大学案内｜ABOUT MDU

Dr. Takamitsu Yoshida, a lecturer of Division of Hard Tissue Research of MDU Institute for Oral Science, has developed a new multi-purpose machine for dental technicians. Dr. Yoshida held a press conference to announce the development of the machine in room 113 of the training building of Matsumoto Dental University (MDU) on Thursday, July 12th. This machine, which uses ultrasonic waves, makes the work of dental technicians easier because it incorporates various kinds of the latest computer chips. The superiority of the machine, including aspects such as safety and environmental conservation, is highly acclaimed, and a company to sell the machine has already been decided upon.

The 64th academic meeting of the Matsumoto Dental University Association (general assembly) was held in room 201 of the lecture hall building on Saturday, July 7th. Approximately ninety people attended. Assistant Professor Toru Hiraga (Oral Anatomy II) gave an opening speech, and then eight lectures on research, clinical and educational topics were presented. Professor Morio Ochi from the School of Dentistry of Health Sciences University of Hokkaido delivered a special lecture titled “Computer-assisted implant surgery”.

An explanatory meeting for a new hospital plan was held in the student hall of the library building on Thursday, July 12th. About 200 people including the hospital staff attended, which showed the level of interest in the hospital plan. The motto of the new hospital has been decided to be “To provide a gentle, kind, safe, reliable medical service”. The new hospital will provide medical service
with the following concepts:
• Offer a cheerful, kind hospital (so people will not feel it is a hospital);
• Offer a comprehensive and specialized medical service;
• Emphasize clinical education and training; and
• Provide medical service that considers the diverse aspects of patients through teamwork between medical and dental sections.

On Saturday, July 21st, MDU held a day of trial study at MDU. Twenty-one people preparing for exams with the aim of becoming dentists and their parents, came from all over Japan to participate. In the morning, MDU president, Professor Toshifumi Morimoto, greeted the participants, the entrance examinations were explained and Professor Eiji Kondo (an MDU graduate from the 10th academic year) presented a lecture in the student hall of the library building. In the afternoon, the participants received mock training on removing caries from a tooth and then restoring the tooth with filling material, in room 101 of the training building. After the training, the participants toured MDU and received advice on entering MDU.

The Japanese Society for Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology 205th Kanto region meeting / 27th north Japan region meeting / 15th joint local meeting took place in the Jonendake Room, on the third floor of the 30th Anniversary Building on Saturday, July 21st. This academic meeting was attended by members from Kanto, Niigata, Tohoku and Hokkaido, and included approximately seventy oral radiotherapists and doctors specialized in oral diagnostics and oral surgery.

Ninety-eight fifth-year students sat the dental OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) for the academic year 2007 at MDU hospital on Saturday, July 14th. This year’s exam included six questions starting with a question on the first consultation with the patient, followed by questions on infiltration anesthesia, prophylactic sealing, abutment tooth preparation, a description of gingival disease symptoms, and handling and analyzing radiographs.

The Graduate School of Dental Science held its first meeting for the announcement of research themes in a seminar room of the MDU Institute for Oral Science on the second floor of the training building on Thursday, June 28th. Thirteen second-year postgraduate students, their main instructors and about forty MDU lecturers involved with the graduate school attended the meeting and exchanged opinions enthusiastically.

The 37th meeting of the Chubu Region Dental Anesthesia Research Association (the 26th meeting of the Japanese Dental Society of Anesthesiology of Chubu region, chaired by Toru Shibutani) was held in the student hall of the library building on Saturday, June 30th. About fifty people gathered for the meeting from various prefectures including Nagano, Aichi, Gifu, Shizuoka and Toyama.

An assembly to cheer on the participants in the All Japan Dental University Student Summer Sports Tournament took place in front of the MDU gym on Saturday, June 30th. About 150 students joined this year’s cheering group, which was livelier than in usual years because MDU is in charge of the administration. The tournament will be held from Wednesday 1st to Sunday 12th at venues mainly in Nagano Prefecture. About 8,200 dental students from all over Japan are expected to participate, including 355 MDU students who will compete in 14 events.

Four dentists arrived from Hebei Province, China, on Tuesday, July 3rd to begin a year of clinical training at the MDU hospital. This is the twelfth group of medical trainees from Hebei Province accepted by MDU since the first group in 1984.