Observing society from the oral cavity—Exploring the optimal systems to address health disparities

Did you know that the oral cavity contains a wealth of information related to overall health? I am conducting research on the relationship between individual health conditions and social factors as a dental hygienist using public health knowledge I gained through graduate studies overseas. I spoke with Professor Kino, who is currently a professor at the Graduate school of the Institute of Science Tokyo, about her career progression and the evolution of her research.

I am interested in health disparities based on social status, and I use data to investigate the factors of diseases and health conditions to explore how they connect to social factors. With my dental hygienist qualifications, I continue to conduct research focused on oral health disparities at the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences in the Science Tokyo.

I became interested in health disparities during my time as an undergraduate student in the School of Oral Health Care Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University. During clinical training at the hospital, I realized that while some patients, despite their diverse economic situations, are able to visit the dentist regularly for preventive care even when they are healthy, there are also people who only seek dental care once their oral condition has deteriorated. The question that arose from this experience has remained the central axis of my research to this day.

Originally, I aspired to become a dental hygienist because I was attracted not to curing illnesses, but to preventive medicine, which aims to further enhance health. At the time, it was rare to have the opportunity to earn both a dental hygienist qualification and a social worker qualification* at a university, and I found this appealing, so I chose Tokyo Medical and Dental University. For my undergraduate research, I conducted an interview survey on the oral conditions in elderly care facilities. I learned to perform studies, analyze data, and perform other research tasks, and the option of pursuing a career in research rather than clinical practice emerged. Additionally, through clinical training and undergraduate research, my interest in the relationship between social factors and health deepened, leading me to want to study overall health and systemic diseases beyond dentistry and oral health.

• For students admitted in 2020 and after to the Course for Oral Health Care Sciences in the Department of Oral Health Care Sciences, the system for qualifying for the national examination for Certified Social Workers has been discontinued.

I felt that in order to make use of my dental hygienist qualifications, it was necessary to have clinical experience as well as research experience. Therefore, after graduating from university, I chose to work as a dental hygienist at the Tokyo Medical and Dental University Dental Hospital while attending Juntendo University's graduate school for working professionals in the evenings. In graduate school, I studied health under the guidance of a professor I met in a course during my undergraduate years and obtained a master's degree in health science. Spurred on by repeated encouragement from my professor, who told me that I was well suited for studying abroad, I decided to pursue graduate studies overseas as the next step in my career.

Until then, I had never considered studying abroad, so I started studying English first. I began attending an English conversation school near my home, and prior to studying at Southampton, I also attended a language school in the UK. Through connections with the graduate school in Juntendo University, I studied at the University of Southampton for six months as a research assistant. Without any research quotas and while attending health-related classes, I started feeling that I wanted to bring back some results, so I consulted with a university professor about my desired research plan. The professor recommended King’s College London, which has a world-class dental school, and in 2012, I enrolled in the Dental Public Health MSc. This marked the start of my full-fledged research life abroad.

At that time, my research theme was the impact of national systems and policies on individual health. I was researching the relationship between the healthcare systems and educational systems in each country and individuals' health conditions. In Europe, datasets have been collected at the same standard from dozens of countries with different social systems. After completing the Dental Public Health MSc, I briefly considered returning to Japan to conduct research. However, because of the advantage of having easier access to comparable data, I ultimately decided to pursue a doctoral program at King’s College London. I decided to continue research on the same theme as my master's program.

In the course of studying the differences among various European countries, I realized that health disparities persist in every country. What kind of systems are necessary to eliminate these disparities? At that time, I focused on “Obamacare,” formally known as the Affordable Care Act, which was enacted in the United States. This is a system in which the government bears medical expenses so that all citizens can enroll in health insurance.

Subsequently, being invited by Professor Ichiro Kawachi, a leading figure in the field of epidemiology whom I met at a conference during my doctoral studies, also marked a significant turning point, leading me to relocate to Harvard University in the United States in 2017. As a Special Overseas Research Fellow of the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, I spent three years at Harvard University as a postdoctoral researcher, utilizing a scholarship to advance my research on whether Obamacare reduces health disparities.

In 2020, I returned to Japan due to giving birth. In 2022, I returned to my alma mater as an assistant professor in the Department of Oral Health Promotion in the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University. After that, I was appointed as a lecturer through my university's career advancement system. After taking a career break following the birth of my second child, I have been serving as a professor of Preventive Oral Health Care Sciences since 2024.

I did not have a clear career vision, but at each milestone, I received advice from those around me, chose what I wanted to do, and took on challenges. As a female researcher, I faced challenges in advancing my career, but I was able to build my career without giving up on childbirth, childrearing, or research. Drawing on that experience, I hope to become a source of encouragement for the next generation of women aspiring to careers as researchers.

Research and nurturing the next generation
Broadening the scope of research from multiple perspectives

Research conducted in the United States suggested that Obamacare could contribute to reducing health disparities. In response to this, I am currently focusing my research on the welfare support system in Japan, with a particular focus on the public assistance system. Beyond these studies, I ultimately aim to develop a social system that addresses and corrects health disparities across Japan. However, since becoming a professor in 2024, I am spending more time on student guidance and education in addition to personal research. In order to further develop the research field, I would like to focus on contributing not only with an active role but also as a supporter in the education and development of the next generation.

In 2009, after graduating from the Department of Oral Health Care Sciences in the Faculty of Dentistry at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, worked as a dental hygienist at a university hospital while studying health science in a graduate program for working professionals. After completing the master's program, studied abroad at the University of Southampton in the UK, which served as a stepping stone to further studies at King's College London. Completed the master’s degree program and the doctoral degree program. After working as a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, returned to Japan upon marriage. After serving as an assistant professor and lecturer (career advancement system) in the Department of Oral Health Promotion in the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University, an appointment as a professor in the Preventive Oral Health Care Sciences was made starting in 2024.

2005

Enrolled in the School of Oral Health Care Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

2009

Graduated from the School of Oral Health Care Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Worked as a dental hygienist at Tokyo Medical and Dental University Hospital, while studying in the master’s program in Health Science at the Graduate School of Health and Sports Science at Juntendo University.

2011

Completed the master's program at Juntendo University, undertook a six-month study program at the University of Southampton in the UK in preparation for further graduate studies abroad.

2012

Enrolled in the Dental Public Health MSc in the Faculty of Dentistry at King’s College London.

2014

Completed the master’s program and progressed to a PhD in the Faculty of Dentistry at King’s College London.

2017

Completed the doctoral program and relocated to the United States. Served as a postdoctoral fellow at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

2020

Returned to Japan due to giving birth. Affiliated with the graduate schools of the University of Tokyo and Kyoto University as a JSPS Research Fellow.

2022

Served as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Oral Health Promotion in the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

2023

Appointed as lecturer (career advancement system) in the Department of Oral Health Promotion in the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

2024

Appointed Professor in Preventive Oral Health Care Sciences in the Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences at Tokyo Medical and Dental University.

Date of interview: November 4, 2025 / Yushima Campus

• Shiho Kino｜Science Tokyo Research Information DB
• Course for Oral Health Care Sciences
• Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences