Initial programs of the Federation consisted of enlarging the membership of the Federation with compilation of a newsletter, development of an international directory of members of component member societies and organization of world congresses.

The Federation now has a membership of 39 Head and Neck oncologic organizations, representing 65 countries,  from every part of the world. Annual  newsletters  were published initially, and these were eventually transitioned into an active and current Web site. Quadrennial World congresses of the Federation  have been held since 1998, starting with the first World Congress in Mumbai, India in December 1997 under the leadership of Dr. Ashok Mehta. The second World Congress was held in December 2002 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil under the leadership of Dr. Geraldo Matos D’Sa. The third World Congress was held in Prague, Czech Republic from June 27 to July 1, 2006 with Dr. Jan Betka as Congress President. Future congresses of the IFHNOS are planned for Seoul, Korea in 2010 and New York, USA in 2014.

The Federation is able to reach over 5000 specialists, located in nearly every corner of the world, providing care to patients with head and neck cancer through membership of its component societies. The Federation has successfully attained its initial goal and mission of establishing channels of communication to foster camaraderie amongst professionals involved in the care of patients with head and neck cancer. An innovative Global CME program, IFHNOS World Tour,  was introduced in 2008, offering a two and half day conference conducted by World leaders in the Head and Neck specialties, in eleven countries over five weeks. This program will be repeated every two years, in the month of October, at different destinations worldwide. Future programs of the Federation include standardization of training of specialists in the field of Surgical Oncology, radiation oncology, medical oncology and other allied specialties in the field of head and neck cancer.

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