Taiwan Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (TAPD) was established in 1992 and currently has nearly 700 members. A grand celebration for the 30th anniversary was just held in 2022!

Over the past three decades, TAPD, as an essential dental academic organization in Taiwan, has been devoted to improving the oral health of all children in Taiwan. To reduce the prevalence of dental caries in school kids, TAPD implemented the fluoride mouth rinse program in elementary schools by working with government agencies. To promote clinical treatment concepts of pediatric dentistry in Taiwan, TAPD regularly holds relevant continuing education courses and events. To provide guidance for dentists in Taiwan with a reference in treating pediatric oral diseases, TAPD just published “The Clinical Guideline for Pediatric Dentistry” collectively with the Ministry of Health and Welfare in Taiwan in 2023. And to stress the professionalism of pediatric dentists, TAPD spent years of effort and finally helped to establish pediatric dentistry as the fourth dental specialty certified by the Taiwanese government in 2019. Currently, there are more than 400 board-certified pediatric dentists committed to the maintenance of children’s oral health and the establishment of the education and training system of pediatric dentistry in Taiwan.

Besides focusing on the affairs in Taiwan, TAPD is also committed to interacting with international organizations. TAPD successfully hosted the 5th Biennial Congress of the Pediatric Dentistry Association of Asia (PDAA) in Kaohsiung in 2006 and the Taiwan regional meeting of the International Association of Paediatric Dentistry (IAPD) in 2016. By holding these meetings, TAPD not only showed its active participation in the international academic organizations of pediatric dentistry but also demonstrated the scholarship and unity of Taiwanese pediatric dentists.

In the future, TAPD will keep working with government agencies and schools and continue to interact with international scholars to strive for advancing research in pediatric dentistry, promoting correct concepts of children’s oral health, and improving pediatric oral healthcare in Taiwan.