The Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM), has provided academic guidance for the establishment of the Pediatric Dentistry Specialist Education Program (Program Pendidikan Dokter Gigi Spesialis/PPDGS) at the Faculty of Dentistry, Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta (FKG UMY), on Tuesday (23/12). The guidance focused on discussions regarding academic readiness, study program governance, and compliance with national standards for PPDGS education.
The Dean of FKG UGM, Prof. drg. Suryono, S.H., M.M., Ph.D., emphasized that FKG UGM is prepared to actively support higher education institutions committed to opening specialist dental education programs. According to him, this initiative reflects an academic responsibility to strengthen the national dental education system.
“FKG UGM is ready to guide and assist the establishment of PPDGS programs to ensure they operate in accordance with established standards and maintain educational quality. This effort is also our contribution to addressing the need for dental specialists in Indonesia,” said Prof. Suryono.
Meanwhile, the Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta, Prof. Dr. Achmad Nurmandi, M.Sc., expressed his appreciation for FKG UGM’s willingness to serve as the mentoring institution. He noted that guidance from an experienced faculty is essential to ensure the sustainability and quality of specialist study programs.
“Muhammadiyah manages 128 hospitals across Indonesia. However, the current number of dental specialists is still insufficient to meet service demands. As a result, patients often have to wait a long time to receive treatment,” stated UMY Rector Achmad Nurmandi.
A similar view was conveyed by the Dean of FKG UMY, drg. Edwyn Saleh, Sp.BMM., MARS. He emphasized the urgency of establishing a Pediatric Dentistry PPDGS, considering the high demand for pediatric dental services, particularly for children with special needs.
“Nationally, there are currently only five Pediatric Dentistry PPDGS programs. This number is far below the existing service needs,” explained drg. Edwyn.
In terms of institutional readiness, drg. Edwyn stated that FKG UMY has prepared the UMY Dental and Oral Hospital (RSGM UMY) as an educational facility. In addition, clinical practice is supported through collaboration with Dr. Sardjito General Hospital, a Type A teaching hospital, under an agreement valid until 2028.
During this guidance process, the FKG UGM team also provided strategic direction on curriculum strengthening, human resource preparation, and governance of the PPDGS implementation to ensure alignment with regulations and national education standards. This assistance is expected to safeguard educational quality amid the acceleration of specialist program development.
The involvement of FKG UGM in the planning process for establishing the Pediatric Dentistry PPDGS at Universitas Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta reaffirms its role as a reference institution in the development of dental specialist education, while also encouraging inter-faculty collaboration to strengthen Indonesia’s dental education and healthcare services.
Contributor: FKG UGM Cooperation Unit, Writer: Fajar Budi Harsakti
