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Monday 09:00 - 17:00 Tuesday 09:00 - 17:00 Wednesday 09:00 - 17:00 Thursday 09:00 - 17:00 Friday 09:00 - 17:00

SNU School of Dentistry, 대학로 101, Jongno District (2026)

04/01/2026

Last November, I traveled to West China School of Stomatology, Sichuan University, to participate in ISIFDE 2025. The day before the main program, I also attended the International Advisory Board Meeting, where I had the great honor of spending time with distinguished deans from around the world. While many of the colleagues I met were familiar faces rather than first encounters, even brief conversations with them were deeply inspiring. These moments of exchange—compressed in time yet rich in insight—are among the most valuable aspects of such meetings.

Several things particularly impressed me. First, although not yet perfect, the English simultaneous interpretation system was remarkably effective. Second, true to China’s scale and momentum, the sheer volume of high-quality research papers published from this institution was overwhelming. Finally, the fact that the school operates not one but two legacy journals of its own is truly admirable. It is a university from which there is much to learn. And yet, despite its strengths, they invited international colleagues like myself to openly discuss what more could be done to move forward. That openness to self-reflection and improvement is, in itself, a mark of confidence.

My relationship with colleagues at Sichuan University dates back to around 2018 and continues to grow. I am especially grateful for the warm hospitality of Professor Ling Ye, whom I first met as Dean and who now serves as Vice President, as well as Professor Xianglong Han, the current Dean. Their generosity and collegiality once again reminded me why these long-standing academic relationships matter so much.

- SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

04/01/2026

Where are we now in dental education?

When we travel a long distance—especially on a long flight—we often pause midway to ask ourselves, or others: Where are we now, and how far have we come? The same reflection applies to dental education.

I would like to share a recent paper published in the Journal of Dental Education, led by Yun Min Gil, a young and insightful faculty member at the Office of Education of SNU Dentistry. Using a keyword-based analysis, the study takes a thoughtful snapshot of where dental education research currently stands—explicitly in comparison with medical education.

The findings are both intuitive and illuminating. While medical education has focused more on postgraduate training and students’ mental health, dental education has placed greater emphasis on areas such as virtual reality, simulation, and the development of clinical skills. For anyone interested in dental education, educational trends, or simply in asking “Where are we now?”, this paper is well worth reading.

- SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

04/01/2026

Every year on January 2, SNU Dentistry holds its New Year’s gathering.

It is a moment when all faculty members come together, and several emeritus professors also join us—an expression of respect deeply rooted in Korean and broader East Asian traditions that honor one’s teachers.

Many of us in the current generation, myself included, tend to forget this at times. But our seniors built what we have today starting from circumstances that were far more modest, difficult, and uncertain than those we now know. Occasionally, some point out the limitations or shortcomings of our mentors when measured by today’s standards. I believe such judgments require balance and historical perspective. In truth, our own generation will likely be seen as imperfect by those who follow us—and that, in itself, is how humanity moves forward, materially and intellectually.

With heartfelt respect for our teachers, including one who is now well into his nineties, SNU Dentistry began 2026 with renewed purpose and gratitude.

- SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

LeadershipInEducation Gratitude NewYear2026

04/01/2026

Passion is what gets you started. Commitment is what keeps you going

Within any university community, there are moments when dormant passion needs to be rekindled. Yet there is also the opposite challenge—excessive passion. This becomes particularly problematic when that passion is narrowly focused on personal advancement, disconnected from institutional flourishing, or at times even detrimental to it.

In Korean universities, where tenure ratios are exceptionally high, the former issue—waning passion—represents a serious structural concern. From the perspective of an administrator, however, the latter is often more difficult to manage in practice. Compared to those who lack passion altogether, individuals with excessive passion are harder to persuade and far more likely to generate conflict.

In this sense, a university administrator often resembles a coach tasked with managing a team of highly paid superstars. It is not an easy role.

Yet passion is not something to be suppressed. It is a vital resource that must be guided and cultivated. Passion ignites action; it is contagious and draws people in. At the same time, it is volatile and easily exhausted. Commitment, by contrast, is what ensures sustainability. It operates quietly, even when no one is watching, and ultimately leaves a lasting institutional impact.

For this reason, I place greater value on commitment than on passion—and believe it should be explicitly reflected in our evaluation systems. Passion lights the fire. Commitment keeps it burning.

SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

04/01/2026

I had the pleasure of meeting Professor Takeyasu Maeda, former Dean of Niigata University, and Professor Tomoki Maekawa, who kindly visited SNU Dentistry.

