Regulation

Article 1 : MEMBERSHIP

1.1. Active Members

1. A candidate being proposed by two active members and applying to the BaSS Council through his own country’s councilors.
2. Anyone with a dental degree residing and practicing in a Balkan country who attends the BaSS Congress can simultaneously be registered as applicant for active member of BaSS.
3. In the case of (2) above, the BaSS Congress Organizing Committee will forward the applications to the local councilors.
4. The applications are considered at the Autumn Council meeting and, if accepted, confirmed at the Next General Assembly.
5. Active members pay annual fees.
6. The annual membership fee is paid to the local board or directly to the treasurer of BaSS by personal cheque, or to the Organizing Committee during the Congress of BaSS.
7. Active members who have not paid their annual fees for two consecutive years can have their membership revoked by the Council.
8. Active members will be issued with an I.D. card by the BaSS Council, signed by the President and the Secretary General and distributed by their own country’s councilors.
9. Active members will be issued with an official Membership Certificate by the BaSS Council, signed by the President and the Secretary General and distributed by their own country’s councilors.
10. BaSS I.D. cards will be valid as long as the active member pays his or her annual membership fee.

1.2. Associate Members 

1. Medical or dental practitioners regardless of their residence, attending the BaSS Congress, can be simultaneously registered as applicants for associate membership of BaSS.
2. The annual membership fee for associate membership is paid to the local board or directly to the treasurer of BaSS by personal cheque, or to the Organizing Committee during the Congress of BaSS.

1.3. Supporting Members

1. Supporting members are National or Local Professional Associations or Scientific Societies that sponsor BaSS with a minimum amount of €1000 per year.
2. The General Assembly of BaSS can, by means of two thirds majority vote, revoke the membership of any supporting member which has not sponsored BaSS for two consecutive years.

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Article 2: ORGANIZATION

The Society was founded in Thessaloniki, Greece, where it is registered. The Society shall be a scientific, professional, non-political and non-governmental organization for public benefit.

2.1. General Assembly 

1. The Congress Organizing Committee under the administrative authority of the BaSSCouncil, shall ensure that only active members enter the hall and vote in the General Assembly.
2. The penultimate issue of the General Assembly Agenda shall be the establishment of the location of future congresses upon proposals of the Council.
3. The last issue of the General Assembly Agenda shall be the acceptance or otherwise of applications for membership approved by the majority of the Council at the previous Council meetings.

2.2. Council Meetings 

1. Each country must be represented by at least by one councilor, in default of this they will be bound to accept the decisions of the Council without any discussion.

1. The autumn Council Meeting will be financially supported by the BaSS Bank Account with an amount which will be decided by the Council in the Council Meeting during the BaSSCongress prior to the autumn Meeting

2.3. Establishment of Country Sections in BaSS

1. Purpose: The purpose of establishing Country Sections in BaSS is to:

• Promote theideaofBaSS
• Promote theBaSSCongresses
• Distribute theBalkanDentalJournal
• Prepare and maintain the list of active members
• Organize the travel arrangements of their section members to enable them to participate in the various activities of BaSS (congresses, meetings etc.)
• Distribute the ID cards

2. The active BaSS members of each country constitute a Section. Every two years the Section should meet to elect two councilors and two deputy councilors as their representatives to theBaSS Council.
3. One of the councilors of each country shall be elected as Sectional Secretary and one of the deputy councilors should be elected as Sectional Treasurer.
4. The duty of the Sectional Secretary is to collaborate with the General Secretary and the BaSS Honorary Treasurer in the preparation of the list of active members, to promote the idea ofBaSS and the BaSS Congresses, to recruit new members and to distribute the BaSS Journal and the ID cards.
5. The duty of the Sectional Treasurer is to collect the annual BaSS fees and forward them to the BaSS Honorary Treasurer. Local Sections may collect money through their activities. This money belongs to the Section can be spent on the functions of the Section and postal expenses for the BJS.

