Prof. Dr. drg. Yosi Kusuma Eriwati, M.Si. was inaugurated as Permanent Professor in the Field of Dental Materials Science, Faculty of Dentistry (FKG), Universitas Indonesia (UI). The inauguration procession, led directly by the Rector of UI, Prof. Ari Kuncoro, S.E., M.A., Ph.D., was held on Wednesday (29/11), at the UI Convention Hall, Depok Campus. Prof. Yosi was officially inaugurated as a professor after delivering a scientific oration entitled “Optimizing Dental and Oral Care Using Contemporary Dental Materials”.
In her speech, Prof. Yosi said that the development of clinical dentistry, in fact, is the development of dental materials and production technology that are always renewable. The discovery of dental materials is not just about repairing cavities, but also a way to create solutions to ensure the biocompatibility and durability of the materials used so that the long-term health of patients is improved.
Currently, the classes of materials used in dentistry include metals, polymers, ceramics and composites. Metals have long been chosen for their strength and durability; polymers for their flexibility and adaptability; ceramics for their hardness and aesthetic beauty; and composites for their versatility and ability to mimic the appearance of natural teeth. Each material has a unique and specific role in clinical care, and proper selection of the material can have a major impact on treatment outcomes.
The physical, mechanical and chemical properties of the material must be a reference in clinical use. To understand it, there needs to be a basic study of materials science regarding the relationship between material structure, composition and properties, manufacturing/synthesis process, and performance/application/cost. According to Prof. Yosi, the application of this knowledge in daily practice allows modern restorative dentistry to significantly increase its efficiency and effectiveness.
“This leads to improved clinical success and post-treatment prognosis, and makes an immeasurable contribution to the conservation of natural teeth. Conservation of the patient’s natural teeth is one of the main goals in dental treatment,” said Prof. Yosi.
Today’s dental materials are categorized based on their function. First, preventive materials which include toothpaste, fluoride varnish, pit and fissure sealant, mouthwash, remineralization agent, and glass ionomer. Second, restoration materials consisting of glass ionomer, composite resin, as well as direct and indirect restoration materials. Third, auxiliary materials, namely materials used to make dental prostheses, such as metal/alloy, ceramic, wax, gypsum, cast planting material, impression material, and acrylic resin.
These materials are very “smart” and responsive to the environment, thus they can provide breakthroughs in dental services and treatments with better clinical impacts. However, the dental materials market in Indonesia is still dominated by imported goods, with more than 95% of products coming from abroad. There are limited domestic industries that produce materials, such as plaster, alginate and bone graft.
According to Prof. Yosi, dentists’ dependence on imported products not only limits the progress of the local industry, but also increases the cost of treatment for patients. Therefore, increased research and collaboration with industry are needed to produce high quality products that dental health practitioners in Indonesia can rely on.
“Supposedly, the opportunity for development of the dental materials industry in Indonesia is very large because Indonesia’s population is in fourth place in the world with the number of dentists reaching 44,163 (as of 11 November 2023). Synergistic collaboration between academics/researchers, health professionals and the industrial sector can encourage the birth of various innovations to address dental and oral health challenges,” said Prof. Yosi.
Prior to this research, Prof. Yosi also researches various topics regarding dental materials. Some of them are Comparative Evaluation of Compressive Strength and Flexural Strength in Microhybrid Composite Resins (2023); Growth Inhibition of Streptococcus Mutans by Fluoride Varnish Containing Averrhoa Bilimbi L. and Piper Crocatum Leaves Extract (2022); and Acid Buffer Capacity and Compressive Strength of Bioactive Restorative Materials in The Cariogenic pH Solution (2022).
Prof. Yosi studied Dentistry at UI (1979); Masters in Materials Science, UI Postgraduate Program of Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (1991); and PhD in Materials Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences UI (2003). She served as Dean of FKG UI for the 2014–2018 period, Chair of the Dentistry Materials Science Department (2008–2013), and Non-Academic Deputy Dean of FKG UI (2004–2008). Apart from that, from 2018 until now, she has been active as a Research Visitor at Ivoclar-Vivadent Inc and SUNY at Buffalo, Buffalo, USA.
The inauguration procession of professor Prof. Yosi was also attended by the Chairman of the UI Board of Trustees (MWA) for the 2019–2023 period, Saleh Husin, S.E., M.Si.; Member of the UI MWA for Education Personnel, Luluk Tri Wulandari, M.Hum.; Research Professor at the LIPI Political Research Center, Prof. Dr. Nusa Bhakti Pledge; UI Vice Rector 2 for the 2007–2013 period, Dr. Tafsir Nurchamid; Dean of the UI Faculty of Humanities for the 2017–2021 period, Dr. Adrianus Laurens Gerung Waworuntu; Dean of the UI Faculty of Psychology for the 2017–2021 period, Dr. Tjut Rifameutia Umar Ali; and Head of Professional Marketing Personal Care Unilever, drg. Ratu Mirah Afifah.
Author: Sasa
