To officially kick off the activities stipulated in the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by both parties last November 2022, the University of the Philippines Manila, represented by the UP College of Dentistry (UPCD), and the Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) held a Research Mini-Symposium on May 15, 2023 at the College of Dentistry Auditorium.
On behalf of Chancellor Carmencita D. Padilla, Vice Chancellor for Planning and Development Michael L. Tee delivered the chancellor’s keynote message, describing the mini-symposium as “the collaborative drafting board in identifying and determining research projects we can work on together.”
Dr. Yasushi Shimada, professor and chairman of the Department of Cardiology and Operative Dentistry of TMDU, led the TMDU delegation as they presented their research works on Optical Coherence Tomography in detecting caries, the acid-base resistant zone in restorations, silver diamine fluoride, monolithic restorations, and bonding to teeth with no ferrule, microshear, and microtensile bond testing, among others.
The presenters from UPCD were Dean Michelle Segarra and Dr. Maja Romero, who both obtained their Doctor of Philosophy degrees from TMDU; Dr. Maritess Villarico; and Dr. John Erick Quinquini.
In his closing remarks, Vice Chancellor for Research Dr. Edward Wang stressed that “from this mini-symposium, we saw three things that are necessary for research to prosper—innovation, infrastructure, and collaboration.”
Attending the mini-symposium were several UPCD faculty members, students, and young alumni; as well as College of Public Health associate dean for research, Prof. Sharon Yvette Villanueva, and Assistant Dean for Planning and Development Associate Professor TJ Moncatar. UPCD College Secretary Dr. Jessica Santos and Assistant to the Dean Dr. Josievitz Tan-Zafra emceed the event.
This activity with TMDU, the number 1 university in dentistry in Japan and Asia and number 3 (dentistry) in the world (QS ranking, 2023), opened the doors to future research collaborations not only with UPCD, but also with the CPH.
I Michelle Segarra and Martin R. Racza
