Course in Human Resource Development for Global Oral Health Science

Overview of the Course

The Course for Oral Life Science has played an active, central role in Asia as the WHO Collaborating Center for Translation of Oral Health Science fostered close ties with WHO Headquarter.

The Course in Human Resource Development for Global Oral Health Science is designed so that, after completing the basic studies in the Course for Oral Life Science at the Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, graduate students will participate in these global networks through externships.

Furthermore, as a link in the network of activities at the WHO Collaborating Center for Translation of Oral Health Science, faculty will be dispatched to Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka. They will host international oral health education and seminars in those countries, and support the planning of oral health policies, collecting data, and conducting technology transfer with local dental health authorities. Besides, the course will undertake a portion of the policy research required to formulate the WHO Oral Health Strategies, and offer logistic support for the WHO annual meetings and other professional conferences with our highly trained faculty as the need arises.

Background

  • Poor oral health conditions in Southeast Asian countries
  • Demands for Japan to contribute to international outreach
  • Achievements as WHO Collaborating Center for Translation of Oral Health Science (Core Station)
Policies for Solutions
  • Japan needs to take leadership in these issues, utilizing our overwhelmingly abundant facilities and human resources in oral health science who have extensive experiences in comparison with other nations

Challenges

  • Lack of international leadership by Japanese teaching staff and researchers
  • Shortage of professional human resources to formulate international policies and strategies in oral health
  • Inadequacy of educational curricula for global oral health at institutions and universities in Japan

Globalization of Graduate School Education utilizing WHO Oral Health Science Networks

  • Development of professional human resources to formulate international policies and strategies in oral health
  • Formation of global oral health educational hubs in Japan
  • Formation of global oral health education and research hubs in the Pacific Rim, Western Pacific, and Southeast Asia regions

Establishment of a systematic training program based on coursework

Description of Program

  • Establishment of systematic graduate coursework with lectures and practices conducted solely in English (basic skill training course [for all students] and proficiency course [for elective students])
  • Development of teaching materials for graduate coursework
  • Cooperation concerning curricula with education and research organizations within the WHO Collaborating Center or cooperation in professional exchange
  • Development of WHO internship programs
  • Short term on-the-job training within the WHO network organizations for selected personnel by matching rule (early-stage field study)
  • Field trips at health science institutes within the WHO Oral Health networks or in developing countries/regions (late-stage training)

Features of the Course

Based on the internationalization of graduate school education, as well as encompassing undergraduate education and life-long learning, the primary objective of this program intends to expand and further oral health education worldwide within the concept of consistent "globalization".

By fully utilizing our existing academic platforms such as the International Course in Oral Health Science (since 2005), the WHO Collaborating Center for Translation of Oral Health Science (since 2007), and other efforts expanded by Course for Oral Life Science at Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, this program will include lectures and fieldwork conducted entirely in English, implementing externships at the WHO Collaborating Center for Translation of Oral Health Science within the WHO network and a fieldwork of formulating oral health policies at WHO Headquarters. This program will also expand a systematic training program covering practice in a Regional Oral Health Program for developing countries, making this a truly unprecedented international program.

Niigata University Education and Research Center for Global Oral Health Science

Department of Dentistry/Oral Health Welfare

  • Global thinking and local expansion of Dentistry
  • Think Globally, Act Locally for Dentistry (Think Globally,Act Locally)

Niigata University Graduate School, Course for Oral Life Science

  • Support Program for Reforming Graduate School Education

Developing Countries/Regions School of Dentistry/University Ministries of Public Health

Based on EBM (Scientific Evidence)

  • Support for conducting of oral health research
  • Support for planning oral health policies
  • Educational support for community health dentists
  • Dental technology transfer for community health dentists
  • Support for establishment of a pre-graduate curriculum
  • Sponsoring of seminars organized by oral health specialists

WHO Oral Health Collaborating Center for Translation of Oral Health Science

Developed Countries/Regions

  • Univ. of London
  • Malmö Univ.
  • Univ. College Cork
  • Univ. of Leeds
  • Univ. of Liverpool
  • Univ. of Copenhagen
  • Newcastle College
  • Univ. of Otago
  • Univ. of Texas
  • Sofia Medical Univ.
  • Univ. of Pennsylvania

Expected Outcomes/Schedule of Implementation

The course will enable the development of human resources for the next generation who are capable in leadership, administration and coaching skills by developing its coursework curriculum within a global network, enabling experience in externships at international health institutes, and creating an international oral health education curriculum carried out exclusively in English.

In addition, younger faculty members will be able to perform advanced education and research through an interdisciplinary global network (comprising the fields of medicine, dentistry, nutrition, molecular biology, etc.). These outcomes will in turn reflect the basic oral health education at the undergraduate level.

Expected Outcomes for the Entire Program

  • Human resource development playing leadership roles
  • Raising standards of excellence in graduate school instruction/research
  • Contributing to Translational Research in regional areas (Development of new medical care)
  • International initiatives, international contributions

Outcomes for Course in Human Resource Development for Global Oral Health Science

  • Accomplishment of coursework within global networks
  • Implementation of outstanding education and research within global networks
  • Training of teaching staff to be the next generation of having international visions
  • Development of human resources capable in formulating and implementing health policies at international health organizations
  • Establishment of field demonstration models supporting primary health care in developing countries

Schedule of Implementation

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