I’m very excited to welcome everyone to the 16th IAAS International Congress in beautiful Dubrovnik this May 18–20, 2026. We look forward to guiding inspiring discussions, sharing innovations in ambulatory surgery, and building lasting connections with passionate colleagues from around the world. It’s truly an honour to host such a pivotal event where experience, excellence, and camaraderie come together in one of Europe’s most stunning settings.
Arnaldo Valedon, MD, MBA, FASA, SAMBA-F
President, IAAS
A.Valedon, MD, MBA, FASA, SAMBA-F
President International Association for Ambulatory Surgery
Ambulatory Surgery: The Future is here.
Ambulatory Surgery means efficiency with quality and safety.
The question is: Do I have to admit this patient as an inpatient for this surgical procedure if I can perform the operation on this patient on an ambulatory basis?.
Ambulatory surgery has experienced tremendous growth during recent years. We continue to do more complex procedures and treat more complex patients, some of whom are vulnerable such as the elderly, children, children with special needs, mentally disabled and many more. Thanks to innovation in surgery, anaesthesia and nursing but above all thanks to interdisciplinary teamwork we can guarantee safe home discharge for everybody all over the world!!!
Marc Coppens
Anesthesiologist, University Hospital Ghent, Belgium
President of Belgian Association Ambulatory Surgery
Treasurer of International Association Ambulatory Surgery
Elizabeta Gjorgievska is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Dentistry and Head of
the Department of Pediatric and Preventive Dentistry, University Ss Cyril and Methodius,
Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia. She became an MSc and specialist in Pediatric and
Preventive Dentistry in 2002, and a PhD in 2006. She has conducted numerous research
visits at Universities in the UK, Belgium, and the USA and has been associated with
several international research projects. She has published more than 100 papers. She
was part of the organization and scientific committees of several national and
international symposia and conferences. She has given lectures and workshops at
scientific conferences in Macedonia and abroad (UK, USA, Ukraine, Croatia, Turkey,
Serbia, Georgia, Spain, etc.). She is an author of 2 and a co-author of 3 monographs,
and an editor and a co-author of a recently published textbook in Pediatric dentistry. In
the period 2010-2014 she was a President of the Macedonian Pedodontic Association.
She is a member of MDA, FDI, IAPD, UKSB and a visiting professor at Columbia
University, NY, USA.
Her research interests involve: synthesis and characterization of glass-ionomer
cements, tooth bleaching, laser application in dentistry, enamel de/remineralization.
Xavier Falieres is a perioperative anesthesiologist at the Albert Schweitzer Hospital, a major teaching hospital near Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
He studied general and emergency medicine in France and completed his training in anesthesiology and intensive care in Liège, Belgium. He also holds a Dutch diploma in hospital medical management.
His clinical interests include multimodal anesthesia, regional techniques, ambulatory surgery, obstetric and geriatric anesthesia, orthopedic and thoracic surgery. He has extensive international teaching experience, particularly in Asia.
In management, he served for 12 years as medical director of the operating theatre and is currently on the medical board of the Hélène Schweitzer Clinic (ambulatory and short-stay surgery unit). He is president of the Dutch Society for Ambulatory Care and a board member of the International Association for Ambulatory Surgery.
He is president of the Dutch Society for Ambulatory Care and one of board members of the International Association for Ambulatory Surgery.
His management focus includes operating theatre efficiency, safety, and communication.
Technical organizer:
FILIDA TRAVEL
