recognized both in Poland and abroad. He has led multiple training courses and is an active member of various national and international scientific societies.
Dr. Dowgierd is also deeply involved in humanitarian efforts, collaborating with several Ukrainian medical centers and working to improve surgical care for children and adolescents. His contributions to the field of maxillofacial surgery have been recognized with numerous awards, including the “Patient’s Laureate,” the “Golden Scalpel,” the “Warmia-Mazury Product” certificate, and the Bronze Cross of Merit.
Privately, Dr. Dowgierd runs a medical practice specializing in craniofacial and oral reconstruction, as well as the treatment of facial deformities, including cleft and hemifacial microsomia. His unparalleled experience, dedication, and innovative approach place him among the leading experts in his field.
Jan Streblov, MD
Dr. Jan Streblov graduated in dentistry from the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, in 2003. During his studies, he completed two semesters of dentistry at the University of Rostock in Germany.
From 2004 to 2010, he worked as a dentist at the Prague Center of Dental Implantology under the supervision of MUDr. Vladimír Zábrodský, where he gradually focused on interdisciplinary cooperation in dentistry. During this period, he translated several books for Quintessence Publishing and worked as a translator for numerous lecturers, particularly from Germany.
In 2010, together with MUDr. Martin Tomeček, he founded the 3DK Dental Clinic in Prague. He obtained the Certificate in Periodontology from the Czech Dental Chamber (2009) and a Certificate in Implantology from the German Association of Implantology (2010).
Since 2010, he has delivered numerous lectures and presentations in the fields of periodontology, implantology, aesthetics, tissue healing, tooth autotransplantation, and interdisciplinary therapy in the Czech Republic and abroad. He is the author and co-author of numerous articles. In 2019 and 2020, he served as President of the Czech Academy of Dental Aesthetics (ČADE) and contributed to the launch of the ČADE Curriculum program.
Dr. Elizabeth Menzel
Dr. Elizabeth Menzel has been an orthodontist since 1997 and is based in the south of Germany. She studied dentistry in South Africa and then received her degree in Orthodontics in Germany at the University of Frankfurt. She is a member of the British Orthodontic Society, German Orthodontic Society, the Pierre Fauchard Academy and a Diplomate of the German Board of Orthodonstics as well as an honorary member of the International Orthodontic Society. She has been a Damon User since 2003 and has been an international lecturer since 2006. Her professional focus is TMD orthodontics and sleep apnoea.
Dr. Claudia Pinter
Dr. Claudia Pinter is an orthodontist known for her expertise in aligner therapy. Dr. Pinter began her dental studies at the University of Würzburg and completed her degree at the University of Vienna, graduating with distinction.
She currently practices in both Vienna and Wels, Austria, specializing in esthetic treatments with aligners, where she applies cutting-edge techniques to achieve optimal patient outcomes.
In addition to her clinical practice, Dr. Pinter is actively involved in research and teaching. She serves as a visiting faculty at Nova Southeastern University and as the Course Director of the Fellowship in Aligner Orthodontics with Ripeglobal.
Dr. Pinter received the Award for Best Aligner Case at the European Aligner Society Congress in 2024 and has published in leading orthodontic journals.
Dr. Maximilian Küffer
Dr. Maximilian Küffer is a specialist in orthodontics and a senior consultant at the Department of Orofacial Orthopedics and Orthodontics at the University Hospital Düsseldorf, Germany. He leads the Section for Craniofacial Anomalies and is actively engaged in both undergraduate education and postgraduate training. Internationally recognized for his expertise in digital orthodontics, Dr. Küffer focuses particularly on CAD/CAM appliance design and the clinical application of skeletal anchorage systems.
He received his dental degree and doctoral degree in dental materials science from the University of Tübingen, before completing his orthodontic training in a private specialist practice and at the University of Düsseldorf. His current work centers on the development and clinical integration of innovative digital workflows, especially those involving TAD-supported appliances.
Dr. Küffer is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences and has led numerous hands-on training courses worldwide.
Lea Šafránková, MSc
The author is a graduate of the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University in Brno, where she completed a Master’s degree in Special Education with a specialization in Speech and Language Therapy and Deaf Education in 2004. She has completed postgraduate specialist training for speech and language therapists in the educational system, as well as numerous advanced courses, clinical trainings, and professional development programs in the Czech Republic and abroad (Germany, Italy, Slovakia). She regards professional education as a continuous process and is actively involved in publishing and teaching activities.
