School of Dentistry

School of Dentistry- for educating future leaders in dental care and dental research

Message from the Director, School of Dentistry
Keiichi Ohya, DDS, PhD

The mission of Tokyo Medical and Dental University, School of Dentistry is to produce humane leading dentists who are innovative and have the international perspective to become professionals with broad vision and ethics. Our new curriculum has been started since 2003. In the first phase of two years, students learn the liberal arts and the basis of dentistry by the dental introductory course. In the second phase of two and half years, integral course combined with basic and clinical sciences including PBL and tutorial lessons are given for student to establish basic dental knowledge. During the final phase of one and half years, students learn clinical dentistry by undergraduate clinical training. Our staffs are professionals with high aptitude for research, education and clinical work. They make sincere efforts to teach students and upgrade the dental education. Our undergraduate education must be highly evaluated in Japan and the world.

Education Philosophy at School of Dentistry

We strive to nurture future leaders who can serve to promote and maintain health of the people by faithfully providing comprehensive dental care and can also contribute to the development of dental medicine and service from a global perspective.

General Educational Objectives

Our graduates will

1. acquire a broad range of general knowledge and have wide experience to become a dentist with rich humanity.
2. understand scientific principles and conceptsand acquire knowledge in bioscience.
3. have an inquiring mind to enable them to find out problems themselves and the solutions thereof.
4. acquire knowledge and basic skills necessary for the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the oral and maxillofacial regions based on the understanding of normal and pathologic general conditions.
5. fully understand the importance of the role of dental medicine and dental care in society.

Dental curriculum based on integration of basic and clinical dental sciences

Modules

M1: Structure and Function of Human Body
M2: Molecular Basis of Life, and the Cell
M3: Introduction to Dentistry
M4: Pathology
M5: Infection and Host Defenses
M6: Biomaterials
M7: Preclinical Chairside Practice in Dentistry
M8: Society and Dental Sciences
M9: Elective seminars
M10: Integrated topics seminar
M11: Basic of dental medicine
M12: Research project
M13: Occlusal Rehabilitation
M14: Periodontology
M15: Growth and Development of Occlusion, Pediatric Dental and Orthodontic Treatment
M16: Dental Caries and Endodontic Diseases
M17: Dental Informatics
M18: Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
M19: Management of Systemic Disease in Dentistry
M20: Dental Practice and Clinical Practicum for Comprehensive Patient Care

For educating dentists who can provide comprehensive dental care

PBL-tutorial

The third-year students spend one year for a PBL tutorial module called "Society and Dentistry" to learn how to find problems and how to solve them by themselves. This module is planned with the topics that are closely related to other modules which run at the same time. Students discuss topics concerning their daily life, and topics in basic and clinical medicine and dentistry. A tutor joins the discussion of 8 students. Students discuss and learn in this module to cultivate the foundation of a researcher and a clinician.

Common Achievement Test (CBT & OSCE)

Model Core Curriculum was established to standardize the educational contents in undergraduate medical & dental education in Japan. Based on the Model Core Curriculum, the Common Achievement Test was conceived for medical and dental students before starting clinical training. The test consists of Computer Based Testing for knowledge and Objective Structured Clinical Examination for skills and attitude.

Clinical Education and Postgraduate Clinical Training

Dental Practice and Clinical Practicum for Comprehensive Patient Care

The 6th-year students see patients for almost one year at our student clinic. They have firsthand experience of comprehensive patient care from medical interview to maintenance of treatment under the guidance of seasoned instructors.

One-year Mandatory Postgraduate Clinical Training

In April 2006, one-year postgraduate clinical training became mandatory for newly licensed dentists. Dental Hospital offer several courses for residents not only to our graduates but also to graduates from other dental schools.