In many countries, international sialendoscopists have united to share their experiences and to increase their knowledge in creating local or national societies of sialendoscopy.

As the technique is rapidly growing and as challenges are multiple, in terms of medical indications, surgical novelties and insurance reimbursements, we thought that bringing experts from all countries could only be beneficial.

On the other hand, salivary gland diseases taken individually are rare diagnoses, and several years are needed in order to achieve a reasonable degree of experience in treating them. As such, only through collaboration will it be possible to organize the prospective multicenter trials necessary to progress. The iSIAL will offer an online database on sialendoscopy that will permit the real-time capture of data, which can then be used to formulate management guidelines and develop reference networks. Membership of the Society will allow data-sharing with other colleagues via scientific projects approved by the scientific committee of the Society. There will be also a forum to discuss difficult and challenging cases, with the possibility given to post online videos, pictures, or ask specific questions regarding patient management. In this way, all experts belonging to the network will be able to share their knowledge.

With healthcare costs rising constantly worldwide, new technologies will continue to have difficulties to be implemented. While private sector might play a role, the main driving force for adopting sialendoscopy will be patients who will be unwilling to accept traditional salivary gland surgery in the face of a minimally invasive procedure. Results from multicentric studies will hopefully convince politicians and insurance companies of the cost –effectiveness of the technique.