ICD Section IX Philippines recently transformed the National University MOA Complex, in Pasay City, into a hub of global alliance and learning during their 2025 Faculty Development Program Seminar. By aligning local instruction with the highest international clinical and pedagogical benchmarks, this program is vital to the Section’s mission of strengthening dental training in the Philippines. This mission was brought to life through a truly international collaboration featuring esteemed Japanese speakers and attendees, including ICD Section VII Fellows Dr. Seiichiro Ono and Dr. Itsuma Akiyama.
Joining forces with local leadership, they convened 90 stakeholders from 25 dental schools throughout the Philippines. This gathering of deans, program heads, ICD Fellows and faculty members demonstrated a collective resolve to elevate dental education and professional standards, to shape the future of the field. This was achieved through focused objectives to enhance academic skills and teaching methods. The seminar aimed to equip dental educators with new tools to improve training and mentorship for the next generation of Filipino dentists. Furthermore, the event sought to foster networking and knowledge-sharing, provide a unique opportunity to connect with peers from different institutions, share best practices, and build a collaborative community of dental educators.
The seminar featured three transformative presentations, beginning with “Learning Aesthetic Restorations Using Resin Composites” by ICD Global Councilor Dr. Masashi Miyazaki, who provided a deep dive into advanced clinical techniques essential to modern practice. This was followed by a virtual session on “The New Normal in Dental Care for Preventing Lifestyle-Related Diseases” by Japanese Fellow Dr. Hiroaki Takeuchi, who highlighted the critical role of dentists in public health. Finally, Filipino Fellow Dr. Angelo C. Maduli presented “Reimagining Dental Education: A Strategic Blueprint for Transformative Advancement,” which offered a framework to evolve dental education systems to meet global benchmarks.
This seminar not only taught cutting-edge dentistry skills but also ignited every participant’s passion for the lifelong learning required to lead in a globalized profession. The success of this event has enabled strategic alliances between Section IX and its national institutes, including the Commission on Higher Education (CHED), the Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) and the Department of Health (DOH). These cross-sector alliances help to refine national policies and elevate the quality of dental training across the country, as well as increases visibility of the College within the Philippines and the broader geographical region.