2.4. Headquarters Office

1. The BaSS Headquarters Office is financially supported by the BaSS Bank Account annually, with an amount determined by the BaSS Council during the Autumn Meeting
2. The BaSS Headquarters Office employs a secretary and an accountant to take care of the correspondence and the financial bookkeeping of the society, respectively.
3. The BaSS Headquarters Office will enforce the implementation of an electronic database for Membership and Congress Participants managed by a person appointed by the BaSS Council

2.5. New BaSS Council officers

• Other Balkan Countries fulfilling the constitutional requirements as described in articles: 7.1 paragraphs 3 and 4 (page 5) and 8.3 paragraph 3 (page 6) of the BaSS Constitution, wishing to participate in     the Balkan Stomatological Society, apply to the BaSS Council and after approval by the BaSS General Assembly will be added below and will be represented to the BaSS Council with two Councilors and two deputy Councilors.

        – Montenegro

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Article 3 : CONGRESS

3.1. Purpose

1. The purpose of BaSS Congresses shall be to provide Balkan dentists with opportunities to exchange their knowledge, experience and advancement of dentistry and dental materials by a scientific program, working groups and a trade exhibition.
2. The Congress of the Balkan Stomatological Society shall be organized every spring in one of the countries that are represented on the BaSS Council. Where ever this is possible, this should be done under the auspices of the National or Local Dental Association.

3.2. Application 

1. The candidate country – through its delegates at the BaSS Council – applies to the Council by submitting an envelope including details of the hosting city and the venue (hotel or convention center), the facilities, the social program and the probable cost for the participants. The file may include letter of interest (applications) from the responsible Dental Organization and should include letter of interest (applications) from the putative President of the Congress who is to be responsible for all activities of the Congress.
2. The president of the Congress must be a BaSS Councilor or the president of the National Dental Association of that country.
3. The organizing country shall finance and supply:
4. A hall for at least 500 persons for opening and closing ceremonies and conferences.
5. 3 halls for conferences and lectures at least 60 persons capacity.
6. A posterhall
7. A tradeexhibitionhall
8. A room for council meetings.
9. A room for working groups.
10. The application envelope shall be forwarded to the BaSS Secretariat in due time and not less than two years before the proposed date of the Congress.

3.3. Nomination 

1. Congress Evaluation Committee (CEC) The CEC shall be composed of three members of the BaSS Council appointed for two years by the Council. A new member shall be appointed by the council when a member does not attend two meetings without any acceptable excuse. The CEC shall review and evaluate the reports on the proposed time, physical and technical capacity of the venue and accommodation fees of the candidate countries of the future congresses and will report to the Council the relevant candidates.
2. The Council shall decide on the location of the Congress by the same procedures used for the other decisions of the Society. In the evaluating criteria, the facilities (place, rooms, technical and secretarial support, feasibility of automatic translation facilities e.t.c.), the possibilities for easy access to the Congress, and the candidate country, shall be taken into account within the overall principal that countries which have seldom or never hosted the congress are preferable.
3. The time and place of the BaSS Congresses shall be determined by the Council not less than two years prior to the Congress following the report of the Congress Evaluation Committee (CEC).
4. The decision, on proposals by the Council in the agenda, is ratified by the General Assembly.

3.4. Cancellation 

1. Cancellation of the Congress for security, financial or other reasons can only be decided on by the President of the Congress after an application to the Council, referring to all the reasons in details. The application is distributed to all the delegations of the Society. The application for cancellation ought to be accepted by the Council
2. The BaSS Council has the right to determine at any time if the Constitution and the Regulations of the Society are being respected and applied. In case of problems or doubt the President of the Society and the Secretary General shall call on the President of the Congress for explanations. If the explanations are not convincing or the infraction of the rules is obvious, then the Council has the right to withdraw the nomination.
3. If the Council’s decision to withdraw the nomination or the application to the BaSS Secretariat for cancellation is received before the last General Assembly before the proposed Congress, the Council shall appoint another host country starting from those who had already applied before continuing to any new candidate country. In case of failure, the Congress is not held for that year. In either case the country concerned loses the right to apply for the next three (3) Congresses.

3.5. Announcements 

1. The Congress should be made known to the Balkan dentists through one wall bill and two announcements. The first announcement should be distributed to the audiences of the previous Congress. The second announcement should be distributed six months before the Congress. Both announcements should provide information about the main items of the Congress such as place, date, fees, last date for receiving papers, addresses (post, electronic), telephone and fax numbers, topics, etc.
2. In addition, the President of the Congress is responsible for forwarding all the information about the Congress, in electronic type, to the webmaster for publishing it through the website of the Society, following the same time schedule as in 3.5.1.

