Satoru Toyosawa（2022-2023）

I am Satoru Toyosawa. I am appointed President of the Japanese Society of Oral Pathology (JSOP) from FY 2022 to FY 2023. It is my pleasure to welcome you by introducing the JSOP. Our academy contributes to the advancement of life sciences by expanding the horizon of dental, oral, and maxillofacial medicine. For this purpose, we encourage pathogenetic research and develop pathological diagnostics.

The oral cavity is the entrance to the digestive, respiratory, and vocal tracts. It regulates a variety of functions such as mastication (chewing), deglutition (swallowing), phonation (speech), and respiration (breathing). Cancers and other pathologic conditions of the mouth often impair these functions and thus significantly decrease the patients’ quality of life. Such diseases should be detected and treated early. In addition to dental caries and periodontal diseases, patients may develop various other adverse conditions of the teeth, gums, mucous membranes, maxillary and mandibular bones, salivary glands, and other parts of the mouth. Unlike the digestive, respiratory, urinary, circulatory, and other internal organ systems, the oral and maxillofacial region allows for direct visual inspection and palpation to assess for lesions in the primary care setting.

Effective diagnostic testing is the basis for early detection and treatment. Tissue specimens taken from suspected lesions are subjected to microscopic examination, and the resultant diagnosis of pathologies and their stages informs treatment approaches. Tissue samples may also be subjected to proteomic and genomic analyses for diagnosis and treatment decision-making. Through case presentation seminars and other academic activities, the JSOP helps its members improve their diagnostic abilities. It also conducts and supports research and education on oral pathologies. These activities aim to contribute to societal well-being.

More specifically, our academy holds scientific conferences and diagnostic training workshops every year. It also publishes The Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Medicine, and Pathology in cooperation with related academic societies. Our academy’s website provides a “Basic Atlas of Oral Pathology” as learning material for healthcare providers and the general public. These activities are part of the academy’s efforts regarding knowledge dissemination, communication, and education. Moreover, members of the academy participate in the development and revision of The General Rules for Clinical Studies on Head and Neck Cancer published by the Japan Society for Head and Neck Cancer, The General Rules for Clinical and Pathological Studies on Oral Cancer published by the Japanese Society of Oral Oncology, and The World Health Organization Classification of Head and Neck Tumors.

Our academy will pursue the following goals while consolidating its current direction:

1. Demonstrate the utility of oral cancer diagnostic testing for early detection and treatment and raise public awareness of oral cancer screening.
2. Standardize the pathological diagnostic criteria for dental, oral, and maxillofacial diseases.
3. Facilitate the use of information and communication technologies (ICT) to offer members greater opportunities to improve their diagnostic abilities and to reach out to various segments of the public.
4. Create and implement pathology-related educational programs to foster the next generation of oral pathologists in cooperation with relevant academic societies.

My fellow members and I are determined to contribute to further advancement of this academy. We sincerely ask for your support and cooperation.