Dental Resource Asia (DRA) is a collaboration of renowned experts operating at the apex of Asian and Global Dentistry across the academic, clinical, education, publishing and technology spectrum, in addition to varied expertise beyond the dental field.
Executive Team
Danny Chan | Publisher and Managing Editor
BA (Dist) Mass Comm. (AUS), Adv. Dip. Mass Comm. (US), Dip. Audio Engrg. (UK)
Danny Chan is a highly experienced dental journalist and editor of specialist trade journals in the Healthcare and TV/Film production sectors. He is also a prolific dental writer with an extensive portfolio of published works.
In 2008, Danny founded The River Tree (TRT), a Melbourne-based company that provides digital content and marketing services to the dental profession and industry in Australia and New Zealand. Danny owns TRT Creative Pte. Ltd., the publisher of Dental Resource Asia and DRA Journal.
Danny’s skills in content marketing and web publishing have helped to advance the branding and prestige of numerous companies, products, and services. In addition to contributing features to reputable magazines, he provides editorial and consultancy support services to magazine publishers, including pre-launch marketing, digital migration, and content development.
Danny has a BA (Distinction) in Mass Communications and over 20 years of experience in Internet and print publishing. He is also a qualified sound engineer, published songwriter, music producer, and short film director. In his free time, he enjoys spending time with his family, listening to and making music in his home studio.
Gracie Xu | Chief Financial Officer
ACCA, CA (Singapore), (Hons) B.Sc. Degree in App. Acc. (UK)
Gracie Xu is a Certified Chartered Accountant with over 17 years of experience in financial analysis and bid management. She has worked for a Big Four accounting firm as a Senior Auditor as well as in the Finance and Bid & Quote divisions of a multinational telecommunications company.
Gracie is registered with the Singapore Accountancy Commission and holds professional accounting qualifications from the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) and a BSc degree in Applied Accounting from the University of Oxford Brookes.
She has worked in Singapore and Melbourne, serving the Southeast Asian and Australasian markets. Her professional remit includes: Preparing management reports and financial analysis; ensuring compliance with financial reporting standards; analyzing pricing strategy; preparing proposals, tenders, and contracts for both private companies and government agencies, etc.
Alvin Chan | Lead Consultant, AI and Emerging Technologies
BA (Econ/SEA) (Singapore), MBA (Edin), DBA (US)
Prof Alvin Chan is an Yvon Pfeifer Professor of Artificial Intelligence & Emerging Technologies at the Institute of Artificial Intelligence & Robotics (IAR) of Cambridge Corporate University in Switzerland.
He has taught business and technology programs at various universities including Indiana University, Villanova University, and London Metropolitan University. Prof Chan is also the former Associate Professor and Academic Director of Changchun University-Raffles International College in China. He has experience in Education Technology, including training teachers in ICT and Web 2.0 classrooms and giving talks on creating accelerated e-learning platforms.
Prof Chan sits on the advisory board for several organizations and publications, including Web3Create.co and the ‘Encyclopedia of Computer Graphics and Games’ (Springer).
Prof Chan holds a BA in Economics and Southeast Asian Studies from the National University of Singapore; a Post-graduate Diploma in Education from Nanyang Technological University; an MBA from Heriot-Watt University; and a Doctorate of Business Administration from California Coast University. He is also a Certified Master Facilitator for Tetramap™.
Michael Chak | Director, Advertising and Media Sales
Michael Chak is a seasoned advertising professional with a keen passion for creativity and innovation.
With over 12 years of experience in advertising sales for dental and medical magazines, Michael has an impressive track record of executing numerous successful projects and publications. His portfolio includes publications such as Asian Dentist, Hospital Products Asia, Dental Asia, and Dental Inc magazine.
As a skilled sales director, Michael is well versed in selling advertisement space and providing excellent advertiser account servicing.
He takes a collaborative approach to deliver exceptional results for his clients, making sure their needs and goals are met effectively. Michael is known for his ability to build strong relationships with his clients and goes the extra mile to ensure they receive the best possible service.
When Michael is not busy helping his clients achieve their goals, he enjoys staying up-to-date on industry trends and exploring new ideas. His dedication to his craft and his clients has earned him a reputation as a trusted advisor and a top performer in the industry.
Editorial Advisory Board (EAB) of DRA Journal
The role of the Editorial Advisory Board is to advise, guide and support the DRA editorial team.
Functions and responsibilities include:
- Advise on editorial scope, objectives and direction
- Provide feedback on previously published content
- Identify topics that are relevant and timely
- Identify and recommend potential authors
- Approach potential contributors
- Review and provide second opinions on article submissions
- Provide content, including editorials, case studies and/or commentary pieces
- Endorse and promote DRA on available media or social platforms, where appropriate.
