Transparency and Methodology

The Institute for Implantology and Digital Dentistry Vienna is a non-profit research association under Austrian association law (VerG 2002). The full legal name is: Institut für Implantologie und digitale Zahnmedizin – Forschungsverein für Implantologie, digitale Zahnmedizin und nachhaltige Technologieentwicklung.

The statutory purpose of the association is scientific education, research, quality assurance, and patient information in the field of implantology and digital dentistry. The Institute pursues exclusively non-profit objectives.

The Institute and Smile4Life fulfil two clearly defined, complementary roles. The Institute researches, explains, and sets quality standards. Smile4Life applies these standards in clinical practice. This division of labour is deliberate — it ensures that each side does what it does best.

The Institute is funded exclusively through membership fees, donations, and public grants. There are no financial dependencies on implant manufacturers, dental companies, or other commercial interests.

The Institute accepts no advertising revenue, sponsorship payments, or commissions from companies active in the field of implantology or dentistry. This clear separation ensures the credibility of all published content.

Doz.Dr.Dr. Kaan Yerit is President of the Institute and founder of Smile4Life Vienna. This connection is the foundation of a meaningful cooperation: those who develop the scientific standards themselves are best placed to apply them in practice.

For patients, this means a concrete advantage: those who consider treatment at Smile4Life after consulting the Institute will find a practice that not only knows the Institute's quality standards, but lives them every day. The connection between research and clinical implementation is the decisive advantage here.

1. 1
   Shared scientific foundation

   The Institute's quality criteria — guided implantology, fully digital workflow, DVT-supported planning, certified materials — are the same standards by which Smile4Life operates. This is the result of years of joint development.
2. 2
   Clear division of roles

   The Institute researches, explains, and informs. Smile4Life treats. Each side does what it does best — and both benefit from this, as do patients.
3. 3
   Financial independence

   The Institute receives no treatment fees or referral commissions from Smile4Life. The cooperation is scientific and content-based — this safeguards the credibility of both sides.

All content published on the Institute's website goes through a multi-stage review process:

1. 1
   Research and source selection

   The basis is exclusively peer-reviewed scientific publications, guidelines from recognised professional societies (e.g. EAO, DGI, DGZMK, ÖGK), and official regulatory documents.
2. 2
   Creation by specialists

   Content is created by specialists or under the direct supervision of specialists with demonstrated expertise in the relevant field.
3. 3
   Internal review

   Each piece of content is reviewed by at least one additional specialist before publication for factual accuracy, completeness, and comprehensibility.
4. 4
   Ongoing updates

   Content is regularly reviewed for currency and updated when new scientific findings or guideline changes arise. The date of the last update is indicated on each page.

The Institute uses exclusively the following source types:

Update Policy

All pages of the Institute carry a publication and update date. Content is updated when:

• →New guidelines from relevant professional societies are published
• →New systematic reviews or meta-analyses supplement previous statements
• →Changes in Austrian social insurance legislation affect the insurance logic
• →Technological developments advance the representation of treatment procedures