She has long worked as a therapist focusing on the functional integration of the body and brain. Her clinical practice is primarily dedicated to orofacial myofunctional therapy and related disciplines influencing speech, breathing, posture, neuromuscular balance, and overall functional performance. The foundation of her work is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach and close collaboration with professionals across medical and educational fields.
She works with both children and adults seeking greater functional balance in speech, attention, coordination, and breathing and movement patterns. Her professional philosophy is based on the belief that the body and mind form an integrated whole and that meaningful change occurs where evidence-based functional approaches meet safety, respect, and human understanding.
Hana Bláhová, MSc
The author is a physiotherapist with more than ten years of clinical experience. She obtained her Bachelor’s degree in Physiotherapy from the Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, and subsequently completed her Master’s degree in Physiotherapy at the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport, Charles University.
Her professional specialization includes functional treatment of musculoskeletal, neurological, internal, and gynecological conditions. She also focuses on scar therapy, consultations on psychomotor development in children, and other areas of physiotherapy. She actively publishes and serves as a lecturer in professional educational courses, programs and conferences.
Since 2017, she has been involved in educating laypersons, massage therapists, trainers, and fellow physiotherapists. Since 2022, she has also contributed to team leadership at Fyzio svět, with a primary focus on continuing professional education and the development of physiotherapists.
In clinical practice, she works with both pediatric and adult patients, including infants. She is particularly interested in complex and diagnostically challenging cases, which do not necessarily primarily involve the musculoskeletal system. In her therapeutic approach, she predominantly applies principles of developmental kinesiology and other functional concepts, including Dynamic Neuromuscular Stabilization according to Professor Kolář, the Vojta principle, and the Bobath concept. These methods support the optimal development and stabilization of fundamental movement patterns that form the basis of human movement throughout life.
In manual therapy, she primarily utilizes osteopathic techniques, particularly visceral manipulation, neural manipulation, and craniosacral therapy. These holistic approaches allow for gentle yet effective treatment of muscles, joints, and fascia, while also influencing visceral function and the integrated functioning of the body as a whole.
SPEAKERS FOR ORTHODONTIC ASSISTANTS
Prof. Jiří Šedý, DMD MD PhD MBA
Professor Jiří Šedý completed his studies in General Medicine, Dentistry, and Business Administration (MBA). He subsequently earned a Ph.D. in Neurosciences, completed his habilitation at Masaryk University in Brno, and was appointed Professor at Charles University in Prague.
His professional interests focus primarily on temporomandibular disorders, clinical anatomy, gnathology, the synthesis of interdisciplinary knowledge, and the principles of critical thinking. He is the author or co-author of more than 200 scientific publications, which have been cited over 1,300 times according to the Web of Science (H-index: 22).
He is also the author or co-author of numerous monographs, including Primary Hyperparathyroidism (Galén, 2006), Surgical Anatomy of Hernias (Triton, 2007), Compendium of Dentistry I (Triton, 2012), Compendium of Dentistry II (Triton, 2016, 2022), Clinical Anatomy of Teeth and Jaws (Triton, 2010), Atlas of Temporomandibular Joint Disorders Treatment (Triton, 2014), The Dentist – Man’s Best Friend (ALMI, 2014, 2018; Galén, 2023), Foundations of Evolutionary Theory for Dentists (Galén, 2019), Somatic Examination in Dentistry (Galén, 2020), Critical Thinking (Galén, 2021, 2024), Anatomy, Histology and Embryology of Teeth (Galén, 2022), Justice in Medicine (Grada, 2022), Foundations of Gnathology (Triton, 2023), Bruxism (Galén, 2024), Temporomandibular Joint Dysfunction (Galén, 2024), and Temporomandibular Joint Disorders – Diagnosis and Treatment (Grada, 2024).
Prof. Šedý is the recipient of 31 awards, including the Czech Head Award, the Josef Hlávka Award, and the Prize of the Learned Society of the Czech Republic. He has served as a co-investigator on national and international research grants, is a reviewer for international scientific journals, and a member of editorial boards of international journals.
He openly and respectfully acknowledges his teachers and mentors, particularly Prof. Miloš Grim (Anatomy, Czech Republic), Dr. František Koukolík (Neuropathology, Czech Republic), Prof. Jan Kučera (Neurology, USA), Dr. Josef Zicha (Physiology, Czech Republic), and Prof. Mariano Rocabado (Rehabilitation Medicine, Chile).