3.6. Fees 

1. The fees for attending the Congress are defined and decided by the BaSS Council. The amount shall include the registration fee, which goes to the Organizing Committee, and the annual membership subscription due, which is transferred to BaSS. The fees of the Congress are differentiated as following while no differentiation between “members” and “non members” shall be made:
2. Early Registration Fee: (up to February 28/29 or up to abstract submission deadline) The early Registration Fees will be the fee that has been set by the Council after the proposal of the Organizing Delegation
3. Late and on-site Registration Fee Late and on site Registration Fee will be increased by a percentage of the Early Registration Fee decided by the Council
4. Contributors Registration Fee: (Early Registration Fee) Contributors to the Congress’ Scientific Program (oral presentations-Posters) are eligible to the Early Registration Fee after they receive acceptance of their presentation providing that they Register within a period of 7 days after the acceptance.
5. Students Registration Fee: Students (either under- or post-graduate) pay a reduced Fee compared to the Early Registration Fee which will be decided in the Council which will be excluding the participation to the Gala Dinner. Students Registration Fee will be constant whether it is early, late or on site.
6. The members of the BaSS Council (Officers, Councilors and Deputy Councilors) and the former Presidents of BaSS do not pay registration fees at the Congresses of the Society.
7. The accommodation cost for members of the Executive Committee, councilors of the BaSS Council and the former Presidents of BaSS, present at Congresses, shall be covered by the Organizing Committee.
8. Participants of the Congress have the right a) to receive from the Organizing Committee a bag, the program, the book of abstracts, a pen, a notebook, a certificate of attendance, a name badge, b) to attend the opening and closing ceremony c) to enter the exhibition center and d) of course, to enter all halls of the Congress. No one is allowed to enter any place of the Congress without his badge.
9. Coffee, lunch and dinner charges are entirely at the discretion of the Organizing Committee.
10. Congress fees shall include an opening cocktail and gala dinner

3.7. Committees 

1. The President of the Congress appoints the Organizing and the Scientific Committee and ensures their collaboration.
2. The Organizing Committee is responsible for the harmonious function of

• Congress Secretariat (registration, fees, list of participantse.t.c.).
• Technical andsecuritystaff.
• Supplying the required technical equipment.
• Organizing thedentalexhibition.
• The socialprogram.
• The correspondence to all the participants by post, fax or e-mail.
• Hosting invited persons and the BaSS Council members.
• Facilitating the attendance of all the Balkan colleagues (travel agency, visa, e.t.c.)

3. All issues related to financial management of the Congress are exclusively the responsibility of the Organizing Committee and have nothing to do with BaSS.
4. The Scientific Committee, in collaboration with the country’s delegation, invites, from each Balkan country, at least one specialist to lecture.
5. The Scientific Committee is responsible for

• the preparation of the scientific program of the Congress.
• the definition of the main subject and the topics of the Congress
• the collection, evaluation and approval or rejection of submitted papers, and all scientific presentations
• the publications of the Congress (wall bills, announcements, program, abstracts, invitations, certificate of attendance, e.t.c.)
• the correspondence to all the lecturers, authors, inviting professors e.t.c.
• the BaSSAwardsprocess.

3.8. Programme 

1. The duration of the scientific program of the Congress shall be minimum three and not exceed four days, and shall always include weekends.
2. The timetable of the program must appear on the web site at least one month before the Congress.
3. The scientific program consists of an onward/guided program (lectures, round tables, video projections, table demonstration e.t.c.) and a liberal/optional program (oral presentations, posters), guided by a general ratio of 60/40% of total time.
4. It is up to the Organizing and Scientific Committees to organize, pre, post or even during the breaks of the Congress, events or seminars during the Congress with extra fees.
5. There must be possibilities for professional training courses and workshops organized by BaSS.
6. For the unvarying procedure of the Congress, the time of its scientific events is defined as follows:

