The Faculty of Dentistry at Kagoshima University was established in October 1977 at the Sakuragaoka Campus, which overlooks Sakurajima, a symbol of Kagoshima, and the city of Kagoshima, and will celebrate its 50th anniversary in October 2027, three years from now. Kagoshima University is one of only 11 National Universities in Japan with a dental school, and the Faculty of Dentistry has played an important role in dental education, research and treatment in the southern Kyushu region.

With the vision of "developing dental professionals who are rooted in the community and active on the world stage", the Faculty of Dentistry has worked to develop human resources who can support dental care on remote islands and in rural areas of Kagoshima Prefecture, as well as those who can play an active role in international society, and has produced around 2,500 dentists, researchers and educators to date. At present, graduates of the Faculty of Dentistry are active internationally as professors at Kagoshima University and other Universities, and some are contributing to local dental healthcare as officers of the dental association in the southern Kyushu region. The Faculty of Dentistry continues to embody the dedication and sense of mission of those from the Satsuma clan who played an important role in the Meiji Restoration in the 19th century. Based on the enterprising spirit of Kagoshima University, which boldly confronts difficult challenges, the Faculty of Dentistry upholds the basic principle of "nurturing graduates not just as dentists, but as people with a wealth of common sense," and the Faculty of Dentistry has adopted a distinctive curriculum that incorporates practical training, including participation in mobile dental treatment teams that travel to remote islands in Kagoshima Prefecture and overseas training, and has fully adopted the outcome-based education system ahead of other educational institutions nationwide. The Faculty of Dentistry has a unique system called the Student Seminar (which is both a course and a research activity), which allows students to study independently in the academic fields that interest them, and gives them the opportunity to learn in depth about the latest knowledge that they would not normally come into contact within regular classes. By becoming involved in research activities from an early stage, students can learn more about their own potential, and they can also participate in short-term overseas training programs. As for extracurricular activities, students can participate in clubs and societies with medical students at the Sakuragaoka Campus, and there are also activities such as badminton tournaments that students and faculty participate in together, giving students the opportunity to build closer relationships with their academic advisors. Through these events, which are unique to Kagoshima University's Faculty of Dentistry, students can interact with their professors and other faculty members in a friendly setting outside of the classroom, and it also provides a good opportunity for students to develop their basic human skills, such as their character and sense of ethics.

The departments have also achieved excellent results in research. At present, it is engaged in basic and advanced research into the relationship between the mouth and the whole body, and oral and maxillofacial regenerative medicine, and its research results have received high praise internationally. In terms of diagnosis and treatment, the department provides advanced dental care, including comprehensive treatment for congenital disorders such as cleft lip and palate, specialist oral care for disabled children and adults, early detection and functional recovery of oral cancer, oral implants, periodontal tissue regeneration therapy, and orthodontic anchor screws. In addition, the Faculty of Dentistry is also working to strengthen cooperation between doctors and dentists, for example by promoting cooperation with various specialist departments and the introduction of perioperative oral function management as a response to the aging of society.

Through these kinds of initiatives, the Faculty of Dentistry at Kagoshima University is achieving advanced and unique education, research and treatment. For those who are motivated to become dentists who can play an active role in the local community and the world, for those who want to become dentists with a broad knowledge of the human body in general, for those who have a strong interest in life science research, and for those who have excellent human qualities and the basic ability to overcome difficulties, Kagoshima University Faculty of Dentistry, which has produced many excellent dentists who play an active role in the local community and the world, is the best choice.

GOTO Tetsuya
Dean, Faculty of Dentistry,
Kagoshima University