BUGSDM Faculty Members Lecture in Japan

Boston University Goldman School of Dental Medicine (BUGSDM) Professor and Chair of Periodontology and Oral Biology Dr. Frank Oppenheim, Professor and Director of the Postdoctoral Prosthodontic Clinic Dr. Steven Morgano, Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Kasumi Barouch, and Clinical Assistant Professor Dr. Hideo Yamamoto recently traveled to Tokyo, Japan to lecture at several venues. The focus of the trip, organized by Dr. Barouch, was for the group to lecture at the Society of Japanese Clinical Dentistry (SJCD) Seminar. The SJCD Seminar was a day-long event that was attended by more than 400 clinicians. SJCD is the biggest study group in Japan, with over 1,500 members.

As part of the SJCD seminar Dr. Barouch gave a lecture titled, The Quality of Periodontal Tissue, which discussed characteristics of gingiva and drug-induced overgrowth of gingiva, as well as proposing several questions to the large audience. Dr. Morgano presented two lectures titled, An evidence-based approach for the restoration of pulpless teeth with the use of posts-and-cores and Biomechanics of implant-supported artificial occlusion with Dr. Yamamoto serving as a translator. Dr. Oppenheim gave a lecture titled, Saliva: Host Protection and Future Role in Medical Diagnostics, and Dr. Yamamoto brought the presentations full-circle by discussing the answers to the questions proposed earlier during Dr. Barouch’s lecture.

The group spent the rest of their trip lecturing individually and in pairs at various Japanese schools, institutes, and dental corporations.

"This was my first time in Japan," said Dr. Oppenheim. "It was a wonderful place to lecture as the participants were very keen on learning about new developments in saliva as a diagnostic tool and a protector against carries."