UNAIR NEWS – The Indonesian House of Representatives will soon discuss a revision of Law Number 20 of 2013 concerning Medical Education. In order to contribute to the revision of the bill, the Faculty of Dental Medicine (FKG) Universitas Airlangga (UNAIR) with the Association of Indonesian Dentists (PDGI) for East Java Region and FKG Hasanuddin University (UNHAS) Makassar held a national seminar.
Held online on Sunday, July 4, 2021, the seminar was attended by members of PDGI across Indonesia, deans, and professors from various schools and dental medicine faculties throughout Indonesia. The seminar topic, “Competency Test: Between Dilemmas and Expectations of Dental Education in Indonesia,” attempted to discuss competency and professionalism test standards in dental education.
Dean of UNAIR Faculty of Dental Medicine, Dr. Agung Sociawan, drg. M. Kes. , in his remarks, explained that the topic was a form of joint evaluation expected to be a suggestion and input for the Medical Education Bill Working Committee (Panja) of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI).
“We want to say a lot of things. But given the limited time, the input will be followed up in the form of an academic text and submitted to the bill Working Committee of the DPR RI. The academic paper will be the contribution of our minds to fix and improve the capacity and quality of Indonesian dental education,” he explained.
Furthermore, UNAIR Vice-Rector for Academic, Student, and Alumni Affairs, Prof. Bambang Sektiari Lukiswanto, DEA., DVM., emphasized the importance of national competency standards in dental medicine.
“Health profession is related to human life. Competence is absolutely required and must comply with national standards. This year, God willing, a professional certificate policy will be implemented which will replace the graduation certificate,” he said.
On the other hand, the Chairman of PB PDGI Dr. drg. RM Sri Hananto Seno, Sp.BM(K)., MM.FICD., also emphasized that the discussion in the seminar was very important as a benchmark for Indonesian dental education. “The competency test is a wall that is difficult for dental students to overcome. It is our responsibility to produce graduates who are reliable and have national and international standards,” he added.
For the opening presentation, Willy Aditya, S.Fil, MDM as Deputy Chair of the Legislation Board of DPR RI and Chair of the Committee for the Medical Education Bill, welcomed the initiative built by PDGI East Java together with FKG UNAIR and FKG UNHAS. He believed that the Medical Education Bill would have to contain the value of humanism and a scientific approach.
“The bill must be oriented towards the current objective and future needs, not populism. So, the law formulated later will last longer. It means, how can this bill not be dismantled and run effectively for a long time,” he said.
In addition to these experts, the national seminar streamed live also presented other speakers contributing to the Medical Education Bill. They are members of Commission X DPR RI Prof. Dr. Zainuddin Maliki, M.Si, Director General of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, Prof. Ir. Nizam, M.Sc. DIC., PhD., IPU ASEAN Eng, Elected Chairperson of PB IDI dr. Moh Adib Humaidi, Sp.Ort., Dean of FKG UNHAS drg. Muhammad Ruslin, M.Kes., PhD., Sp.BM(K), and Deputy Secretary-General of PB PDGI drg. Iwan Dewanto, MMR., PhD. (*)
Author: Intang Arifia
Editor: Binti Q. Masruroh
