Japan has been fortunate in benefiting from a steady and high growth in scientific technologies. Now, however, Japan should work to build a cooperative system with other Asian countries, which potentially have great resources and expertise. Japan, as well as other Asian countries, should together seek to create an environment where through mutual exchange in science, culture and people a healthy development can be realized.
The economic development of China and other Asian countries has caught the imagination of the people and this is good. Economic growth, measured in terms of an increase in GDP, generally causes qualitative and quantitative changes in the lives of people, which unfortunately brings new problems. From the standpoint of the perspective of dental medicine, we find that the proportionate increase in sugar which accompanies GDP growth triggers a rapid rise in patients contracting dental diseases such as cavities. This relationship is amply brought out in data from organizations such as the WHO. One can imagine that the increase in patients suffering from dental diseases in Asia will increasingly strain the existing shortage of dentists. The demands on dentists and the role expected to be played by them in the coming years will be extremely important. The cultivation of dentists with a high degree of knowledge and access to technology, as well as ending the imbalance in the availability of dental treatment in urban and rural areas, metropolitan centers and provinces, is an urgent issue and salient for continuing the solid growth of Asian countries.
Turning our attention to Japan’s external assistance, in particular, its cooperation with Asian countries, it is important to recognize that we have reached a stage where it is imperative to move from the earlier ‘hard’ emphasis on infrastructures to the supply of advanced technologies and intellectual properties, as well as cultivating dentists with the appropriate capabilities. In these countries there is a strong desire for this ‘soft’ assistance, which will help to develop partners in a healthy competitive relationship.
What form can such a cooperative venture take? One possibility, with the aim of contributing to improving the life of the people, is to first introduce Japanese dental technologies and know-how to dentists and qualified technicians in Asia, in a clinical environment by establishing a “General Dental Treatment and Training Centre”. This could be done in a number of countries in their major cities with large populations; such cities would provide the ideal conditions for the effective functioning of such centers. Japanese specialists in dental care, prosthesis, corrective treatment, dental surgery, and other areas could be sent to the above centers to carry out examinations, treatment and research. They could be assisted in these activities by foreign students trained in Japan who would act as sub-leaders. This would allow for the transfer of technologies in a live, clinical environment.
Secondly, in collaboration with the Centre and an existing university a joint “Dental Educational Training Programme” will be established to train dentists. Finally, the success of this joint programme will provide the foundation to ultimately establish an “Advanced Educational Training Centre, and a Postgraduate Dental University”. The development of a support system that will produce a continuous stream of talented and trained dentists who can contribute to medical care, particularly in the remoter areas, is integral to the vision of this plan.
The plan will also focus on building a “Paramedical Dental Programme” for training nurses, hygienists, and technicians to support and contribute to medical care. High quality medical care cannot be provided by doctors and dentists alone but needs a support cadre, hence the training of such people, with the proper knowledge to provide medical assistance, should not be neglected.
To summarize what has been said so far, our objective is to ultimately build an organization for Advanced Dental Treatment and Education that will bring together a High Level Medical Training Centre and a post-graduate educational organization.
In order to realize our goals the understanding and support of the governments of Japan and the other Asian countries, where these centers will be established, is essential. Equally the willing participation of the people is also vital to the plan; together with highly motivated people, dental universities and medical institutions, we desire to establish a place where our accumulated knowledge and know-how can be freely used and the experience gained in the process can be further refined.. What is necessary, we consider, is the positive support and understanding of the wider public in this endeavor. We must above all keep in mind that we will start with what is possible and gradually build the programme.
Healthy “teeth” contribute to a person life as well as to the health of the country. So also their influence on the development of a healthy international relationship should not be undervalued. Japan and the Asian countries can through the mediation of dental care and treatment develop in healthy competition, as partners who trust each other.