At Shinagawa Lasik and Aesthetics, we are always looking for ways to innovate and give our clients only the best. It is a vision we share with internationally renowned Orthodontist, Dr. Kiyoshi Tai. 2015 marks the third year we have invited him to share his expertise in the field of Orthodontics and it has been the most successful one yet.
When we caught up with him for a quick chat at the Shinagawa clinic, we found him to be accommodating and gracious. With an impressive career such as his, it was refreshing to be welcomed with such humility. “I graduated from Dental School of Tokushima University and had my training at the Prosthetic Department of Okayama University Dental School. In 1997, he completed his course at the Orthodontic Department of the same institution.”
In 2000, he established his private practice in Okayama. He established Sakura Dori Orthodontic Clinic five years later. He shares, “I established my private practice through building trust.” And it’s this type of patience and the value he places on establishing good relationships with both colleagues and clients which have been the foundation of his lauded career.
In 2004, he was named Japanese Specialist of Orthodontics by The Japan Institute of Orthodontists. “Well, I began as a prosthetics and became a specialist. “I believe in separating General Dentistry with being a Dental Specialist.”
He completed his PhD in 2012 at Okayama Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Reconstructive Surgery, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, in Japan. In the same year, he was a named a Japanese Qualified Orthodontist by The Japanese Orthodontic society.
As an awarded researcher and author, Dr. Kiyoshi Tai has co-authored numerous research papers and articles tackling relevant breakthroughs in the field of Orthodontics. In 2011, he was given a Joseph E. Johnson Table Clinic Award for a research article he co-authored with Jae Hyun Park, D.M.D., M.S.D., M.S., Ph.D of A.T. Still University in Arizona, USA.
His noteworthy accomplishments extend to the academe as well. He was a visiting professor at the Postgraduate Orthodontic Program, Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health, A.T. Still University in Mesa, Arizona. He was also part of the faculty at the Graduate School of Dentistry at Kyung Hee University in Seoul, Korea. He has lectured internationally on Orthodontics.
But with the rapid changes that are continuing to reshape the practice of Dentistry and Orthodontics across the globe, it is important for veteran practitioners such as Dr. Kiyoshi Tai to keep up. “I attend meetings and conferences around the world to stay up-to-date. These events are a good chance to learn.”
When he delivered a lecture at the UP Manila College of Dentistry, the alumni and faculty alike were enlightened and encouraged. With over 50 students and Dental practitioners from various top universities in attendance, Dr. Kiyoshi Tai was inspired by the impressive reception.
Aside from teaching them about the latest advancements in the practice of Orthodontics, he cited actual cases using data gathered over a number of years and through extensive research.
When asked what knowledge and skills he would like to impart to young Dental practitioners, he stated simply but with passion, “They must learn to believe in their convictions and make an effort to be part of a community. Always focus on the patient. Never stop learning.”
