The Japanese Society for Disability and Oral Health
The goal of Japanese Society for Disability and Oral Health is to deepen exchange among members and between related organizations both in Japan and internationally, increase the abilities of our members in the areas of research, education, and medical examinations as pertains to disability and oral health, and contribute through these efforts to the maintenance and improvement of oral health for persons with disabilities and to the improvement of public health and welfare.
Dental healthcare for persons with disabilities in Japan started in the early Showa era. This was a volunteer effort until the 1920s. However, from the 1940s onward, this effort expanded nationwide through regional medical treatment activities via the Dental Association. Also, hospital dental departments and pediatric dentistry departments actively accepted persons with disabilities. The content of dental healthcare services also expanded from disease and disorder treatment to health medical care.
We began as the Japanese Dental Care Study Group for Children with Disabilities in 1973, and changed our name to the Japanese Society for Disability and Oral Health in 1984. As of 2018, we are composed of approximately 5,000 members. Currently, we hold a general assembly and academic symposium once per year and publish 3 issues per year of the journal "Shogaisha Shika" (Journal of the Japanese Society for Disability and Oral Health). We play a central role as an opportunity for opinion exchange among members involved in dental healthcare for persons with disabilities nationwide as well as for research activities and medical treatment popularization activities.