Zuzana Marinčák Vranková, DMD PhD
Dr. Zuzana Marinčák Vranková, Ph.D., is a graduate of dentistry at the Faculty of Medicine of Masaryk University in Brno with honours in 2018. She specialized in orthodontics after successfully completing postgraduate education and certification in 2022. She subsequently completed doctoral studies in dentistry and otorhinolaryngology and was awarded a Ph.D. in 2023.
In addition to orthodontics, she also specializes in sleep medicine, within which she completed a number of professional courses and internships in the Czech Republic and abroad – including a one-year clinical Erasmus internship at the University of Tor Vergata in Rome, professional internships at the Manzo Clinica Odontoiatrica in Naples, at the ICRC FNUSA sleep laboratory in Brno, and at the pediatric ENT department with a focus on sleep medicine at the Azienda Ospedaliera Sant’ Andrea in Rome under the leadership of Prof. M. P. Villa.
In 2024, she co-founded the Arculum Medical Center in Brno, where she currently works as a leading orthodontist and somnologist. She is also a member of the Environmental Genomics research group at RECETOX, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, and also works partially at the Orthodontic Department of the Dental Clinic of the St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno and at the Department of Oral, Maxillofacial and Facial Surgery of the University Hospital Brno.
In her scientific research work, she focuses on the mutual connection of sleep disorders and craniofacial anomalies, their early diagnosis and treatment options. She also studies genetic predispositions to orthodontic anomalies and changes in the oral microbiome in pathological conditions. She has also participated in project and grant activities focused on the relationship between sleep disorders and craniofacial anomalies.
She is active in publishing and lecturing and is the author or co-author of a number of professional publications in domestic and international journals.
Petra Valíková, DMD BSc
Dr. Petra Valíková is engaged in orthodontics with a focus on diagnostics, treatment and prevention of dentofacial anomalies. She graduated from Masaryk University with a bachelor’s degree in English Language and Literature and Dentistry, then completed specialization training in the field of orthodontics. She gained her experience in outpatient and hospital settings, especially at the Orthodontic Department of the Dental Clinic of the University Hospital of St. Anne in Brno and in private practices. She participated in undergraduate orthodontic education, research projects and lecturing. She currently works in a private practice lip.ortho s.r.o. and participates in postgraduate education at the Orthodontic Department in Brno.
In her work, she focuses on modern and gentle therapeutic procedures, including treatment with self-ligating fixed appliances, aligners and myofunctional appliances. She has also been involved in functional and postural connections and supporting interdisciplinary care in children and adults. She emphasizes an individual approach, prevention and early interceptive care. She likes to combine knowledge from orthodontics, myofunctional therapy, otorhinolaryngology and physiotherapy, which allows her to have a comprehensive view of functional and growth connections.
She regularly participates in professional courses and conferences in the Czech Republic and abroad and follows the latest developments in the field of digital orthodontic treatment planning, postural connections and functional orthodontics.
PaedDr. Jitka Vnoučková, MSc
Dr. Jitka Vnoučková began her professional journey by studying pediatric nursing, after which she joined the neonatal ward. Here, her natural interest in education and ability to convey information in a comprehensible manner that can improve patient care and the daily functioning of healthcare operations soon became apparent. She followed this direction with a study of pedagogy and subsequently with a study focusing on the systemic integration of processes in healthcare.
She has been professionally involved in the field of healthcare legislation, controlled documentation and good practice in outpatient healthcare facilities for a long time. She provides consultancy, helps set up internal processes, prepare for KHS and SÚKL inspections, implement a controlled documentation system and navigate the requirements regarding medicines and medical devices. She places great emphasis on proper sterilization in surgeries and maintaining the quality of care provided. She works as a lecturer in professional courses and seminars and is the author of methodological materials focused on proper documentation and legislative obligations of healthcare providers.
Wanda Urbanová, MD PhD
Dr. Wanda Urbanová PhD graduated from the 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Prague in 2003. She completed her specialization in Orthodontics in 2007 at the Department of Stomatology, 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and University Hospital Kralovske Vinohrady. She continues to work there and is actively involved in the education of dentists preparing for board certification in orthodontics, as well as in the orthodontic treatment of cleft patients within the Cleft Center Prague. In 2013, she completed her doctoral studies at the Faculty of Medicine in Pilsen, Charles University, with a dissertation on cleft anomalies. Since 2022, she has served as the program guarantor for the field of Dental Hygiene at the 3rd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University. She regularly publishes in both Czech and international professional journals and lectures at international congresses and symposia. She is a member of the editorial board of the journal Stomateam and a reviewer for Czech and international scientific journals. Her main areas of interest include craniofacial clefts and Williams-Beuren syndrome.
