Japan’s dental education underwent an overhaul over the past years. Affirming and complying with the changes brought by the globalizing world, it standardized an education model appropriate for local and international practice. Some leading dental schools welcome the entry of international students, creating a beneficial career pathway in the field.
Table of Contents
Many foreigners come to Japan because it offers excellent academic courses, one of which is quality Japanese dental education. Let’s take a look at dental education in Japan and the famous schools that offer dental courses for foreigners.
History of dental education
The early history of dentistry in Japan started in 1865 at the Yokohama Foreign Settlement when foreign dentists arrived in Japan to practice dentistry. After the Yokohama Port opening, a lot of foreigner merchants, medical missionaries, and dentists arrived in Japan. Knowledge and skills were passed on to the Japanese when they hired the locals as dental assistants. Einosuke Obata became the first licensed Japanese dentist in 1875.
The first dental school, Takayama Dental School, in Japan, was founded, was established in 1890 by a Samurai warrior, Dr. Kisai Takayama. Although some of the dental materials and instruments were imported from different countries, Japan started to produce them domestically during this time. In 1906, Takayama Dental School was renamed; it is now known as Tokyo Dental College, and at the same time, the Dental Law was established.
The western model for dental education in Japan is based on the high standard of evidence-based dentistry from America, which utilizes the scientific method to guide dental experts through their practice. The high-quality education offered at that time by the Japanese dental schools had in-depth clinical training modeled from western education.
※ National Library of Medicine - National Center for Biotechnology Information, "A century of modern dental education in Japan: the history of the Tokyo Dental College" ※ ScienceDirect, "The dawn of modern dentistry in Japan: The transfer of knowledge and skills from foreign dentists to Japanese counterparts in the Yokohama Foreign Settlement"
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Studying dentistry in Japan
The dental education in Japan relies heavily on the amalgamation of both theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Like other fields in medicine, it starts out with the basics or the theoretical knowledge that students must have before proceeding with the actual practice. Once the students learn the basics, dental education then shifts to a more practical and evidence-based setting, similar to the dental model of the West. In addition, there is a conscious effort to invest in dental research to be globally competitive and to train students in the latest and greatest technology to aid dental procedures for a faster and more efficient process.
Leading dental schools in Japan
There are a lot of institutions offering dentistry courses in Japan like the Tohoku University, Kyushu University, Tsurumi University School of Dental Medicine, Nagasaki University, Hokkaido University Faculty of Dental Medicine, and more. Let’s take a look at some of the leading dental schools in Japan.
Tokyo Medical and Dental University
Tokyo Medical and Dental University adheres to the standardized model of dental education in Japan where it combines both theoretical knowledge and practical application. What’s great about Tokyo Medical and Dental University is that it has over forty (40) affiliated partner universities across the globe that run international programs so it is a great avenue for dentistry students to share in global practices in dentistry. The school also welcomes foreign dental students through their short-term externship programs and Ph.D. programs. Tokyo Medical and Dental University’s program’s objective is to educate world-class dentists that can be competitive even in a global setting.
Note: In January 2023, it was announced that the Tokyo Medical and Dental University and The Tokyo Institute of Technology would be merged into 1 school called 東京科学大学 (Tokyo Kagaku Daigaku). At the time of this update, the English name has not been announced.
※ Tokyo Medical and Dental University, "Dentistry"
Osaka University
The Osaka University Dental Education offers a six-year integrated educational curriculum which combines both practical application and theoretical knowledge as it prepares students for an international career. It offers basic dental science such as Oral Histology, Oral Physiology, and Oral Biochemistry before transitioning to General Practice subjects such as Preventive Dentistry, Operative Dentistry, and Prosthetic Dentistry. Laboratory exercises are used as a major medium of learning for Osaka University and achievement tests will be used to gauge the effectiveness of the learning curriculum.
※ Osaka University, Graduate School of Dentistry, "Curriculum of Osaka University Dental School"
Hiroshima University
Hiroshima University offers general education subjects in the first year of the students and specialized dental courses in the succeeding years. Hiroshima University offers two (2) specialized courses for dentistry: Frontier Dental Science and Clinical Dental Science. The Clinical Dental Science heavily focuses on case-studies and problem-solving methodologies for students to learn. It also focuses on patient-focused dental care where it strives to produce dental clinicians on the frontline, ready to make a difference in the dental industry through patient-centered dental service. Frontier Dental Science, on the other hand, aims to produce dental researchers to further research new innovations that can help in the dental field. Students remain competitive as they are expected to present their research in international-acclaimed conventions and seminars.
※ Hiroshima University, School of Dentistry, "What Can Be Learned at Program of Dentistry?"
Nippon Dental University
Nippon Dental University is the largest dental university in the world and has two schools of dentistry. It is affiliated with three major hospitals to provide their students with real-life applications to their theoretical knowledge. It celebrated its 100th year anniversary in 2006, which is a testament to the quality and credibility of its dental courses and curriculum.
※ The Nippon Dental University
It is also important to note that there are specific selection processes for international students in each university where examinations, interviews, and proper and complete documentation is needed. In addition, after graduating, students must take the National Dental Practitioner’s Examination to practice dentistry as credible and licensed dentists. This exam is in Japanese - thus all foreigners aspiring to be dentists in Japan must have more than proficient amount of Japanese prior to enrolling in dental school and taking the exam. The exam itself is said to be incredibly difficult, so foreign students not only need to overcome the hurdle of the language difference, but the difficulty of the exam itself. And of course, one would need to know Japanese to communicate with patients in Japan. The JCNDE administers standardized tests to aspiring dentists to gauge if they have sufficient theoretical and practical application knowledge to become a certified dentist.
Scholarship and Other Requirements
Foreign students who wish to study dental education in Japan can utilize a financial aid through the following:
International Academic Exchange Fund scholarship
International students, specifically Asia-Pacific nations, who wish to apply for an International Academic Exchange Fund scholarship, need to submit an application outside Japan directly to the foundation. The deadline for submission is every September of each scholarship year. International students with the academic level of Master's or Doctoral program and research dental students can apply.
Qualified recipients can receive 150,000 yen for a month for a minimum of one month to 12 months duration of the scholarship program. Also, the International Academic Exchange Fund scholarship can be combined with other scholarship grants in different universities in Japan. For other criteria and further information on how to apply, you can check with the university you wish to study in Japan.
The International Scientific Exchange Fund
Application for the Fellowship of the International Scientific Exchange Fund of the Japan Dental Association assists dentists, dental researchers, and international dental students who wish to study in Japan. A letter of recommendation and personal reference are needed as part of the requirement to assess the applicant's competence. Please note that they do not accept email applications; thus, hard copies of the documents need to be forwarded directly to the Japan Dental Association. Other details of the requirements are listed on their website.
In addition, a student visa is required if you wish to study dental education in Japan. Possible career pathways are either continuing education in Masters or Ph. D degree in dental education, or practicing and applying the profession
※ Japan Dental Association, "The Fellowship of the International Scientific Exchange Fund" ※ Japan Study Support, "International Academic Exchange Fund (Japan Dental Association)"
Summary
Indeed, Japan offers quality dental education through its evidence-based curriculum applied in different universities all across the country. The Japanese universities' approach to developing global collaboration among its dental research, combined with theoretical knowledge and practical application of the Japanese dental universities, makes it an ideal place to study dentistry. Plus, the scholarship offers are pretty attractive, right? Check if you are eligible to apply; there is no harm in trying.
