History
Department of Pediatric Dentistry opened in 1973 at the same time as the establishment of Fukuoka Dental College. It was the only department of its sort in the west part of Japan at that time. Prof. Yoshida from Kyushu Dental College was appointed as the first professor, and in 1990 Prof. Motokawa took the baton after Prof. Yoshida’s retirement. In 2001, divisions of Pediatric Dentistry, Orthodontics and Handicapped Dentistry were combined to form the bigger and more efficient department system. Today, Prof. Ozaki is in charge of the department, taking the baton after Prof. Motokawa’s retirement in 2010.
Education and Clinic
Pediatric Dentistry is an age-defined specialty that provides primary and comprehensive preventive and therapeutic oral health care for infants and children through adolescence, including the medically compromised patients who need the special health care. We teach the pediatric dentistry in undergraduate curricula and postgraduate education, including four year graduate program. Pediatric dentists complete five years of additional specialized training to be specialized by Japanese Association for Pediatric Dentistry (after the six years undergraduate education of dental school). Our clinical specialization aims are using high technology treatment for a wide variety of children's dental problems. Emphases are laid on diagnostic skills, treatment planning and integration of preventive and conservative measures, including interceptive orthodontic and surgical procedures with simple to complex oral facial problems.
Research Activity
1. Development of dental materials for preventive dentistry.
2. Study on the mechanism of root resorption of the primary teeth.
3. Behavior science research in pediatric dentistry
4. Immunohistological study on dental development