Lakshman Samaranayake | Chairperson
DSc (hon), DDS (Glas), FDSRCS (Edin), FRCPath, FRACDS, FDSRCPS (Glas), FHKCPath, FCDSHK
Professor Emeritus (Microbiomics), and Immediate Past Dean of Dentistry, University of Hong Kong.
Prof Emeritus Lakshman “Sam” Samaranayake of the University of Hong Kong is a renowned clinical academic with expertise in clinical microbiology, research, and executive level administration.
Prof Samanarayake has been recognised as the top oral microbiology scientist in China, securing the 11th position among all microbiology scientists in the country and a world ranking of 494, according to 2023 data published in the second edition of Research.com’s Microbiology ranking. He has worked at five different universities in the UK, Canada, Hong Kong, Australia, and UAE.
With a current h-index of >95, he has published over 450 papers, including seminal texts, that have been cited over 32,500 times. He is also the current Editor-in-Chief of the International Dental Journal.
Prof Samaranayake has served as the Executive Dean of two major dental schools in Hong Kong and Australia at the Universities of Hong Kong and Queensland, respectively.
He is a highly sought-after speaker and has addressed professional bodies in around 40 countries. For his contribution to dental sciences Prof Samaranayake has received numerous accolades, including the coveted King James IV Professorship of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and the Distinguished Scientist Award of the IADR.
Cynthia Yiu Kar Yung | Paediatric Dentistry
BDS (Lond), MDS (HK), PhD (HK), FHKAM (Dental Surgery), FCDSHK (Paed. Dent.)
Course Director of MID MOOC, Clinical Professor & Associate Dean (Clinical Affairs), Paediatric Dentistry & Orthodontics, Faculty of Dentistry, The University of Hong Kong.
Prof Cynthia Yiu Kar Yung has extensive experience in teaching at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Her research interests are in paediatric oral health, cariology, and adhesive dentistry.
She has published over 210 papers in international scientific journals and several book chapters, focusing on the prevention of dental caries and the improvement of the durability of resin-dentin bonds.
Prof Yiu holds a BDS from King’s College at the University of London, an MDS from the University of Hong Kong, and a PhD from the University of Hong Kong. She is a Fellow of the Hong Kong Academy of Medicine in Dental Surgery and a Fellow of the College of Dental Surgeons of Hong Kong in the specialty of paediatric dentistry. Her areas of research expertise include paediatric oral health, cariology, and adhesive dentistry.
Gary Cheung Shun Pan | Endodontics
PhD, BDS, MDS (Cons.Dent.) (HK), MSc (Endo) (HK), FCDSHK (Endo), FHKAM (ds), FICD, FAMS, FRACDS, MRACDS (Endo), FDSRCSEd, SFHEA
Associate Dean of the Faculty, The University of Hong Kong; and Supervisor of Training for the Specialty Board in Endodontics at the College of Dental Surgeons of Hong Kong.
Prof Gary Cheung Shun Pan is a highly qualified dental professional with a background in Conservative Dentistry, Endodontics, and materials science. He received his BDS in 1985 and MDS in 1987 from the University of Hong Kong (HKU), and his MSc in Endodontics from the University of London in 1991. In 1996, he founded the Hong Kong Endodontic Society and obtained his PhD from HKU in 2007. He was promoted to Professor in 2011 and currently holds the position of Associate Dean at the Faculty of Dentistry at HKU.
Prof Cheung is also the Supervisor of Training for the Specialty Board in Endodontics of the College of Dental Surgeons of Hong Kong. He is a Fellow of several academies and colleges in Hong Kong, Singapore, Australasia, and Scotland.
Prof Cheung maintains an intra-mural private practice on a referral basis, has published over 150 articles and book chapters, and lectures extensively both locally and overseas. His areas of research expertise include root canal instruments and materials science, survival analysis of endodontic therapies, bonding in root canal-treated teeth, endodontic materials and applications, and regenerative endodontics.
Hien Ngo | Minimum Invasive and Restorative Dentistry
BDS (AUS), MDS (AUS), PhD (AUS), FICDS, PFA, FADI
Dean and Head of the Dental School, and Director of the Oral Health Centre of WA, University of Western Australia.
Prof Hien Ngo is a highly experienced dental professional with expertise in private practice, research, and education. He has published and lectured extensively on dental materials, minimal intervention dentistry, and cariology, and has served on the editorial boards of several dental journals.
Prof Ngo is an international speaker and has contributed to numerous major international meetings, including the Federation Dentaire International (FDI), Chicago Mid-Winter, IDEM, Australian Dental Congress, and Californian Dental Association. He has conducted extensive research in the areas of dental materials and cariology.
