INTERNATIONAL DENTAL COLLABORATION OF THE MEKONG RIVER REGION (IDCMR)

IDCMR Background

          In order to develop the oral health resource capacity among the Mekong River Region countries, International Dental Collaboration of the Mekong River Region (IDCMR) was established. Dental education institutes in Cambodia, PR China, Laos PDR, Thailand and Vietnam formally joined as members by signing an IDCMR Memorandum of Understanding at the first congress on 7-8 June 2004 in Bangkok under the theme “Practical Points in Dentistry: The Alternatives.” Subsequently, the IDCMR Secretariat Office at the Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University was founded by IDCMR Executive Members.
The second international congress was held 4-5 April in Ho Chi Minh City under the theme “Partnership for Innovative Practice in Dentistry” in 2006. The third congress was held under “Everyone Will Enjoy Oral Health Care in Future” during 17-21 October at Kunming, China. The fourth congress, “Global trends in Esthetics” from 18 to 21 November 2007, was organized in Bangkok, Thailand. The fifth congress was co hosted by the University of Odonto-Stomatology, Hanoi and Mahidol University Faculty of Dentistry in Hanoi, Vietnam from 14 to 16 October 2009. This congress was attended by 137 international participate and over 500 national guests. In 2010, the renewed Memorandum of Understanding on International Dental Collaboration of the Mekong River Region was signed on 22 October 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand by Dr. Callum Durward, Faculty of Dentistry, International University and Professor SriAngky Soekanto, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia as new members.

IDCMR Executive Members 
According to the Memorandum of Understanding on International Dental Collaboration of the Mekong River Region signing on 22 October 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand

• Associate Professor Dr. Theeralaksna Suddhasthira, Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Kingdom of Thailand

• Professor Tuy Thel, Vice Dean, Faculty of Odonto-Stomatology University of Health Sciences, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia

• Professor Ding Zhongjuan, Dean, School of Stomatology, Kunming University of Medical Sciences, People’s Republic of China

• Associate Professor Sengphouvanh Ngonephady, Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Health Sciences, Laos People’s Democratic Republic

• Professor Truong Manh Dung, Dean, School of Odonto- Stomatology, Hanoi Medical University, Hanoi, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

• Professor Le Duc Lanh, Dean, Faculty of Odonto Stomatology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ho Chi Minh, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

• Professor Le Thi Loi, Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Can Tho University, Can Tho City, Socialist Republic of Vietnam

• Professor SriAngky Soekanto, Faculty of Dentistry, University of Indonesia, Republic of Indonesia

• Professor Callum Durward, Dean, Faculty of Dentistry, International University, Kingdom of Cambodia

Vision and Goals

The vision and goals of IDCMR were reinstated prior to the IDCMR Seminar 2010.
The vision embraces a network of dental health education institutions working

cooperatively to improve the oral health status with private, government and non-government institutions.

The stated IDCMR goals remained as:
1) resource development, including human, material and financial, for short and long term cooperation
2) data exchange and annual informational meetings
3) under- and postgraduate curriculum development
4) faculty, student and staff exchange
5) collaborative research.