Indonesia continues to face longstanding challenges in oral health. Public visits to dentists remain below 10 percent. This situation is influenced not only by public fear or hesitation but also by the limited number and uneven distribution of dentists, particularly in remote areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEveryone has teeth, but not everyone has access to a dentist,\u201d remarked the UGM Rector in her address. This reality underscores why UNP\u2019s initiative to establish and develop dental education is viewed as a national strategic move, not merely an institutional interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Learning from UGM\u2019s People-Centered Tradition<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In his remarks, UNP Rector Dr. Ir. Krismadinata, S.T., M.T., emphasized that choosing UGM as a partner was deliberate. Beyond its internationally recognized academic and research reputation, UGM is known for a distinctive characteristic that is difficult to replicate: its strong commitment to community-oriented education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UGM has long been recognized for producing medical professionals willing to serve in remote areas. UNP seeks to adopt this value\u2014shaping future dentists who excel not only in competence but also in social empathy and dedication to service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want to ensure that future dental graduates are not merely professionals pursuing comfort, but individuals who truly love their profession and serve the community,\u201d the UNP leader stated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More Than a Signature on Paper<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Both institutions agreed that the cooperation agreement must not remain a mere administrative document. Follow-up plans include joint lectures, collaborative research, co-authored scientific publications, and integrated community service programs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As the mentoring institution, UGM affirmed its commitment to provide serious and rigorous guidance. Although such an approach is sometimes perceived as \u201cdemanding,\u201d it serves as a quality assurance mechanism to ensure that the development of dental education proceeds comprehensively and sustainably.<\/p>\n\n\n\n UGM\u2019s experience mentoring newly established dental faculties in various regions has demonstrated promising outcomes, including high graduation rates among early cohorts\u2014evidence that consistent guidance accelerates institutional maturity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Building an Ecosystem for Oral Health Education<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n More broadly, the UNP\u2013UGM partnership reflects a new direction for higher education development\u2014particularly in oral health\u2014in Indonesia: collaborative, quality-based, and community-oriented. Universities are no longer working in isolation, but strengthening one another to address national challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Amid the continuing shortage and uneven distribution of dentists, this collaboration is expected to become a model for inter-university partnerships in producing professional, ethical, and service-oriented healthcare providers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ultimately, this partnership is not only about UNP and UGM, but about how higher education plays an active role in ensuring the public\u2019s fundamental right to accessible and quality oral healthcare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Reporter: Andri Wicaksono, Photographer: Fajar Budi Harsakti)<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yogyakarta, 6 Januari 2026 Penandatanganan Perjanjian Kerja Sama (PKS) antara Fakultas Kedokteran Gigi Universitas Gadjah Mada (FKG UGM) dan Fakultas Kedokteran Universitas Negeri Padang (FK UNP) bukan sekadar seremoni akademik. Kerja sama ini menandai upaya strategis memperkuat fondasi pendidikan dokter gigi nasional di tengah masih timpangnya akses layanan kesehatan gigi di Indonesia. Penandatanganan dilaksanakan oleh […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":295,"featured_media":16962,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[298,307,289,291],"class_list":["post-16961","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-berita-terbaru","tag-sdg-10-mengurangi-ketidaksetaraan","tag-sdg-17-kemitraan-untuk-mencapai-tujuan","tag-sdg-3-kesehatan-dan-kesejahteraan-yang-baik","tag-sdg-4-pendidikan-berkualitas"],"gutentor_comment":0,"yoast_head":"\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/fkg.ugm.ac.id\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/30\/2026\/01\/image.jpeg\")
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