（英語のみ）
・Group of Course: Recognition of Social Issues
・Course: Professional and Value Creation B/D
・Program: Health starts from the mouth – Let’s think about the possibilities of the oral cavity –
・Guest Speaker: Dr. Kosei Yano, Director Haplus Dental Clinic and Lecturer at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) Managing Director, Qwell Inc.
・Lecture & Discussion: 3/Feb. (Thr) 18:15-20:15 by ZOOM Online
On 3/Feb, the lecture and discussion about ” Health starts from the mouth – Let’s think about the possibilities of the oral cavity -” were held online by the guest speaker, Dr. Kosei Yano, Director of Haplus Dental Clinic, lecturer at Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU) and Managing Director of Qwell Inc., and 16 students (both ToTAL and non-ToTAL students).
■Academic and work history of Dr. Yano, a guest speaker:
Dr. Yano was born in Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. After graduating from Dental School at Okayama University, he obtained a doctor’s degree in Periodontology from Tokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), where he engaged in research on osteogenesis/metabolism. Following his career as a medical staff at a university hospital, he became the director of a dental clinic in Tokyo. He specializes in regeneration and implant treatment therapy. In addition to being a part-time lecturer at TMDU, he formed a team of medical experts and launched a health & food project in 2016 that involves academic activities and development relating to supplements. His motto is, “A healthy body starts eating well with a healthy mouth”. His hobby is photography.
■How I planned and produced this session:
I, Yasunari Shinoda, am a student in ToTAL (registered in Nov. 2018). I proposed and arranged this lecture. Dr. Yano and I got to know each other through his younger brother. I had a chance to hear about Dr. Yano’s work before, and I was impressed that he was involved in clinical practice as a dentist and had also started his own business, which made me want to hear more about his story. After earning his doctoral degree, Dr. Yano is still in academia as a part-time lecturer at a university. I wanted to learn about Dr. Yano’s thoughts and values on how and why he works in such a variety of fields and places. Therefore, I decided to invite Dr. Yano as a lecturer for this class. At first, I introduced Dr. Yano to Specially Appointed Professor Yamada in ToTAL, and we had a meeting. Then, I asked Dr. Yano to talk about his work as a dentist and his own life story.
■Summary of his presentation:
Oral health is essential for a healthy and abundant life. The oral cavity has various functions such as eating, speaking, making facial expressions, and expressing affection. In addition, healthy teeth, gums, and well-arranged teeth maintain aesthetics and determine a person’s impression. It supports overall health and increases healthy life expectancy to help digestion and absorption using a healthy mouth to chew healthy foods efficiently. In his lecture, he spoke about the impact of oral health on overall health from a broad perspective.
Dr. Yano talked about “Health starts from the mouth.” First, he explained the difference between the teeth of herbivores and carnivores. Then, he showed skulls of humans and various animals and talked about the functions of teeth and muscles, etc. He then explained about periodontal diseases and oral frailties and the importance of prevention of those diseases and frailties with the latest research. Lastly, he shared his thoughts on the relationship between “Science” and “Art.”
Ms. Chiba of the 4th cohort of ToTAL, researched and explained the assignment given by Dr. Yano before the lecture. We asked a lot of questions to him that came up among the students in discussions on the topic. For example, “Do animals get periodontal disease?”, “Is there any other way to keep our mouths healthy besides brushing our teeth?”, “What is the most effective way to brush our teeth?” and so on.
■Impression:
I learned a lot about the mouth and teeth through Dr. Yano’s lecture. I want to keep in mind that we should take good care of our mouths to maintain our health. I also enjoyed listening to his small talk on the history of dentistry and his own business. In the discussion on the last topic, I felt that art is one of the perspectives that opens up incredible possibilities. Prof. Yamada always talks to us to establish a personal network with guest speakers by communicating with professionals. As the proposer of this class, I would be happy if the students who participated would continue to keep in touch with Dr. Yano. Finally, I would like give a sincere appreciation to Dr. Yano for his lecture and discussion.
Reported by Yasunari Shinoda,
a second year doctoral student,
Graduate Major in Nuclear Engineering, Department of Chemical Science and Engineering, School of Materials and Chemical Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology,
and the 1st cohort of Tokyo Tech Academy for Leadership (ToTAL)
