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This August, the School of Dentistry welcomed 10 Japanese dental students and 1 dental faculty for a week-long visit observing our dental program and enjoying the central Texas sights. For the past 24 years, dental students from Asahi University and their sister institution, Meikai University, have traveled to San Antonio to observe our senior dental students in clinic and experience Texas’ hospitality.

The visiting students, in what they call their 5th grade of dental school, are paired with senior dental students in clinic and exposed to a variety of dental procedures from screenings to surgery; anything a DS4 student would encounter. In Japan, dental students are selected right out of high school, based on placement testing, and attend dental school for 6 years. After their 6th year they proceed with a 2-year residency, at which point they begin treating patients. This early exposure to patient care is extremely beneficial for them. For our opening Grand Rounds seminar this fall, Dr. Toru Nikaido was invited as a guest speaker. He presented information to our dental faculty on current adhesive materials and direct composite restorations. Dr. Nikaido is Professor and Chairman of the Department of Operative Dentistry, Division of Oral Functional Science and Rehabilitation at Asahi University, School of Dentistry, Gifu, Japan. In their down time, Dr. Scott Stafford, who hosted the visit, captained an itinerary heavy with activities and invited several dental leaders, faculty and students to participate. At a local dude ranch, the group rode horses and fed longhorn cattle, they traveled to Austin for a private tour of our state capital building, visited a mushroom farm owned by Dr. Ed Wuensch’s family, and, of course, enjoyed the River Walk, the Alamo and El Mercado. Our visitors sampled Texas' take on Mexican food, Thai, Japanese sushi, pizza, bar-b-que, and local favorites like Whataburger. By request, the group stopped at H-E-B for an American grocery store experience. To celebrate the end of their stay, the School of Dentistry hosted a special dental school night at Tejas Rodeo. The evening kicked off with our guests, as well as some of our own students, participating in a calf scramble. After a night of rodeo events, the evening ended with a good, old Western-style dance. In March of next year, select senior dental students and dental faculty will travel to Japan for selective 7190. Those participants will visit Asahi and Meikai Universities for their opportunity to now observe the dental programs at those institutions. We look forward to updating our readers on their visit in late spring. We would like to recognize and thank Dr. Scott Stafford and his Continuing Dental Education team members for coordinating and hosting our guests’ visit. Drs. Peter Loomer, Adriana Segura, Brij Singh, Robert Taft, Adriana Green, Barb MacNeill, George Knight, Anne Jones, Peggy Alexander, Bennett Amaechi, and Jeff Mabry, as well as many other faculty and staff, were instrumental to this year’s successful visit; thank you all for your support.