Prof Ngo has previously been Professor and Chair of General Dental Practice at University of Queensland. In 2012, he became a professor in the Department of General Dental Practice and the Director of Comprehensive Dental Care at the University of Kuwait. In 2016, he took on the role of Dean of the Faculty of Dental Medicine at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
In July 2020, he joined the University of Western Australia (UWA) as Dean and Head of the Dental School, and Director of the Oral Health Centre of WA.
Tan Hee Hon | Prosthodontics and Orofacial Pain
BDS (Singapore) MDS (Prosthodont.) (Singapore), FRACDS
Discipline Director, Discipline of Endodontics, Operative Dentistry and Prosthodontics; Assistant Dean, Education, Clinical Phase, Deanery; Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Dentistry, National University of Singapore, National University Centre for Oral Health Singapore.
Dr Tan Hee Hon received his BDS from National University of Singapore in 1989. He passed the FRACDS exam in 1993 and went on to complete a residency program in Prosthodontics at National University of Singapore in 1995.
In 1999, he received sponsorship from the Health Manpower Development Program to study Orofacial Pain and spent a year at the Oral Medicine Department at the University of Washington. Upon returning to Singapore, he became the Head of Orofacial Pain Management at the National Dental Centre. From 2004-2014, he ran a private practice as a Consultant Prosthodontist.
In 2014, he joined the Faculty of Dentistry at National University of Singapore as a full-time academic, teaching Prosthodontics and Orofacial Pain. The Senior Lecturer currently holds the position of Discipline Director, Discipline of Endodontics, Operative Dentistry and Prosthodontics as well as Assistant Dean, Education, Clinical Phase, Deanery, at the faculty.
Ruwan Duminda Jayasinghe | Oral Medicine and Radiology
BDS (SL). MS (SL) FDS RCPS (Glasg)
Chair Professor of Oral Medicine and Periodontology and Specialist in OMF Surgery, Department of Oral Medicine & Periodontology, Faculty of Dental Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka.
Prof Ruwan Jayasinghe has extensive experience teaching at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels as well as in clinical practice. His research interests are in Oral cancer, Oral Potentially Malignant Disorders and Smokeless tobacco/ Areca nut control.
He has published over 135 papers in national and international peer reviewed scientific journals and several books/ book chapters in the filed of Oral Medicine and Oral Radiology.
Prof Jayasinghe holds a BDS from the University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, and MS (Oral Surgery) with board certification as a specialist in OMF Surgery from the Post Graduate Institute of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka. He is a fellow of the Fellow of the Faculty of Dental Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons, and Physicians of Glasgow.
Pornchai Jansisyanont | Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery
DDS, MSc (Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery) (Thailand/ USA), Ph.D (Philosophy)
Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, Chulalongkorn University, Thailand; Diplomate, American Board of Oral-Maxillofacial Surgery.
Prof Pornchai Jansisyanont is a highly accomplished oral and maxillofacial surgeon. He obtained his Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS) degree from Chulalongkorn University in Thailand in 1991. He then pursued his specialty training in oral and maxillofacial surgery at Chulalongkorn University, where he completed a residency training program in 2002. He has also earned a Ph.D. in Philosophy from Suan Sunandha Rajabhat University in Thailand in 2019.
Following his residency, Prof Jansisyanont continued his education in the United States, where he earned a Certificate in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery from the University of Maryland in 2003. He also completed a Master of Sciences in Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology from the same institution.
Prof Jansisyanont holds multiple board certifications in oral and maxillofacial surgery, including from the American Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery and the Sub Board of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
Currently, Prof Jansisyanont serves as the Dean of the Faculty of Dentistry at Chulalongkorn University in Thailand. Jansisyanont’s clinical interests include dental implant surgery, guided bone regeneration and orthognathic surgery. With his impressive qualifications and experience, he has become a trusted expert in the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery.
Hiroshi Egusa | Prosthetic Dentistry and Regenerative Medicine
DDS, PhD (Philosophy), FRCPath
Director, Liaison Center for Innovative Dentistry; Director, Center for Advanced Stem Cell and Regenerative Research; Professor and Chair, Division of Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics, Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry, Japan; General Vice-Director (Head of Dental Division), Tohoku University Hospital, Japan.
Prof Hiroshi Egusa is a renowned dental scientist and educator, specializing in Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics. He obtained his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Hiroshima University in 1998, followed by a Doctor of Philosophy degree in 2002 from the same university. He also holds the FRCPath qualification.
Currently, he serves as the Director of Liaison Center for Innovative Dentistry, Director of Center for Advanced Stem Cell and Regenerative Research, and Professor and Chair of the Division of Molecular and Regenerative Prosthodontics at Tohoku University Graduate School of Dentistry in Japan. Additionally, he is the General Vice-Director (Head of Dental Division) at Tohoku University Hospital.