Linda Kučerová, DMD
Dr. Linda Kučerová, graduated from the Faculty of Medicine of Palacký University in Olomouc in 2023. After her studies, she focused on conservative dentistry in private practice and periodontology at the Periodontics Department of the Clinic of Dentistry in Olomouc. Since 2025, she has been working at the Orthodontics Department of the Clinic of Dentistry of the Palacký University and the University Hospital Olomouc.
Juraj Marton, DMD
Dr. Juraj Marton graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Palacký University in Olomouc in 2018. Since then, he has been working at the Clinic of Dentistry in the Department of Periodontology and is a doctoral student at the Faculty of Medicine, UPOL in the field of dentistry. Since 2023, he has been working in several private practices in Moravia as a specialist in periodontology and implantology.
Alena Tihanová, HND
Graduated in Dental Hygiene in 2007 (Prague) and has been continuously active in the field since that time. From 2008 to 2020, she served as an external lecturer in preventive dentistry and practical periodontology. Her clinical practice focuses on the prevention and management of enamel demineralization during and after orthodontic treatment, with the use of contemporary adjunctive therapeutic methods.
Assoc. Prof. Pavlína Černochová, PhD
Prof. Pavlína Černochová graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University in Brno in 1994. Following graduation, she joined the Second Department of Dentistry (now the Department of Dentistry) at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, and St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno, where she progressed from resident physician to assistant professor, and since 2011 has held the position of associate professor.
Board certification in dentistry was obtained in 1998, followed by board certification in orthodontics in 2001. Since 2003, she has served as Head of the Department of Orthodontics at the Department of Dentistry, Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, and St. Anne’s University Hospital in Brno. She completed doctoral studies at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, and in 2011 successfully defended her habilitation thesis entitled Disorders of Eruption of the Maxillary Permanent Canine at the same institution.
She is a member of the Field Board for Dentistry at the Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, as well as a member of the Czech Orthodontic Society and the European Orthodontic Society. An international fellowship was completed at the Dental Clinic in Ghent.
Her academic activities include participation as a co-investigator in several research grants and extensive scholarly output. She is the author or co-author of more than 145 presentations at national and international congresses and professional meetings. She has served as first or corresponding author of 31 original scientific papers (including four published in journals with an impact factor) and as co-author of 28 additional original papers (eight in journals with an impact factor). She is also the author of the monograph Diagnosis of Impacted Teeth.
In addition to lecturing nationally and internationally and leading professional courses, she serves as a reviewer for Czech and international scientific journals. Her achievements have been recognized with several awards, including the Prof. Asbjørn Hasund Award in 2006 and the World Federation of Orthodontists Poster Prize for Best Poster at the 7th International Orthodontic Congress in Sydney, Australia, in 2010. Alongside her academic career, she maintains a private orthodontic practice.
Jana Kopřivová, MD
The author is an orthodontist with more than 30 years of clinical experience. She previously worked at the Department of Stomatology of the General University Hospital in Prague and participated in teaching at the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague.
Her long-term professional focus is on functional approaches in orthodontics, including functional appliance therapy and orofacial myofunctional therapy. Since 2009, she has been running a private orthodontic practice in Příbram, where she applies a comprehensive treatment concept based on interdisciplinary collaboration, particularly with speech therapy and physiotherapy.
She has been involved in projects related to health prevention and promotion, including participation in the advisory group “Human and Health” within the Framework Educational Programme revision of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Czech Republic. In 2024, she founded the Academy of Functional Orthodontics, aimed at supporting interdisciplinary education and fostering collaboration between medical and non-medical professionals interested in comprehensive, patient-centred health care.
Martin Linka, DMD
Dr. Martin Linka is a specialist in orthodontics. He graduated in dentistry from the Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Hradec Králové in 2012 and obtained board certification in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics in 2016. His postgraduate specialist training was completed at the University Hospital Královské Vinohrady in Prague.
He works in the private orthodontic practice Ortholine in Jablonec nad Nisou and at the AmbiCare dental clinic in Prague. He is actively involved in lecturing, publishing, and educational activities, has completed professional internships in Italy, and is long-term engaged in the education of patients as well as non-physician healthcare professionals. His clinical practice emphasizes precision, prevention, and interdisciplinary collaboration.
