Dear Members and Colleagues,

It is my great pleasure to greet you as the 9th President of the Korean Academy of Dental Sciences (KADS).

KADS brings together 40 specialty societies spanning every discipline of dentistry — from oral and maxillofacial surgery, conservative dentistry, prosthodontics, and orthodontics, to pediatric dentistry, periodontology, oral medicine, and oral and maxillofacial radiology. Within this Academy are those who have devoted themselves to cultivating each of these fields with depth and dedication. That diversity is the true strength of KADS. When each of our 40 societies takes pride in its own identity, and when they communicate and collaborate, the combined force for the advancement of dentistry will be greater than any one of us could achieve alone.

The environment surrounding dentistry is changing rapidly. Digital technologies and artificial intelligence have already made their way into the clinic, while stem cell therapies and regenerative medicine are redefining the very concept of treatment. These changes will become opportunities for those who are prepared — and risks for those who are not. By bringing together the deep scholarly capabilities of our member societies, KADS will be a community that does not follow change, but leads it. We will also strengthen our collaboration with the broader dental industry — encompassing dental devices, digital solutions, and biomaterials — to cultivate an ecosystem where academia and industry grow together. When knowledge born in the laboratory finds its way into real products and treatments, the foundation of Korean dentistry as a whole will be broadened.

In the area of dental healthcare policy, KADS will take on a more active role. Issues such as fee structures, insurance coverage, dental workforce, and the promotion of national oral health can no longer be left solely to administrative processes. Drawing on the highest level of scholarly expertise in the dental field, we will speak with an evidence-based voice and fulfill our role as a genuine think tank in the policymaking process. We will serve as a bridge — ensuring that the clinical and research experience accumulated across our 40 specialty societies is translated into the language of policy.

KADS will also broaden its engagement with the global dental community. Building on the trust already established with dental academic societies across Asia-Pacific, the Americas, and Europe, we will further invigorate joint research and scholarly exchange. We will actively support our members in publishing in international journals and participating in global conferences, so that the excellence of Korean dental research and clinical practice receives the recognition it deserves on the world stage. Our goal is not simply to embrace global standards — it is to become one of the forces that shapes them.

Your trust as members is our greatest strength. Just as everything each of you has built in your own corner of dentistry has come together to make KADS what it is today, the tomorrow we will create together is something I look forward to with great anticipation. I sincerely ask for your continued interest and participation.

Thank you.

Bu-Kyu Lee, D.D.S., M.S.D., Ph.D.
President, Korean Academy of Dental Sciences