3.9. Ceremonies 

1. During the Congress and in the main hall of the Congress centre, the flag of the Society shall remain raised.
2. The Organizing Committee has to organize two ceremonies, one is the opening and the other one is the closing.
3. The opening ceremony will be divided into two parts. Officials who are entitled to address the audience such as: a) the President of the Congress b) the President of the Society c) two officials from the local dental community for a short greeting and d) the official guest (minister) cover the first part. Culture event(s) promoting the local tradition, customs and culture cover the second part. Holding a reception at the end of the opening ceremony, whenever possible, is desirable.
4. The closing ceremony, following the last presentation, will be as simple as possible. The President of the Congress 1) presents all data of the Congress (number of participants, number of presented works, statistics, e.t.c.) 2) announces the winners of the BaSS Awards and presents them and c) handles the flag of the Society to the next President of the Congress who keeps it until the next closing ceremony. In case of cancellation, the flag immediately is returned to the President of the Society.

3.10. Submitted Papers 

1. All submitted papers must follow the instructions of the Organizing and the Scientific Committee.
2. Every abstract form shall consist of two separate pages.
   1. On the first page the applicant has to fill in a) the title b) the authors (full names and addresses) c) the centre or institute, where the work has been performed c) notify the author to present the work and d) name and full address of the corresponding author. He must also notify of 1) the topic 2) the type of the presentation (lecture, table demonstration, round table, video projection, oral presentation, poster, e.t.c.) and 3) if the paper is candidate for the BaSS Awards.
   2. On the second page only the title and the abstract with no names, or anything revealing the origin of the work shall be written. The abstract must be of about 300 words for lectures, about 250 words for round tables, oral presentations, posters, and about 200 words for table demonstrations and video projections. The abstract includes a short introduction, purpose, materials and method, results and conclusions. The second page of the abstract form must be typed by Computer using the program Microsoft Word, with font “Times New Roman”, style “Normal”, size “12”. The titleshouldbeincapitalletters.
3. All submitted abstracts must be accompanied by a diskette 1,44 MB or CD, on the label of which must appear the title and the corresponding author of the work.
4. Two months before the Congress all submitted papers will receive a preliminary answer of acceptance or rejection, to allow corresponding authors to register for the Congress.
5. If this procedure is not complete one month before the Congress, the Organizing Committee finalizes the program, rejecting this paper.
6. Reasons for rejecting the submitted papers are a) manuscripts b) abstracts with more number of words than required, c) title in discordance with the content of the abstract d) work similar to another announced by the same authors e) not following the format short introduction, purpose, method and materials, results and conclusions f) there is a mention in the abstract text about the origin and the authors g) all the authors of the paper do not participate in the Congress (?) and h) arrival of the paper after the defined date (post stamp).

3.11. Referees 

1. The Congress Scientific Committee is responsible for the collection and evaluation of the submitted papers. After the completion of collection, the papers are divided according to the preferable by the authors’ topic and a number is assigned at both pages of each abstract form. The second page of every paper is photo-copied and sent to the referees.
2. The BaSS Council appoints to the Scientific Committee two referees for each topic of Dentistry from all the Balkan countries, except the host one, at least six months before the Congress.
3. Three months before the Congress, the Scientific Committee sends to the relevant referees for evaluation the title and the text only of the submitted paper. Instructions to the authors for participation in the Congress are attached. Care that the names of the authors and the origin of the papers are not recognized; thus only the title and the abstract text can be read. The referees evaluate each paper on a scale from “0” to “10”. Papers that do not follow the directions of the Organizing Committee are grading “0”. An evaluation list listing the papers in terms of grade is composed. The referees have to send the evaluation list to the Scientific Committee within fifteen days.
4. The Scientific Committee collects all the referees-evaluation lists and prepares the final evaluation list, for each subject, from the average mark of each referee΄s gradation. In case a referee has not send his or her evaluation list within thirty days, the Organizing Committee appoints one of its members as a referee on the topic.
5. The best marked papers will be chosen for presentation according to the space on the programme.

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Article 4: AWARDS

4.1. BaSS Publication Award

4.1.1. General information 

1. The BaSS Annual Award is given for the best paper published or accepted for publication in an International Journal during the preceding year. Manuscripts accepted for publication but not yet published should be accompanied by a copy of the acceptance letter from the journal editor.
2. The award is annual provided that a meritorious paper is nominated.
3. The BaSS publication award consists of a plaque and a cash prize provided by the BaSS Account.

