The heart of a leader

http://www.amazon.com/The-Heart-Leader-Insights-Influence/dp/0781445434/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1369315871&sr=8-1&keywords=ken+blanchard+the+heart+of+a+leader

A friend of mine sent me a book "The Heart of a Leader".

You don't have to start from scratch, but read any page you like. The most impressive page for me is the page 62 "Never give in! Never give in! Never give in! Never!"-Winston Churchill. I will re-read this book in a daily commuting train until each word soaks deep into my mind.

development of dental materials

 Things have changed dramatically in dentistry like every field of the world. Today, I treated a patient from UK who lost his front tooth crown. In order to fix the new all ceramic crown, I set a fiber core into the root canal with special adhesive. Then, I took a mold for the new crown. I checked the tooth color using lots of color samples to get good match against neighbouring all ceramic crowns.

 20years ago, I always used metal cores. But, for aesthetic purpose and avoiding root fracture, fiber cores had been invented. Since then, I sometimes has applied them. There are several adhesive materials and I have to choose the best. Lots of information makes me confused, but fortunately, my junior doctor knows well through his dental college hospitals' experience.

 As for new dental materials, each dentist has his own thinking. I must not depend on my past knowledge and have to get appropriate information by word of mouth. Because few dental books show what up-to-date material is and what the best is.

possibility of gaining dental license of other countries

 Can a Japanese dentist get a license of dentist in other countries? Each country has its own rule. To get a license in US, you have to study in a dental college for designated years and pass the exam of each state, like a native student. It sounds the long and winding road. But, some countries are giving an easier chance for foreign dentists. In Australia, the number of dentists is said to be relatively small. Actually, Australia has welcome mode to immigrants of dentist from other countries.

  I went to Gotanda Tokyo to attend an explanation meeting from the tour company"M.I Studies Abroad". The shortest way to get a license of Australia is sending the application form, (if it's accepted), sending IELTS score certificate (reading, listening, writing, speaking score must be over 7(1-9) respectively), written exam of dentistry, and final clinical exam. The clinical test takes 6 days. If all procedures are successful, you are enrolled in Dental Board of Australia and can perform there. Visa is necessary to perform. According to the company, no Japanese dentists has got the license through the process. Foreign dentists who could attain the final are always Korean, Indonesian, Chinese, and other south east countries' dentists. The whole fee of the tests is around 1,000,000 yen except for staying fee.

 The staff said "You can maintain three wives if you succeed as a dentist in Australia". hahaha. Sounds intriguing? Me? My bottleneck is age. They say it may be difficult to get Visa for people over 50. The only thing I can do is just study English and get high score in IELTS. Will dream end in dream?

Making a complete denture...It's fun

 Most Japanese dentists don't carry out teeth arranging in making a complete denture. They usually order that to dental technicians. My mentor always says arranging teeth sould be a dentist work, not technician's. It may look painstaking for some dentists. But, for me, it's really fun. Making a useful device(full denture) from nothing(no real teeth in the mouth) is exciting, imagining the patient's smile.
 In the process, I don't totally rely on my instincts (of course, experience can not be ignored). "Shilla system" which is a kind of occlusion analyser is really helpful in setting the 3D positions of teeth. This will guide you to a nice goal due to the standardization.

wax rim

artificial teeth



arranging upper teeth on Shilla 2

arranging lower teeth on Shilla 3

Mikimoto Pearl Museum

 The Mikimoto Pearl Island is an excellent museum about pearls, pearl cultivation and Mikimoto Kokichi, the first person who succeeded in cultivating pearls. The island is located in the Bay of Toba, accessible via a bridge.
Mikimoto Kokichi was born in Toba in 1858 and became the first person to successfully cultivate pearls in the year 1893. He opened the first Mikimoto Pearl Store in 1899. The Mikimoto Kokichi Memorial Hall introduces his life story. Also located on the island, the Pearl Museum provides detailed explanations about pearls and the cultivation of pearls in Japanese and English. In the adjacent Pearl Plaza you can view and purchase a wide variety of pearl jewelry. The Mikimoto Pearl Island also offers hourly performances by female pearl divers, known as Ama (lit. "sea women"), who have traditionally been planting and harvesting the oysters (and other seafood).