Professor Maeda, now retired from Niigata University and currently affiliated with Nippon Dental University, is widely recognized for his long and distinguished tenure as Dean of Niigata University School of Dentistry. Over many years, he made profound contributions to the university’s growth and academic stature.

Having served for more than a decade in leadership roles at SNU Dentistry—particularly in fostering collaborations with Japanese dental schools—I have known Professor Maeda for a long time. We have met frequently, and I have learned a great deal from his exceptional leadership, especially in how a dental school should be guided, sustained, and allowed to flourish.

Among close colleagues, we sometimes joked—half in admiration—that he and a few others were the “yakuza” or “mafia” of Japanese dentistry. In truth, the joke reflects a remarkable reality: many of his former students are now spread across Japan, serving as deans and leaders at dental schools nationwide. That kind of academic lineage does not happen by chance.

And, of course, there are memories beyond administration and leadership—Niigata’s superb sake, brewed from its renowned rice, and unforgettable seafood shared in good company. These moments, too, remain an enduring part of our shared history.

Encounters like this remind me that academic leadership is ultimately about people, mentorship, and relationships built over time.

SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

04/01/2026

As a university hospital, we have repeatedly emphasized that patients with cleft lip and palate deserve especially careful and long-term attention. The management of cleft palate is not a single event but a lifelong, growth-related process that requires close collaboration among multiple disciplines.

After early surgical repair, some children—by around five years of age—develop hypernasal speech or require speech therapy. Anticipating which children are at higher risk has always been a challenge.

I would like to introduce a study that addresses this issue by applying state-of-the-art machine learning techniques to predict speech outcomes at an early stage. This work is a collaborative study between SNU Dental Hospital and Seoul National University Hospital. The corresponding author is Seunghak Baik, Professor at SNU Dentistry and a globally recognized authority in orthodontic care for cleft lip and palate patients.

For anyone interested in cleft care, interdisciplinary medicine, or the clinical application of artificial intelligence, this paper is well worth reading.

- SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

AIinHealthcare Orthodontics PediatricCare AcademicMedicine SNUDentistry

04/01/2026

A Note on Hospitality Worth Remembering

I do not usually write about personal visits, but some gestures are simply too meaningful not to be recorded. This time, it was a visit to the home of the brand new Dr. Hossam Hamdy. During my stay in Alexandria, he not only came to the airport to welcome me, but also invited our delegation to his home and generously hosted us for a meal.

Moments like this are where true cultural exchange happens. I learned, for example, that people in Alexandria enjoy fish far more than I had expected (of course, Egypt is a vast country, and this may not apply to every city). Inviting guests into one’s home—while expressed differently across regions—is universally regarded as a sign of the highest respect. Korea once shared a similar custom, though today, as in Japan, smaller living spaces have made meeting guests outside the home the norm.

My sincere thanks go to Dr. Hossam and his wife for their remarkable hospitality. Through this visit, I also gained a deeper appreciation of Islamic culture—learning more about concepts such as Salat, the Kaaba, and Qibla, which I had previously known only in passing. And one more note worth celebrating: Hossam had his PhD defense the very next day, and I was delighted to hear that he passed with distinction. My warmest congratulations to him.

SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

04/01/2026

Beware the “Thieves of Virtue”: Why Being “Nice” is Killing Excellence
Thousands of years ago, Confucius delivered a scathing critique of a specific type of character: the “Hyang-won” (향원). He didn't just call them hypocrites; he labeled them the “Thieves of Virtue” (德之賊).

On the surface, these individuals are remarkably pleasant—shining examples of moral "niceness" who enjoy immense popularity. But according to Mencius, the real frustration is that it’s nearly impossible to find a specific "crime" to charge them with. They follow the external rules, avoid major scandals, and are, quite frankly, annoyingly "un-blamable."

However, beneath this polished exterior lies a hollow core. Their "virtue" isn't fueled by a passion for truth or a sense of justice; it is driven by a cowardly thirst for popularity and a paralyzing fear of being disliked. They are the ultimate practitioners of moral populism.

Sadly, academia is far from immune. In a system where election-based leadership often inadvertently favors the "agreeable" over the "accountable," these counterfeit saints find a comfortable home. By choosing the path of least resistance, they allow bad habits to solidify and lead a quiet, polite march toward the downward leveling of values.

But for an institution that claims to pursue the pinnacle of excellence, we must heed Thomas Jefferson’s sharp reminder:

"A tradition without reason is just a bad habit that has survived."

