On December 20, the 197th lecture of the Xinglin Forum (Oral Medicine Edition) was held in the multifunction hall on the second floor of Wang Changlai Building, Faculty of Medicine. The lecture was delivered by Professor Anton Sculean from the University of Bern School of Dental Medicine in Switzerland, focusing on the topic "Application of Tunnel Technique for Soft Tissue Regeneration in Complex Clinical Cases." Attendees included the head of the Oral Medicine program, staff from the Stomatology Department of the Affiliated First Hospital, representatives from the Scientific Research and External Exchange Department, and undergraduate students from the 2023–2025 cohorts of the Oral Medicine program.
Professor Anton Sculean is a globally recognized authority in the field of periodontology. He currently serves as Professor and Chair of Periodontology at the University of Bern School of Dental Medicine in Switzerland, Director of the Dental Research Center (DRC), Editor-in-Chief of the top-tier international dental journal Periodontology 2000, and is ranked as the world's leading expert in periodontology (according to Expertscape data). This lecture centered on the cutting-edge oral technique—the tunnel technique and its application in periodontal soft tissue regeneration. Addressing clinical challenges such as root sensitivity, root caries, and aesthetic defects caused by gingival recession, Professor Sculean, drawing from over 20 years of hands-on experience with the tunnel technique, systematically outlined the technique's evolution, efficacy evaluation systems, and technical refinements. He vividly demonstrated the technique's significant advantages in minimal invasiveness, aesthetic outcomes, long-term stability, and operational convenience through extensive clinical images and surgical videos. He also elaborated on key procedural details, including autogenous connective tissue grafting, surgical approach design, and suturing fixation methods, allowing the audience to gain a direct appreciation of this advanced technique.
The interactive session was lively, with students actively raising questions about the indications for the tunnel technique, key operational points, and other aspects, engaging in in-depth exchanges with Professor Sculean. The lecture not only broadened the students' international academic perspectives but also planted the seeds of exploring cutting-edge technologies in the minds of the younger generation.
This event represents an important initiative by the Faculty of Medicine to promote internationalized education and invite high-level overseas experts for on-campus lectures. Since the beginning of this year, the Xinglin Forum has invited a total of 12 foreign experts to deliver full-English medical lectures, effectively enhancing the international level of talent cultivation.
