The Asian Football Confederation (AFC), has partnered with Aspetar, a prestigious orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital; and one of FIFA & AFC’s Medical Centres of Excellence, to establish a ground-breaking initiative focused on the oral and dental health of footballers in Asia.

The two organisations have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate on both education and research programme aimed towards the safety of players.

This pioneering collaboration will pave the way for the Asian football community to obtain valuable knowledge and raise awareness about oral and dental health as well as on-field management of dental injuries.

Dr. Gurcharan Singh, Chairperson of the AFC Medical Committee,

expressed his confidence in Aspetar's capabilities, stating:

Aspetar is one of the best institutions in research and education, and we believe their expertise will assist us in developing football in Asia.

Dr. Abulaziz Jaham Al Kuwari, Aspetar CEO and member of the AFC Medical Committee said:

Aspetar is proud to partner with the Asian Football Confederation in this ground-breaking initiative to prioritise the oral and dental health of footballers in Asia. As one of the Medical Centre of Excellence, we recognise the importance of holistic care for athletes, and that includes oral and dental health. Through our Sports Dentistry Education programme, we aim to empower footballers and Sports Medicine practitioners with valuable knowledge and awareness about oral and dental health, ensuring their overall well-being and performance on the field."

In addition, Aspetar will collaborate towards establishing an AFC Sports Dentistry Board consisting of esteemed experts from various Asian countries, led by Dr. Mohammed Alsaey, Director of Aspetar Sports Dentistry, who will come together to share their knowledge and expertise to enhance oral injuries management and oral health awareness in football.

The collaboration will also result in the creation of -clinical guidelines for Dental Injuries in Football and will serve as a crucial resource for Football Dentistry.

The AFC and Aspetar will establish an educational platform for industry leaders to exchange ideas and best practices. Furthermore, Aspetar -shall share its expertise with the introduction of the Dental Emergency Kit to Asian Football as a preventive tool for and safety of players.

Dr. Mohammed Alsaey, Director of Sports Dentistry and Consultant in Oral Surgery at Aspetar, expressed his pride in leading such a significant project, stating: "It's an honour for us to be involved in such a big project, and we will utilise our expertise and efforts to improve oral injuries management and oral health awareness in football."

This collaboration between the AFC and Aspetar marks a significant milestone in promoting the overall health and well-being of footballers in Asia. It underscores the commitment of both organisations towards advancing the field of Sports Dentistry and ensuring the highest standards of oral and dental health among footballers in the region.  

About Aspetar:

Aspetar is a world-leading specialised orthopaedic and sports medicine hospital and the first of its kind in the Middle East. Since 2007, with a world expert team, the hospital has provided top-level comprehensive medical treatment to all athletes in a state-of-the-art facility that sets new standards internationally.

In 2009, Aspetar was accredited as a “FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence” by F-MARC. In 2013, Aspetar was adopted as a reference collaborator centre by the Gulf Countries Council (GCC) Health Ministers Council and “The IOC Research Centre for Prevention of Injury and Protection of Athlete Health” in 2014.

In 2015, Aspetar has been recognised as the “IHF Reference Centre for Athlete and Referee Health”. In the same year, the hospital also achieved obtained-on December 15 the Accreditation Canada International (ACI) “Platinum Level”.

Aspetar is a member–organisation of Aspire Zone Foundation, Qatar’s innovative sports and healthy lifestyle destination.