4.1.2. Aim 

1. To promote excellence in any of the fields of dentistry related research and to recognize outstanding research contributions.
2. To foster research among junior investigators.
3. To support improvements in dentistry through the stimulation of junior researchers.

4.1.3. Eligibility 

1. The candidatesmust:

• Hold a degree in dentistry.
• Be a junior researcher (not older than 35 years).
• Work in any of the countries members of BaSS
• Verify in writing that he/her is not in receipt of any other award for the same paper.

4.1.4. Announcements 

1. A call for interest should appear in the first issue of each year of the Journal and in the web-site of BaSS.
2. Under the responsibility of the president of the Scientific Committee and through the Secretary General a call for interest will also be send to all dental Schools and Institutions of the countries members of BaSS. This willbedonethroughthecountryrepresentatives (councilors).

4.1.5. Applications 

1. Applications should be addressed to the General Secretary and copied to the president of the Scientific Committee.
2. Applications must include the following:

• Nominee’s name, address, date of birth (accompanied by a copy of his/hers passport), current place of work, position.
• Curriculum vitae.
• Three reprints of the paper.
• A brief letter accompanying the paper describing why it is deemed worthy of an award.

3. Candidates will be acknowledged in writing or by e-mail.

4.1.6. Scientific Committee and BaSS Annual Award 

1. Committee members who have a vested interest in one of the candidates shall be excluded.
2. Applications shall be reviewed by the Scientific Committee.
3. The Committee’s decision should be made a month before the Congress and the winner will be notified immediately.
4. The name of the winner will be announced during the Congress.
5. A short C.V. of the winner and an extended abstract of his awarded work will appear in the last issue of the year of BJS with the permission of the journal that had originally published the article.
6. The winner to present his/her work in a 20 min lecture at the Congress.

4.2. BaSS Congress Awards 

1. BaSS Congress Awards are given by BaSS at the BaSS Congresses, in order to promote the scientific activities and dental research.
2. For this purpose the BaSS Council convenes the Awards Committee. The president of the Awards Committee is the president of the Congress Scientific Committee. The juries of the Awards Committee are appointed by the BaSS Council. The Awards Committee takes decisions by a simple majority of the members present. In tied votes the President’s vote counts double. The final decisions for the Awards are given in writing in a sealed letter to the President of the Congress to be announced at the closing ceremony.
3. The Awards are given by the jury for the best 3 oral presentations. The Awards will be allocated without distinction. They will consist of a memorandum diploma, issued by BaSS and the amount of  one thousand Euro (1.000€) provided by the BaSS account (500€-300€-200€ for 1st, 2nd and 3rd award)
4. Only oral presentations shall be considered for the competition. The paper must be the result of an original research (basic, experimental or clinical) and it must be presented for the first time and not in receipt of any previous Award. If the research is team work, the approval of all the members of the team is required.
5. The candidate must be a member of BaSS first author of the paper, under the age of 35 (including), the presenter of the paper and should not be a senior academic (professor or associate professor). Senior academics are not prohibited from participating in a work and taking part in the competition, as long as they are not first authors.
6. The candidates should inform the Scientific Committee, about their application on their abstract form. The Congress Scientific Committee has the duty and the responsibility of determining whether the above criteria have been fulfilled. A preliminary selection of the candidate abstracts fulfilling the above criteria should be prepared by the President of the Scientific Committee and distributed to the Award Committee juries. The candidate papers should be submitted to the Scientific Committee in full text at least one month before the beginning of the Congress. All the candidate papers in full text should be in the hands of the Award Committee juries at least ten days before the beginning of the Congress.
7. All candidate papers will be presented at a special session in front of the Awards Committee members.
8. Extra Awards could be given in the same as the above procedure by persons, organizations or firms with the approval of the BaSS Council, which will specify the terms of the competition.

4.3.  BaSS Distinguished Member Award

4.3.1.   The BaSS Distinguished Member Award is established and is bestowed to an Active Member who has served BaSS demonstrating an undisputed significant contribution to the Society.

4.3.2.   The BaSS Distinguished Member Award is granted after a unanimous decision of the BaSS Council following a proposal signed by at least three Country Delegations (all six Councilors) submitted in writing to the Secretary General of the Society at least two months before the Autumn BaSS Council Meeting and a decision is reached during the Autumn Meeting as a separate item of the Agenda to be validated by vote of the Active Members during the BaSS General Assembly.