Kokichi Mikimoto

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ama(Sea woman)

Combination of skills, it's fun!

 Collapsed bite cases, which require wide varieties of skill to fix, are challenging for dentists. However, I am excited whenever I face them. In such cases, thinking process for treatments is really fun for me. The case below is the combination of techniques such as diagnosis of occlusion, implant, orthodontic treatment, gum surgery, and crown restoration. The treatment took 2 years. I want to thank the patient for his understanding and cooperation. Without them, I couldn't have reached the goal. I will describe the prosess, step by step later.

before

after

before(lower jaw)

after(fixed by implants, bracing, crowns)

Pursuit of happiness for the patrients and truth for occlusion

 Occlusion is the most basic factor in dentistry. However, there are several different theories. They look different, but the goal is the same? How can a dentist set an ideal occlusion? What is the landmark in oral anatomy? How can a dentist have an appropriate 3D image of occlusion? Are there really science factors in dentistry? What is the truth? Sounds very confusing? Abe's Shilla system must be a solution. Its philosophy is crystal clear without ambiguous explanations. It's really persuasive and useful in actual planning in treatment. I believe I have helped some patients who had eating problems, using the theory. They said they felt A-one after the treatment. I want to continue pursuit of happiness for my patients.

Today's seminar

 I went to Kanda Tokyo to attend a seminar. Dr. Abe is 77 this year, but he is nicely energetic in his lecture and demonstration. After he graduated from Nihon University 50 years ago, he went to USC in US and had great American mentors. He learned complete denture's theory and skills from them. After he returned home, he opened his own dental office in Sendai Japan. Then, he began complete denture seminars not only in Japan but also in Korea and Taiwan. He knows anatomy well and has great knowledge of dental materials. He arranged former skills adding his own ideas and has established new remarkable theory and techniques called Shilla system. He sometimes changed some parts of procedures for making full dentures, because dental materials have developed gradually. I have learned many theories, but I think Dr.Abe's thinking is the most persuasive and useful.

complete denture demonstration by Dr.Abe

upper jaw analyser (Shilla 1)

mounting upper jaw mold on Shilla 2

face bow transfer procedure

 After the seminar, I could see a festival by Kanda shrine. Unfortunately rainy though.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kanda_Shrine

Blade teeth for full denture

upper

lower

 When patients use their complete dentures, are natural shaped artificial teeth enough effective to chew? 80% of all denture wearers want more than what is being offered to them. Sadly, conventional acrylic teeth even if hardened have a tendency to become less efficient in a short amount of time. The patients must chew from side to side to get results.
 The idea of blade teeth is a solution to pursue more effective and enjoyable eating life. Food that posed a challenge for denture wearers in the past (meat, apples,lettuce,carrot) are easily cut up by the blade teeth denture.

Advantages of metal edged teeth compared with conventional ones are
1. easy to get comfortable jaw relationship
2. better chewing since cutting force is better
3. creates more stability in upper and lower dentures
4.less adjustments are required because of less sore spot

This weekend, I can learn the technique of complete denture through my mentor's demonstration, while I work as an instructor in the seminar.



http://www.shouohkai-dental.com/english.html

Alex Ferguson's retire

http://moderntokyotimes.com/2013/05/08/sir-alex-ferguson-to-retire-at-manchester-united-football-history-reshaped/

 My English teacher, from Manchester UK, sent me his article about Alex Ferguson's retire.

 In off-season, there is much news about personnel transfers in football teams. Especially this year, many J-League teams changed their managers. The big upside of changing managers is activation for the teams. Competition for becoming regular players starts from scratch. Players, who had few chances to play in games, will be motivated. Present regular players will be alert. There will be a race.

