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About the 2026 Summit
The 2026 WDC Summit in London will convene global leaders at a pivotal moment for the dementia field. The meeting will examine how earlier diagnosis, new treatments, and brain health strategies are reshaping expectations for patients, services, and public health. Read about the programme and the themes that will guide this year’s Summit.
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2026 Summit Programme
The Summit will explore how advances in treatments and diagnostics are shifting dementia toward much earlier detection and intervention. As diagnosis moves earlier, a new patient experience is emerging, raising questions about communication, follow-up, and long-term support. The programme will consider how health systems and services will need to adapt – including workforce, care pathways, and the use of data and digital tools.
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Read about the 2025 Summit
The 2025 WDC Summit in London brought together politicians, policymakers, researchers, industry leaders, and advocates to consider how innovation can move faster into practice. The programme combined plenary discussions with parallel sessions examining treatment pathways, diagnostics, prevention, and system design. The meeting opened with remarks from UK Science Minister Lord Patrick Vallance and concluded with reflections from UK Health Minister Karin Smythe MP.
The New Patient: Before symptoms, after diagnosis
Date: 20 October 2026
Location: Francis Crick Institute, London (in person)
The World Dementia Council is pleased to announce that the 2026 WDC Summit will take place on 20 October 2026 at the Francis Crick Institute in London. This one-day meeting will bring together global leaders in science, clinical practice, public health, and system organisation. The programme will explore how earlier diagnosis, brain health, prevention strategies, new treatment pathways, and continuous data and monitoring are reshaping what dementia care looks like over time. The Summit will focus on how health systems can adapt to these shifts, how support for individuals evolves when disease is identified earlier, and what policy and service models are needed for the next phase of dementia practice.
Registration: Will open in early 2026