The foundation of the Japanese Stomatological Society —Established in 1918—
Although the foundation of the Japanese Stomatological Society could be said to have been in 1900 when a research department for dentistry was established in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Tokyo, in reality, the Society started as a gathering for discussions on dental medicine which was first held in 1913 and then followed by extended meetings for discussion which ultimately led to the establishment of the Japanese Dental Stomatological Society in 1918. The first chairman was Prof. Hisashi Ishihara from the Research Department of Dental Science, Faculty of Medicine, the University of Tokyo.
In 1919, No. 1, Volume 1 of a magazine of the Japanese Dental Stomatological Society was issued. The magazine was continuously issued until No. 73, Volume 25 of July 1943 when publication was temporarily suspended due to the hostilities of World War II.
In 1946, a decision to recommence the activities of the Society was taken by professors in university research departments of dental stomatology, and at the same time, the name was changed to the Japanese Stomatological Society. The first postwar general meeting was held in 1947 in Osaka (Chairman: Prof. Shigeie Yumikura from Osaka University) and those meetings have continued to the present day.
Relationship to the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences
Our relationship to the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences commenced with the participation of Assistant Prof. Hisashi Ishihara from the University of Tokyo at the 16th subcommittee meeting for dentistry at the 2nd General Meeting of the Association Medical Sciences in 1906. The Japanese Stomatological Society has been designated as the 31st subcommittee for dentistry since 1938. There is a deep historical relationship between our Society and the Japanese Association of Medical Sciences, and that relationship has enabled our Society to take an active part in the field of medical science. The distinctive feature of the Japanese Stomatological Society may stem from the fact that the Society has its origin in the Research Department of Dental Stomatology in the Faculty of Medicine and therefore an important part of its activities occur in the medical field as well.
What is Stomatology?
Stomatology is an academic discipline including not only dental science, of course, but also medical-related interdisciplinary fields. The historical background to our Society shows that the purpose of our Society is to investigate the morphology and function of the oral region and to promote fundamental and clinical studies for various diseases originating in that region with the aid of both medical and dental sciences. The Society plays the vital role of being the only learned society of the various subcommittees in the Association Medical Sciences which has a role of mediation between medical science and dental medicine.