 The upside of continuously hiring the same manager is accumulation of tactics. That makes possible in step by step approach. Changing players by trades instead of changing managers can activate the team.

 He has succeeded in alternation of generations and activation of Manchester United by being not dependent on big names and adding ambitious young talented players to the team.

 Though my clinic is an small organization unlike Manchester United, there must be some points which should be mimicked in his leadership for organising.

The influence of MONEYBALL to NPB

 Moneyball is the story about the Oakland Athletics baseball team and its genera manager Billy Beane. Its focus is the team's analytical, evidence-based, sabermetric approach to assembling a competitive baseball team, despite Oakland's disadvantaged revenue situation. Its theory insists on-base percentage and slugging percentage are better indicators of offensive success than statistics such as stolen bases, runs batted in, and batting average, typically used to gauge players.

 Several years ago, Tokyo Yomiuri assembled many sluggers from various teams using big money, but lost the league. Their salaries were the highest, but the results were no good. The team has changed its strategy since then and succeeded in clinching the pennant. MONEYBALL theory, sabermetrics, gave an impact on Yomiuri Giants and Nipponham Fighters in Nippon Professional Baseball. Nipponham Fighters lost Yu Darvish, who went to Texas Rangers, last year. But, they won the pennant. I believe sabermetirics took effect to some extent in spite of the lost of their ace pitcher.

 Through reading MONEYBALL, I could learn using brain is the most important act to fulfill not only baseball but also every field of work.
http://www.amazon.co.jp/Moneyball-The-Winning-Unfair-Game/dp/0393338398/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1368025864&sr=8-1&keywords=moneyball

We will be back....the next year.

 The medical and dental office "Shouohkai" had been located in Otemachi Financial Center. Due to reconstruction of the building, we temporally have moved to Kyobashi district. There is Tokyo station between Otemachi and Kyobashi. It takes 25 minutes by walk. So, the temporary moving has made our patients feel inconvenient. The trouble for them will end soon. Our opening day in the new building is January 6th, 2014. We will be back there, at last.
http://www.maplandia.com/japan/kanto/tokyo/otemachi/

 Right in the heart of Otomachi is this new office development, it's just under 200 meters high. The building will house offices (mainly MIZUHO BANK, including Shouohkai medical and dental office) and the Aman resorts group will open up an "AMAN TOKYO" luxury hotel on the top floors.
http://www.amanresorts.com/

 20 years ago, Otemachi district was totally a typical business town. In weekends, it was like a ghost town. But, things have changed since then. Now, the district has fashionable shops, restaurants and streets which attract many people around the world. This area has become like an amusement park, especially in the weekends.

 We are looking forward to seeing you there.

under construction, 1 year ago

now, almost completed

Tokyo Station

The exhibition of Mucha in Roppongi Hills, Tokyo

http://www.ntv.co.jp/mucha/eng/
Roppongi Hills Art Museum is holding the exhibition of Mucha. I could enjoy many beautiful posters and oil paintings of the sentient artist. Not so crowded today. The next week is the last week.

The museum is on the 52th floor. The restaurant and cafe"MADO LOUNGE" is on the same floor. Roppongi is one of the highest price property in Tokyo, but lunch there was reasonable and quality was high enough. I could also enjoy the panoramic view of Tokyo.
http://ma-do.jp/wp/category/menu/

Today's pasta at MADO LOUNGE

57F is the observatory. Normally, 500 yen, but it was free today. Be careful not to lose your belongings by the wind.

bird's eye view from the observatory

Cross-borderer's requirement

 Alexander Ramón Ramírez (born on 15 August 1974) is a Venezuelan baseball outfielder who currently plays for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Professional Baseball. He is the first foreign-born player to record 2,000 hits while playing in NPB. He previously played in Major League Baseball for the Cleveland Indians (1998–2000) and Pittsburgh Pirates (2000).

