Dr. Prof. Toshio Morioka The 2017 inductee to the Pierre Fauchard Academy Wall of Fame is Emeritus Professor Morioka was born on October 15th, 1928. He gained a DDS from Osaka Dental College in 1949 and was awarded his PhD at Osaka Medical School in 1957. He was awarded a Fullbright Exchange Scholarship to the University of Washington in 1962. He became Associate Professor at the Osaka University School of Dentistry in 1967, becoming a full Professor and Chairman of the Department of Preventive Dentistry, School of Dentistry, Kyushu University at Fukuoka in 1970.

In 1973, he became the Head of Hospital attached to the School of Dentistry in Kyushu. In 1974, he became a committee member in the Commission on Dental Education in FDI. IN 1978, he was President of the Japanese Society for Oral Health

In 1986 he published the first book in the field of Lasers in Dentistry and in 1991, he became the Executive Director of the Japan Society for Laser Dentistry and was President for the 3rd World Congress on Preventive Dentistry at Fukuoka. He also became an active member of PFA Japan Section in that year.

In 1992 he was awarded Emeritus Professorship at Kyushu University and was recognized by the Japanese Government with the National Award of “Medal with Purple Ribbon”.

In 1999, the Emperor of Japan awarded him the National award of “The Order of the Sacred Treasure” for his services to Dentistry.

He became a Board member of the Japan Section of PFA in 2000 and became Section Chair in 2006.

In 2001, a four story building belonging to the Laser Institute, Faculdade de Odontologia, University of Sao Paulo, Brasil was named in his honor for his commitment to Laser dentistry, on the recommendation of the Institute Director, Professor Carlos de Paula Eduardo.

He has been strongly involved in PFA Japan and Korea Sections, culminating in Honorary memberships of both Korea (2010) and Japan (2015).

In 2011, on the 60th anniversary of the Osaka University School of Dentistry, he was one of only ten inducted into the Hall of Fame.

Professor Morioka’s involvement in Dentistry continues to this day and he has been followed by one of his sons who is an Oral and Maxilla-facial surgeon (Osaka graduate) and two grandsons who are students at Osaka University School of Dentistry.

His leisure time is well spent between golf (where he achieved a “hole in one” on August 7th, 1980) and his passion for brush writing. His work was exhibited at the City Art Museum in Kyoto.