By Aryan Panchmatia and Rachel Lee.
During the summer of 2024, we had the incredible opportunity of participating in an exchange programme with The Nippon Dental University, Japan. As neither of us had previously visited Japan, we were overwhelmingly excited to experience a new country and culture!
We were fortunate to be able to visit their two beautiful campuses in Tokyo and Niigata over the two week exchange programme. During the trip, we also explored the cities of Osaka, Kyoto, Nara and Nagoya! The exchange was a truly enriching experience that allowed us to appreciate how dentistry operates in a different country while immersing ourselves in the local culture and traditions.
We travelled from Manchester to Osaka, where we started our trip. In Osaka, we visited the majestic Osaka Castle and learned about its rich history. We also explored the busy streets of Dotonbori, famous for its neon lights and street food, and visited Don Quijote (the first of many times), a multi-level store with countless souvenirs. We spent an exciting day at Universal Studios, after spending weeks prior fantasising about Super Nintendo World! We also visited the TeamLabs Botanical Garden which was beautifully illuminated during the night.
From Osaka, we travelled to Kyoto – making a quick stop at Nara Park which is home to over two thousand free roaming deers that would bow to ask for a snack! In Kyoto, we visited the historic temple of Kiyomizu-dera with its stunning hilltop views of the city. We visited plenty of shrines and other temples within the city, which were all rich in culture and incredibly beautiful.
We also wandered the incredible Arashiyama Bamboo forest and appreciated the beauty of the country’s nature. Furthermore, we explored many small shops that sold traditional foods, chopsticks, manga, kanzashi, pokemon merchandise and other cultural items in the bustling Nishiki market!
From Kyoto, we travelled to Tokyo on the Shinkansen bullet train! We were met by Professor Ikuo Kageyama from the Nippon Dental University, who welcomed us to the city and made our stay very enjoyable! On the first day of our exchange, we received a tour of the enormous Tokyo campus.
The day began with welcome talks from multiple members of staff that highlighted interesting facts and information about their dental school. We were also given an opportunity to share our experiences on studying dentistry in Manchester.
During the tour, we observed a range of their facilities which included a lecture hall, a phantom head laboratory, a prosthetic laboratory, multiple classrooms, a student library, and a student cafeteria.
Thereafter, we met with the student council which consisted of 8 students across all years. The students were very friendly and welcoming, and we learned a lot about local culture and traditions from them. They also shared incredible insights on life as dental students in Japan.
Throughout the week-long exchange in Tokyo, we were stationed at different clinics in the dental hospital. We observed how multiple clinics within the hospital operated and how dental care was provided to patients.
We observed and discussed surgical cases regarding orthognathic surgery, implant placement and cyst removals in their theatres. Furthermore, we visited their research laboratory where we experimented and tested the bond strength of various adhesive materials, as they were conducting a study of these materials in order to publish.
We had the opportunity to see their mastication machine in action, which tested materials under different temperatures and pressures. We observed protein analysis using the Western blot technique in their research laboratory. We also practised the use of intraoral scanners on teeth models and their corresponding software.
In addition, we were invited to visit dental companies such as Morita and GC who used a combination of VR and physical setups to showcase their innovative designs that maximise dental practice utilities in smaller spaces.
Towards the end of the week, we visited the NDU Tama Oral Rehabilitation Clinic which was dedicated to supporting patients with swallowing and speech difficulties. We observed techniques such as videofluoroscopy that were used to assess patients with dysphagia, and discussed how patients can be supported with the supervising clinicians. It was interesting to discuss the psychosocial factors which could affect patients with their speech and swallowing in some cases.
During the evenings, we would continue to meet up with the student council and they would kindly take us to new restaurants that served delicious traditional meals. Our stay in Tokyo was made very pleasant by the hospitality of all the staff and students!
We spent our free time in Tokyo visiting a variety of vibrant spots, each offering its own unique experience. We visited Ueno Zoo, which was home to a diverse range of wildlife, including the famous giant pandas!
A trip to Kawagoe Saitama Old Town allowed us to visit a variety of traditional pottery shops, enjoy local street food and make our own chopsticks! We also explored Ginza, a well known shopping district. Here, we also had the chance to watch traditional Japanese plays at the Kabuki-za theatre.
