As part of the Intercontinental Partnership Summit in Dentistry 2026, held in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Regional Summit and the 3rd International Dental Summer Course (IDSC) 2026, the Faculty of Dentistry, Hasanuddin University (FDHU) welcomed a distinguished delegation of dental academics from Malaysia to strengthen international collaboration in oral health research and academic exchange.
The Malaysian delegation included Prof. Dr. Nor Adinar Baharuddin, Professor Dr. Noor Hayaty Binti Abu Kasim, Dr. Ainol Haniza Binti Kherul Anuwar, and Dr. Alias Bin Abd Aziz from the Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, together with Prof. Dr. Siti Lailatul Akma Zainuddin from Manipal University College Malaysia (MUCM). Their visit reflected a shared commitment to advancing collaborative research, particularly in periodontal epidemiology and public oral health.
One of the major activities during the visit was the validity and reliability testing of the Indonesian version of the Self-Reported Oral Health (SROH) questionnaire, as part of an ongoing collaborative epidemiological research project between the Department of Periodontology, Faculty of Dentistry, Hasanuddin University and international partners from Malaysia. The study focuses on the cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the SROH questionnaire for periodontal health, ensuring that the instrument is culturally appropriate, linguistically accurate, and scientifically reliable for use among the Indonesian population.
The research activities were conducted at the Hasanuddin University Dental Hospital, where faculty members, postgraduate students, and researchers from both countries worked together throughout the data collection and validation process. Beyond strengthening the quality of the research instrument, the collaboration provided an opportunity to exchange expertise in research methodology, epidemiology, and evidence-based oral healthcare.
The project represents an important milestone toward establishing standardized tools for assessing self-reported periodontal health across different cultural settings. Once validated, the Indonesian SROH questionnaire is expected to support multicenter epidemiological studies, facilitate international comparisons of oral health outcomes, and contribute to the development of evidence-based strategies for improving periodontal health in the region.
In addition to the collaborative research activities, the Malaysian delegation participated in academic discussions with faculty members to explore future opportunities for joint research, multicenter studies, scientific publications, postgraduate supervision, and researcher mobility. These discussions reinforced the long-standing academic relationships between the participating institutions and laid the foundation for broader international collaboration in oral health sciences. The visit also featured a guest lecture by Professor Dr. Noor Hayaty Binti Abu Kasim, who shared her expertise with faculty members, clinicians, researchers, and students of the Faculty of Dentistry, Hasanuddin University. The session encouraged scientific discussion and highlighted emerging developments in restorative dentistry and collaborative clinical research, further strengthening academic exchange between the institutions.
According to the organizing committee, the collaboration reflects the Faculty of Dentistry, Hasanuddin University’s commitment to building sustainable international partnerships that address regional oral health challenges through high-quality research and academic cooperation. By bringing together experts from leading Malaysian institutions, the initiative not only enhances research capacity but also creates valuable opportunities for knowledge sharing and future collaborative innovation. The activities form part of the Faculty’s broader internationalization strategy, which emphasizes multidisciplinary research, global academic networking, and collaborative solutions to improve oral health across Southeast Asia. Through partnerships such as these, the Faculty of Dentistry, Hasanuddin University, continues to expand its role as an internationally connected institution dedicated to excellence in education, research, and community service.
This collaboration supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3: Good Health and Well-Being, particularly efforts to promote health and prevent disease through stronger research, evidence-based healthcare, and improved access to quality health information. By validating an oral health assessment tool for the Indonesian population and strengthening regional research collaboration, the initiative contributes to better understanding of periodontal health and the development of evidence-based strategies to improve oral health outcomes. It also supports SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals by strengthening international academic and research partnerships between Indonesia and Malaysia.