 He said his success in Japan depends on the fact that he had open mind to Japanese culture. He obeyed what senior person ordered, saying "wakarimasita(I see)". Even though it sounds unacceptable, it's necessary to think "shyoganai(It can't be helped)". Foreign players have to accept the quite different culture at 100% to succeed. But, they usually think "Why,why,why?"

 The reason he could adapt to Japanese style was people around him were totally kind. At first, his plan was the term of playing in Japan should be 1 year to earn money for his newly bought house in Florida and 2 cars. But, after 3 months, he was mesmerise by Japanese style and began to think he wanted to play longer in Japan. He says "Japanese were all kind, polite and intellectual. They respect people and things. Are there any societies where vending machines are not looted, like Japan? I wanted to absorb such a nice culture and wanted to improve as a human."

His prosperity as a player will continue for several years. He even wants to be a coach in NPB someday.

Conger(Anago) restaurant "Tamai" in Nihonbashi Tokyo

 I don't know other countries' people,except for Japanese and Korean, eat conger eels. I am a conger freak. Today, my family enjoyed boxes of rice and broiled conger eels at the restaurant "Tamai" in Nihonbashi Tokyo. The retrospective atmosphere made us relaxed. We could enjoy three kinds of taste with soup stock and spices. The restaurant is popular and has only 28 seats. Therefore, if timing is bad, you have to wait in a long line. However, turnover of customers was relatively quick.
http://metropolis.co.jp/dining/restaurant-reviews/tamai/

 

 

 

 

Tamai Anago: 2-9-9 Nihonbashi, Chuo-ku. Tel: 03.3272.3227. Open Daily. Lunch 11:00am to 2:00pm, Dinner 5:00pm to 9:30pm. Saturdays, Sundays, and Holidays 11:30am to 3pm/4:30pm to 8:30pm. www.anago-tamai.com.

Taro Hakase concert at SUNTORY HALL

 Taro Hakase is a Japanese musician who specialises as a violinist and composer.

 He is best known internationally for playing the violin on Celine Dion's song "To Love You More" which appears on the US edition of her Let's Talk About Love album. With the success of the song, Hakase went on a nationwide promotional tour making television appearances and also went on tour with Dion to perform the song during her 1996-1997 Falling into You Tour and her 1998-1999 Let's Talk About Love Tour as guest violinist. When Dion began her two years off to have her son Rene Charles, Hakase continues his music career on his own. In 2006, to celebrate 10 years of his success, Hakase reunited with Dion in Las Vegas, Nevada during a performance of her show A New Day... to perform "To Love You More".

 His play in the concert at Suntory Hall yesterday was energetic and his talks between the tunes were filled with jokes. He performed motorbike, ambulance sounds with his violins in a break. He is a real entertainer. I believe he has both talent as a violinist and good personality.

He lives in London. I want to go to his concert again when he comes back.

http://tarohakase.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQDEAsG27LU
http://www.suntory.com/culture-sports/suntoryhall/

Hot wine? Mulled wine?

 

  "Hot wine" seems to be Japanese English. I should say "mulled wine". Mulled wine is a beverage usually made with red wine along with various spices and raisins. It is served hot or warm and may be alcoholic or non-alcoholic. It is a traditional drink during winter, especially around Christmas and Halloween.
Port and claret are popular choices for mulled wine. But, white wine is also used like the photo.

On Wikipedia, there is an explanation "In France, vin chaud ("hot wine") typically consists of cheap red wine mixed with sugar, cinnamon, and lemon. It must not be too sweet."  So, saying "hot wine" is not wrong?

The chef had a training in France and opened a French curry restaurant "SPOON" in Nishiogikubo Tokyo. The restaurant is usually crowded with the locals.
http://r-tsushin.com/guide/restaurant/2400/

Mulled wine

curry

soup