To have our fortunes told, we visited the iconic Senso-ji temple in Asakusa and its surrounding streets which were a beautiful representation of traditional Tokyo.
Furthermore, we explored the lively districts of Shibuya and Shinjuku that were widely recommended by everyone we met! We were absolutely amazed by the scale of Shibuya Scramble Crossing and the countless number of people crossing in all directions.
Akihabara was lined with streets of electronic stores that sold everything from retro to futuristic devices. Here, we visited the large-scale Taito station arcades and despite our love for video games, we were humbled by the commitment and skill displayed by other local players who were on a completely different level!
During the weekend, we travelled to Nagoya for a day to watch the championship finals of Japan’s national sport Sumo!
After completing the first week of our exchange in Tokyo, we travelled to the seaside city of Niigata using the bullet train. Niigata was a quieter city when compared to Tokyo and we had an incredible view of the Shinano River from our hotel!
We were welcomed to the Niigata campus by multiple members of staff who were incredibly kind and friendly. On our first day, we received a tour of the campus which was lush with greenery and had a peaceful atmosphere. The campus had an enormous sports ground that had a cooling breeze from the beach, which was only a 10 minute walk away!
We received a tour of their onsite Museum of Medicine and Dentistry, which housed a wide range of historic books and artefacts. Thereafter, we visited the dental hospital where we shadowed multiple clinicians on different clinics which included the dental surgery clinic, the sleep apnoea clinic, the paediatric clinic and the orthodontic clinic.
In each clinic, we were shown a broad selection of techniques, equipment, and materials used, which allowed us to draw comparisons in practice between our two countries. Furthermore, we observed interactions between clinicians and patients which allowed us to appreciate the delivery of patient care in each clinic.
A welcome dinner was hosted for us on our first night with a large number of staff and students present. At the dinner, we shared a presentation about our experiences as dental students in Manchester. It was fun to socialise with all the new staff and students as we shared interesting insights into our different backgrounds.
On the following day, we spent our morning observing surgeries under general anaesthesia. We were also given an opportunity to practise intubation on a mannequin! The university had designated rooms that were separated from the theatre using a glass panel, where students could sit and observe the procedures from. These rooms also had screens that displayed a magnified view of the ongoing procedure with the help of cameras attached to the lights over the patient bed.
We thought that this was an incredible way to enhance the learning experience for students! In the afternoon, we rotated around the hospital’s home-visit dental care unit, implant clinic, radiology clinic, and general dentistry clinics. It was amazing to see a portable dental unit that clinicians could use to treat patients in their homes!
We were also super excited to practise drilling and placing implants in jaw models at the implant clinic. And we were impressed by the portable x-ray cameras that were demonstrated to us at the radiology clinics! At the end of the day, we met with the director of the hospital who presented us with certificates for completing the clinical exchange.
Over the following two days, the student council planned some fun activities for us! On the first day, we took a day trip to Bijin Bayashi forest, enjoying a scenic trek accompanied by the distinct sounds of cicadas, which added to the serene atmosphere. We also dined with the student council at a Japanese restaurant that featured traditional seating arrangements!
Thereafter, we travelled to the Kiyotsu Gorge, which was truly breathtaking with its steep cliffs and crystal-clear river flowing through the narrow canyon. On the second day, the student council showed us around Niigata city! We visited the Hakusan shrine, where they shared insights into the local culture and traditions.
We also visited the Niigata City History Museum where we learned about the rich history of the city. The students also showed us around the Niigata Saitou Villa, where we enjoyed sipping matcha tea while appreciating the traditional architecture and serene view of the garden. We spent the rest of the day with the students at the Round1 amusement centre where we enjoyed competing at different games and indoor sports such as bull-riding, go-karting, inflatable volleyball, air hockey and much more!
At the end of the day, we visited a karaoke bar, where we had a great time singing our favourite tunes and sharing laughs together. Once the exchange was concluded in Niigata, we travelled back to Tokyo and spent a few more days exploring the city before we travelled back home.
We are immensely thankful for the hospitality of all the staff and students, whose efforts made our stay enjoyable and truly unforgettable! And we are especially thankful for the Manchester School of Dentistry and SOMANDA for making such opportunities available to us students!