PENANG, 12 February 2016 – Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) academic excellence and expertise in the field of dentistry has been highly recognised by Meichen Quanmin (Shandong) Hospital Investment Co. Ltd. (MEICHEN), China and was selected to help train their dentists.

The smart collaboration was made possible through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed earlier today between USM and MEICHEN which enabled the strategic cooperation to be expanded to train more dental specialists in China.

USM Vice-Chancellor, Professor Dato' Dr. Omar Osman said, the collaboration which started last year, was able to provide clinical training to the dentists from MEICHEN at USM School of Dental Sciences (PPSG) in Kubang Kerian Health Campus, in order to equip them with the necessary knowledge and to improve their level of expertise.

“They will then go back to China and use whatever knowledge and expertise acquired here to train their juniors and colleagues.

“Besides that, USM will send local dental specialists to MEICHEN to help train their dentists by conducting hands-on courses besides sharing expertise with more trainees in the hospital.

"We are also looking at the possibility of setting up a joint training centre in China that would benefit both parties and eventually would extend the training opportunities to interested dentists from other countries as well," said Omar.

Omar signed the MoU on behalf of USM while MEICHEN was represented by its Chief Executive Officer, Liu Yuguang.

Among those present at the ceremony were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Industry and Community Network) Professor Dato’ Dr. See Ching Mey, Dean of PPSG Professor Dr. Adam Husein, the Founding Dean of PPSG who is now working as the Director of University Dental Hospital of Sharjah, United Arab Emirates (UAE) Professor Dato' Dr. Ab. Rani Samsudin and wife.

Omar added that this collaboration also aimed to strengthen the education and development programmes for doctors and professionals, promote the exchange of clinical staff and students, and so forth.

Meanwhile, according to Liu Yuguang, the demand for dental treatment in China is ever increasing in tandem with the current developments in China.

"In the past, dental treatment is requested and given to the wealthy only but now it has become a desired service that is affordable to the entire community in China. Besides that, there were not many dental specialists before the 1990’s as there were only four institutions offering dental education and training in China at that time.

"As the country prospers further, the demand for better healthcare services including dental services also increases, hence we need to train more dental specialists to enable them to give the best treatment to the community there," he said.

Liu Yuguang also expressed his excitement and delight to work with USM which is widely recognised as one of the leading universities in Malaysia.

He further cited that MEICHEN shall provide funding and market opportunities while USM will share its experiences, knowledge and expertise in keeping abreast with modern dentistry.

“As we proceed in this collaboration, we are also planning to partner USM to establish a USM affiliated dental hospital in Malaysia that will provide a platform for exchange programmes to encourage the sharing of knowledge, expertise and methodologies among the specialists internationally; increase the employment opportunities of USM graduates; further improve the level of dental skills in Malaysia; and to enhance the social and financial benefits of USM.

"I hope that this partnership will open doors for more future collaboration opportunities between both parties as well as further strengthen ties between Malaysia and China," he added.

Translation: Tan Ewe Hoe

Text: Marziana Mohamed Alias / Photos: Mohd Fairus Md. Isa