By V. Sivaji
Penang Chief Minister YAB Chow Kon Yeow graced the opening ceremony of the 10th International College of Dentists (ICD) Section XV and the World Stomatology Institute (WSI) at the Setia SPICE Convention Centre.
Some 1,600 delegates and speakers from all over the world are attending the gathering.
Present was Adjunct Professor Dato’ Dr. How Kim Chuan, organizing chairman and President of ICD Section XV and WSI; along with Ian Doyle ( Canada president), YB V. Sivakumar, Member of Parliament for Batu Gajah, Ashwin Gunasekeran, CEO of Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau among others.
The participants, delegates and exhibitors are from countries like Japan, South Korea, Pakistan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Hong Kong and many more.The delegation from China make up the biggest participation in the conference.
In his opening address, Chow said that Penang is deeply honored to host this meaningful occasion. With delegates from all over the world, this conference reflects the power of international collaboration in shaping the future of healthcare, not just in ideas, but in action.
“The theme of this year’s conference, “New Era of Digital Al Technology in Medicine and Dentistry,” could not be more relevant. We are standing at the frontier of a technological revolution.
” And let me say this candidly, while we may still be catching up in some areas, the possibilities ahead of us are tremendously exciting. Al (Artificial Intelligence) has the potential to completely transform how we practice dentistry in Malaysia.
“Al can help close the gap in rural and underserved areas through tools like teledentistry and mobile diagnostics. This is not science fiction anymore; it’s the future, and it’s already here,” said Chow.
The conference is supported by the Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH), the Malaysia Convention & Exhibition Bureau (MYCEB), and the Penang Convention & Exhibition Bureau (PCEB). It is also strongly backed by a host of Malaysia’s leading academic institutions including Universiti Malaya (UM), Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman (UTAR), MAHSA University, IMST University, SEGi University, International Islamic University Malaysia (HUM), and the Penang International Dental College (PIDC). The gathering will end on April 20, 2025.