Monika Hendrichová, HND
Monika Hendrichová is a dental hygienist specializing in pediatric and orthodontic patients and works at the AmbiCare clinic in Prague. Together with orthodontist Martin Linka, she is involved in the education of orthodontic assistants and dental hygienists and lectures on the integration of dental hygiene and orthodontics.
Lea Šafránková, MSc
The author is a graduate of the Faculty of Education at Masaryk University in Brno, where she completed a Master’s degree in Special Education with a specialization in Speech and Language Therapy and Deaf Education in 2004. She has completed postgraduate specialist training for speech and language therapists in the educational system, as well as numerous advanced courses, clinical trainings, and professional development programs in the Czech Republic and abroad (Germany, Italy, Slovakia). She regards professional education as a continuous process and is actively involved in publishing and teaching activities.
She has long worked as a therapist focusing on the functional integration of the body and brain. Her clinical practice is primarily dedicated to orofacial myofunctional therapy and related disciplines influencing speech, breathing, posture, neuromuscular balance, and overall functional performance. The foundation of her work is a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach and close collaboration with professionals across medical and educational fields.
She works with both children and adults seeking greater functional balance in speech, attention, coordination, and breathing and movement patterns. Her professional philosophy is based on the belief that the body and mind form an integrated whole and that meaningful change occurs where evidence-based functional approaches meet safety, respect, and human understanding.
Miroslava Nagyová, MD
She graduated with honours in Dentistry from the Faculty of Medicine at Pavol Jozef Šafárik University in Košice, where she later also worked as an external specialist lecturer. In 2008, she obtained her specialization in Orthodontics, with her thesis focused on 3D imaging methods in orthodontics.
She completed the postgraduate program Invisible Orthodontics with Aligners at the University of Padua in 2023–2024. Since 2009, she has been running her own private practice in Košice, dedicated exclusively to orthodontics for both children and adults, addressing also functional temporomandibular joint disorders, maxillary expansion treatment, and managing complex cases.
She is a member of the Slovak Orthodontic Society (SOS) as well as the Czech Orthodontic Society (ČOS), and since 2021 she has also been a member of the board of the SOS. She served as President of the SOS Congress in 2022 and will assume this role again in 2026. She regularly participates in professional training programs and congresses both at home and abroad. She is the author of several professional lectures in the field of orthodontics.
Alongside her professional career, between 2017 and 2019 she studied at the Faculty of Theology of the Catholic University at the Karol Wojtyła Academy, specializing in the Theology of Marriage and Family.
Jiří Hálek, DMD
Jiří Hálek graduated from Masaryk University in Brno with a degree in Dentistry in 2011. He completed his postgraduate orthodontic training at the University Hospital in Plzeň. In 2015, he established his own orthodontic practice in Strakonice. In his clinical work, he has long focused on digital treatment planning, skeletal anchorage, and the fabrication of orthodontic appliances using 3D printing technology.
Eva Hálková, DMD
Eva Hálková graduated in Dentistry from the Faculty of Medicine of Charles University in Plzeň in 2021. She completed her postgraduate orthodontic training at the University Hospital in Plzeň. She has been involved in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea in adult patients and in the development of a new 3D-printed type of mandibular advancement device (MAD), both during her doctoral studies and in her current clinical and research activities.
Martin Tomeček, MD
Dr. Martin Tomeček graduated in Dentistry from the First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague in 2002. During his studies, he completed an international study placement at King’s College London (United Kingdom, 2000).
After graduation, he worked in private dental practices in Prague and later in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). In 2010, he co-founded the dental clinic 3DK together with MUDr. Jan Streblov.
His professional focus is primarily on dental implantology, esthetic dentistry, and prosthodontics. In 2016, he completed the prestigious Regenerator Program in implantology and bone regeneration under the guidance of Prof. Istvan Urban (Urban Regeneration Institute & University of Szeged, Budapest, Hungary).
A significant part of his professional interest is dedicated to dental photography and the study of light–material interactions in dentistry. He is a member of the Czech Academy of Dental Aesthetics.
As a lecturer, he has authored numerous lectures and hands-on courses focused on bone augmentation, dental implantology, soft tissue management, dental photography, prosthodontics, and related topics. He has lectured at international conferences in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy, and South Korea.
He is a co-author of scientific publications, including: R. Rossi et al. (International Journal of Esthetic Dentistry, 2020), S. Hein et al. (Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry, 2021).