True leadership in the "Academic Commons" isn't about maintaining a pleasant facade while the foundation rots. It’s about having the courage to distinguish between a sacred tradition and a stubborn bad habit—and having the spine to pull the weeds, even at the cost of one's popularity.

SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

04/01/2026

“But I have promises to keep, and miles to go before I sleep.”

When I attended AEEDC last year, I stopped by a booth from Alexandria University and casually mentioned that I would like to visit someday. As it turns out, someday arrived rather decisively at the very end of the year. It may look as though I travel endlessly, yet this was in fact my first step onto Egyptian—and African—soil. With that step came a humbling realization: how little I truly knew about Egypt and Africa.

This visit was prompted by Alexandria University’s interest in discussing a dual-degree program with us, combined with an on-site review. Given their strong focus on implant therapy, we were joined by Megagen Implant, SNU Dentistry’s closest partner in this field. Alexandria University was, quite simply, an extraordinary institution. The passion and commitment I witnessed—both from the academic community and our industry partner—were nothing short of impressive.

My sincere thanks go to Former Dean and Vice Provost Prof. Dr. Ahmed Adel Abdel Hakim and Acting Dean Prof. Riham Mostafa Eldibany for their warm hospitality. Once the year-end holidays conclude, we will move forward with careful and concrete follow-up discussions.

The miles are many—but the promises are worth keeping.

- SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

04/01/2026

Editor-in-Chief: J*P

Standing shoulder to shoulder with many classic, long-established journals, the Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics of the Korean Academy of Prosthodontics continues to deliver rigorous and inspiring scientific knowledge to prosthodontists around the world.

Today, I would like to introduce a remarkable individual who has been appointed as the new Editor-in-Chief of this journal: Professor In-Sung Yeo of SNU Dentistry. A dear colleague of mine—and perhaps one of the closest embodiments of a pure scientist within dental science—he is known to some as In-Sung “Luke” Yeo. Whichever name you use, one thing is certain: he is exceptionally well suited for this role.

I have no doubt that under his leadership, the Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics will soon rise to the ranks of true legacy journals, shaping the field with clarity, rigor, and vision for years to come.

- SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

03/01/2026

Our Doors Are (Almost) Always Open

Many people find their way to SNU Dentistry. Some come to Korea for conferences and, out of curiosity, ask if they might visit and see what SNU Dentistry is really like. With very few exceptions—usually when time simply refuses to cooperate—I genuinely try to meet them all.

The reason is simple. As Dean, I want to hear how the world is turning: what colleagues on the other side of the globe are thinking about, what issues keep dental scientists awake at night, and where dentistry may be heading next. Even student visits are most welcome. That said, our staff have finite time and stamina, so not every visit can be accommodated—especially those requested at the very last minute.

But the visit of Professor Serbe Dibart from Boston University was a different story altogether. In fact, he was someone I had hoped to meet myself, and we nearly missed the opportunity due to overlapping schedules. I am truly grateful for his visit, and I sincerely hope that the many conversations we shared will grow into meaningful international collaboration.

And just to be clear—never forget: we are always open.

- SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

LeadershipDiaries SNUDentistry

03/01/2026

University Administration (2) No Payer is Greater than the Team

Even without quoting Sir Alex Ferguson, universities—whose roots lie in medieval guilds—have always depended on a strong sense of community. In modern academia, resources—namely operating funds—are undeniably critical. Those in leadership roles are expected not only to raise money by every legitimate means available, but also to allocate those resources wisely and responsibly.

The unfortunate reality is that what economists politely call “privatizing profits and socializing losses” has quietly found a comfortable home in academia as well. Many are quick to argue that this research agenda deserves priority, or that educational initiative is essential—yet remarkably reluctant to contribute even a single coin from their own pockets. Still, when the harvest is good, they are more than happy to claim the sweetest fruits as personal achievements.

In most cases, university resources come from taxpayers, students’ tuition fees, or the generosity of donors. Before insisting on what the institution needs, perhaps we should first ask what we can give back to the community we belong to. Sadly, such behaviors often become entrenched under the harmless-sounding label of “tradition,” making them notoriously difficult to uproot. And yes—every now and then, a farmer may even collapse while pulling weeds. That does not mean the weeds should be left to grow.

- SNU Dentistry, where Science meets Excellence and Respect

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Monday	09:00 - 17:00
Tuesday	09:00 - 17:00
Wednesday	09:00 - 17:00
Thursday	09:00 - 17:00
Friday	09:00 - 17:00