Message from the Representative Directors

At the time, Mr. Hiroo Kaneda, who was the president of Sunstar, was concerned about the oral health condition of children, especially their dental caries prevalence rate, 97% of whom had cavities. With the desire to "ensure that all people can spend their lives in good health with their own teeth" for the rest of their lives, he therefore established the "Sunstar Foundation for Dental Health Promotion " in July 1977 with the aim of properly disseminating the importance of oral health and improving the oral health literacy of the general public in Japan.

Since then, the foundation has been committed to "oral health leads to overall health." Based on this concept, we have carried out various oral health support activities. In particular, in the field of periodontal disease, the foundation has been involved in activities to promote and support periodontal research around the world, such as holding the Kobe Portside Symposium in 1986 to look forward to the future prospects for the control of periodontal disease, and the Sunstar Chapel Hill Symposium in 1997 to discuss on periodontal disease and human health: new directions in periodontal medicine.
In addition, the "Japan-U.S. Expert Panel on Systemic Health, Diabetes, and Oral Health" held in Karuizawa in July 2008 had a significant impact on our foundation activities. Diabetes and periodontal disease specialists and researchers from Japan and the United States were convened at this meeting, and the following agreements were reached on "medical-dental collaboration," which is important for elucidating the relationship between oral health and overall health.

1. Situation of systemic health, diabetes, and oral health in each country and characteristics and response to globalization
2. Promoting Joslin Sunstar Diabetes Education Initiative (JSDEI)
3. Scholarship program for the development of young researchers
4. Promoting information sharing between medical and dental communities
5. Utilizing health-related websites for people's awareness activities

Following the Karuizawa 2008 Conference, the foundation changed its name to the Sunstar Foundation in April 2011, and in cooperation with operating companies, it conducts education and awareness-raising activities not only for experts but also for the general public for the prevention of diabetes and other lifestyle-related diseases, academic lectures, research grants and awards, and human resource development including on-site training. The foundation has also been working to provide new information with the aim of contributing to the health and wellness management of operating companies.
The foundation will continue to believe that the mission of the Sunstar Foundation is to "look at the health of the whole body from the health of the mouth", and the foundation will continue to contribute to the maintenance and promotion of the overall health of people in Japan and around the world, as well as the development of health and medical care, while accurately grasping trends in science and technology around the world and advances in the field of medicine and medical care.
On behalf of the Sunstar Foundation, I sincerely ask for your continued understanding and support for the activities of the Sunstar Foundation.