Prof Egusa has authored more than 200 publications in various fields of dental research, with a focus on tissue engineering, biomaterials, regenerative medicine, stem cells, and prosthodontics. His research work has garnered recognition and accolades from the Japan Prosthodontic Society, Japanese Association of Regenerative Dentistry, Japanese Society for the Promotion of Science, Asian Academy of Osseointegration, Asian Academy of Prosthodontics, and International Association Dental Research.
Prof Egusa was identified as a Top 2% Scientist in the World Scientist Ranking in a global survey by Stanford University, USA since 2020. He was also listed as a noteworthy dental educator by Marquis Who’s Who. He is the current Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Prosthodontic Research.
Ming-Lun Hsu | Prosthodontic Dentistry, Implantology, Geriatric Dentistry, Temporomandibular Joint Disorders
D.D.S. (Kaohsiung), Dr. Med. Dent. (Zürich)
Distinguished Professor, College of Dentistry, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University.
Prof Ming-Lun Hsu is a Distinguished Professor and former Dean of the College of Dentistry at National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University in Taiwan. He is also the founding President of the Association for Dental Education, Asia Pacific (ADEAP) and has served as the President of the South East Asian Association for Dental Education (SEAADE).
Prof Hsu earned his D.D.S. degree from Kaohsiung Medical University in 1981 and his Dr. Med. Dent. degree from the Dental Institute at the University of Zürich, Switzerland, in 1991. He has held several prestigious positions in his career, including serving as the President of the Asia Academy of Craniomandibular Disorders from 2010 to 2012 and as the President of the Chinese Taipei Association for Dental Sciences from 2013 to 2015.
During his tenure as the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Dental Sciences (SCI) from 2009 to 2014, Prof Hsu made significant contributions to the field. He has dedicated many years to dental education, implementing several innovative initiatives in Taiwan. His research focuses on bone biomechanics in implant dentistry and the application of extra-cellular matrix as a strategy for managing TM-Joint disorders. Prof Hsu has published and presented over a hundred papers at international and national conferences and meetings, showcasing his expertise and advancements in the field.
Sunil Muddaiah | Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics
BDS (India), MDS (Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics) (India)
Professor and Chair, Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics, Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences (India).
Dr Sunil Muddaiah is an accomplished professional in dentistry, specialising in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopaedics. He holds a Bachelor of Dental Surgery and a Masters in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics from Mangalore University, India.
Dr Muddaiah is the Professor and Chair at the Department of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopaedics at the Coorg Institute of Dental Sciences, which he founded in 1999.
He founded Anuraadh, an NGO focused on supporting vulnerable communities in education and health. He also established Samaadhaan, a private clinical facility specialising in aesthetics, cosmetology, and specialised dental care.
Dr Muddaiah’s passion for research and innovation is evident through his initiatives. He founded the Aavishkaar Research Laboratory, conducting cutting-edge medical research. Furthermore, he is the founder and president of the International Dental Educationists’ Association (IDEA), promoting excellence in dental education worldwide.
Dr Muddaiah holds prestigious positions and memberships in professional organisations. He serves as the India Country Representative at the South-East Asia Association for Dental Education (SEAADE), the Country Representative for India at the Association of Dental Education of the Asia Pacific (ADEAP), and represents India at the International Dental Collaboration of the Mekong River Region (IDCMR).
Young Guk Park | Orthodontics
DMD(ROK), MS(Orthodontics, ROK), KBO(Board Certified in Orthodontics), PhD(Orthodontics/Oral Biology, ROK), MBA(Health Policy, ROK), FICD.
Professor Emeritus, Dept. of Orthodontics, Kyung Hee University School of Dentistry, Seoul, Korea.
Prof Young Guk Park is a world-renowned researcher, author, and speaker in clinical orthodontics and basic science of craniofacial biology, especially in signal transduction of osteoblast differentiation. He is the Professor Emeritus at the Kyung Hee University, Seoul, where he is the Immediate Past Acting President and Academic Provost of the University. He is currently the Secretary General of the Kyung Hee University System.
Prof Young is the Past President of the KAO Korean Association of Orthodontists and its associate Foundation KAOF, and the Past President of the Korean Academy of Dental Education. His main interest lies in the lingual orthodontics with individually tailored appliance system, and accelerating tooth movement with CorticisionTM, which was developed and given its nomenclature by himself, involving minor periodontal procedure without flap elevation, and “light accelerated orthodontics with LED”.
He was the Visiting Assistant Professor of Orthodontics at Harvard School of Dental Medicine, and is currently the Guest Professor of the Osaka Dental University, Japan, and also Guest Professor of the Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China, and Visiting Professor of the Faculty of Dentistry, UiTM University Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.