4.3.3.   The BaSS Distinguished Member Award is presented to the recipient, during this same General Assembly after completion of the vote, by the President of BaSS

4.3.4.   The recipient of the BaSS Distinguished Member Award receives a certificate signifying the award, is exempt from annual membership dues for life, and retains all the rights and privileges of an Active Member.

4.3.5    Eligible for the BaSS Distinguished Member Award are Active Members who fulfill at least three of the following criteria:

1. Is a founding member of BaSS
2. Has served as President of BaSS
3. Has served BaSS as member of the Executive Committee for at least  two terms(4 years)
4. Has served as BaSS Councilor for more than four terms (8 years)
5. Has an undisputed contribution in the promotion of BaSS worldwide or in International Scientific Fora.
6. Has served as President of a BaSS Congress

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Article 5 : JOURNAL

1. Authors of published papers do not necessarily have to be members of BaSS
2. Each National Board should submit papers to the Editor in-chief after being reviewed by domestic reviewers.
3. Every paper submitted to the Editor-in-Chief should be reviewed by two independent reviewers, needed. One of them should be from the country of the first author and the other should be selected by the Editor-in-chief. In cases of disagreement between the two reviewers, the Editor-in-Chief shall have the final decision.
4. Authors originating from non BaSS countries should submit their work directly to the
5. All authors are obliged to order at least 50 reprints of their paper, on their expense.
6. In the BJS, pages should be allocated to the history of BaSS and for short CVs and photographs of the Past President, President, President Elect, Vice President, Secretary General, Honorary Treasurer and the other officers of the Council (councilors).

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Article 6 : WEB SITE

1. The design of the pages must be regulated by a committee and approved by the Council. Contributions frommemberswouldbeappreciated.

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Article 7 : STUDENT EXCHANGE PROGRAM

1. Regulations for the undergraduate and postgraduate student exchange programme shall be formulated and recorded in writing.
2. In order for the program to be realized the dental Faculties accepting the student exchange programs should be contacted.
3. A committee formed from the members of each country should work on solving the financial problems.

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Article 8 : MISCELLANEOUS

1. All previous decisions related to the above regulations are replaced with the new established articles.
2. For those issues who are not covered by the newly established articles of regulations, relative previous decisions remain active.

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These articles were conducted and agreed during meetings in Sofia (November 2004) and signed in Belgrade the 11th of May 2005 by the following members of the Council:

• Prof. N. Atanasov, president
• Prof. N. Yazicioglu, past president
• Prof. A. Iliescu, president elect
• Prof. M. Vulovic, vice president
• Prof. P. Koidis, secretary general
• Dr. G. Tsiogas, honorary treasurer
• Prof. L. Todorovic, editor-in-chief
• Prof. R. Qafmolla, councillor for Albania
• Prof. P. Kongo, councillor for Albania
• Ass. Prof. N. Sharkov, councillor for Bulgaria
• Dr. Z. Mihailov, councillor for Bulgaria
• Prof. N. Carcev, councillor for F.Y.R.O.M.
• Prof. J. Gjorgova, councillor for F.Y.R.O.M.
• Ass. Prof. L. Zouloumis, councillor for Greece
• Ass. Prof. K. Louloudiadis, councillor for Greece
• Dr. E. Cilasun, councillor for Turkey
• Prof. H. Bostanci, councillor for Turkey
• Prof. D. Stamenkovic, councillor for Serbia and Montenegro
• Dr. M. Barjaktarevic, councillor for Serbia and Montenegro
• Dr. G. Pantelas, councillor for Cyprus
• Dr F.Kuntay, councillor for Cyprus
• Prof. O. Blagojevic, councillor for Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Prof. H. Sulejmanagic, councillor for Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Dr E.Kuvarati, deputy councillor for Albania
• Assoc. Prof. M. Dinkova, deputy councillor for Bulgaria
• Prof. M. Akkaya, deputy councillor for Turkey
• Dr. S. Solyali, deputy councillor for Cyprus
• Prof. S. Kobajlisa, deputy councillor for Bosnia-Herzegovina
• Dr S.Kostadinovic, deputy councillor for Bosnia-Herzegovina

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