This research revealed that tea bags made from plastic materials have the potential to release millions of microplastic particles into the body. 

The reason is that when polymer-based tea bags are placed in hot water, the microplastic particles released can be absorbed by intestinal cells and enter the bloodstream.

Rafika Aprilianti, a microplastic researcher at the Ecological Observation and Wetlands Conservation (Ecoton), presented this discovery on Monday (Feb. 3). 

Five widely available tea bag products were also tested, all of which released microplastics when brewed.

Responding to these findings, Dr. Annisa Utami Rauf, a lecturer in the Department of Health Behavior, Environment, and Social Medicine, UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM), stated that these results do not mean tea bags should immediately be banned. 

According to her, no established regulations specifying the acceptable level of microplastics in tea bags exist. Even the hanging string of the tea bag contains microplastic fragments. 

“To my knowledge, there is no established standard level. So, we don’t know, for example, if drinking it several times is harmful or if one drink is dangerous. However, microplastics are considered emerging contaminants,” she said.

For consumers who enjoy tea bags but are concerned about microplastics, she suggested switching to brewed tea filtered with a strainer or using loose-leaf tea.

To address the microplastic issue in tea bag products, she emphasized the importance of informing the public that tea bags indeed contain microplastics. 

“We first need to educate people about this issue, that the content does exist. Once they know, we can recommend that they should not consume it too frequently,” she explained.

Additionally, she suggested that there should be education for the public to raise awareness about microplastics. 

“Microplastics are actually present in every component, such as minerals and soil. However, tea bags enter the digestive system directly, and we don’t know the long-term effects. That’s what makes it dangerous because not all fragments can be excreted from the body,” Dr. Rauf said.

Nonetheless, she mentioned that not all tea bags are made from plastic; some are made from paper, which does not produce microplastics compared to plastic-based tea bags. In light of these findings, she recommended that the public be more mindful in selecting daily products, including tea bags. 

“It’s best to switch to paper tea bags or other environmentally friendly materials to reduce microplastic exposure,” she advised.

Author: Kezia Dwina Nathania

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya

Photo: Freepik

Artikel UGM Expert Addresses Concerns Over Microplastics in Tea Bags pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

This policy is based on an agreement between the Ministry of Higher Education, Science, and Technology and the Ministry of Health of Indonesia. 

Vice Dean of the UGM Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FK-KMK UGM), Dr. Ahmad Hamim Sadewa, responded positively to this government initiative. 

“Of course, we at UGM welcome this policy. As the team is still being formed, we hope for a synchronized and harmonious collaboration,” Dr. Sadewa said on Friday (Feb. 7).

He acknowledged that the design for this joint selection process is not easy and still requires various plans. Therefore, FK-KMK UGM is still awaiting an official directive regarding the joint selection, meaning that the PPDS admission scheduled for March will still use each university’s respective scheme.

The joint selection policy for PPDS aims to increase the number of specialist doctors while also addressing their distribution across all regions of Indonesia. 

This effort has actually been underway since 2022 through several programs, such as increasing the student quota for undergraduate and specialist doctoral programs and adding new study programs. 

The specialist and subspecialist doctor programs have produced 4,000 graduates annually. Unfortunately, this number is still insufficient to meet the demand for specialist doctors in several regions. 

“The issue of equitable distribution is quite complex. It’s not just about PPDS, but also how to get specialist doctors to work in the regions,” Dr. Sadewa explained.

The affirmative pathway for program admission is a policy introduced to address the shortage of specialist doctors. Each region is allocated a minimum quota of 10%, prioritized for affirmative specialist doctor admissions. 

“This is aimed so that after graduation, they can return to work in their home regions,” he explained.

However, according to Dr. Sadewa, this policy has not fully resolved the issue of the shortage of specialist doctors. 

He added that most doctors tend to move to the cities after graduating and working for a few years in the regions. The low retention rate of specialist doctors is due to several factors, including infrastructure, incentives, and security issues. 

“Many are reluctant to continue working in the regions due to limited access, inadequate incentives, and security threats. These aspects are essential for doctors to work optimally,” Dr. Sadewa concluded.

He suggested that the government should consider security guarantees and complete medical facilities in regional healthcare services. 

Regarding the flow and aspects of competence tested in PPDS, Dr. Sadewa proposed adding assessments beyond general knowledge. He believes it is important for doctors to have good mental health stability in handling patients. 

“I think it would be useful to add tests to assess mental health and attitude, not just basic competencies. That’s important,” Dr. Sadewa added.

He also recommended two admission pathways for PPDS: joint selection and independent admission. Adding a new admission pathway would be easier than replacing the existing system. 

“Currently, many universities still need to work on opening new study programs specifically for specialist/subspecialist doctors,” he said.

Dr. Sadewa stated that FK-KMK UGM supports the establishment of specialist and subspecialist education at several universities. 

Among other things, UGM assisted in opening a neurology study program at Universitas Jenderal Soedirman and an internal medicine study program at Universitas Islam Sultan Agung. 

“At FK-KMK UGM, we also assist several universities in establishing specialist doctor programs. This effort is to ensure it can be carried out together,” he concluded.

Author: Tasya

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya

Photo: Freepik

Artikel Joint Selection Policy Aims to Boost Specialist Doctor Availability pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

During the inauguration ceremony, Professor Widyastuti delivered her inaugural lecture titled “Predicting the Risk of Severe Perioperative Critical Events to Improve Patient Safety in Pediatric Anesthesia Procedures.”

In her speech, Professor Widyastuti explained that perioperative critical conditions are respiratory, cardiac, allergic, or neurological complications requiring immediate intervention, which, if not promptly addressed, could lead to disability or death. 

Anesthesia procedures for adults and children differ, and these differences make pediatric anesthesia procedures more prone to complications that can result in disability or death. Thus, a special approach is required to predict risks and mitigate them. 

No predictive tools exist in Indonesia to forecast perioperative critical events in children. 

“This has motivated me to raise this topic, so it can become a reference for predicting perioperative critical events in children in the future,” she stated.

Professor Widyastuti outlined several factors influencing severe perioperative critical events in children. In general anesthesia, newborns are at higher risk of perioperative critical events compared to other age groups due to their developing anatomy. 

Data-based studies have shown that girls have a 25% higher risk of cardiovascular critical events compared to boys. 

“Other influencing factors include congenital anomalies, which involve structural or functional body abnormalities present from birth, the patient’s condition, and the type of anesthesia used,” she explained.

A recent systematic review of perioperative risk assessment tools from 10 studies found that the accuracy of prediction scores for severe perioperative critical events varied, with mortality rates ranging from 0.3% to 3.6%. 

These models use age at surgery, the need for mechanical ventilation within 48 hours before surgery, and oxygen support as the main predictors. 

Other factors are inotropic support, sepsis, emergency case status, the presence of a “do-not-resuscitate” order, preoperative blood transfusion, cancer, hematologic disorders, physical status, and cardiopulmonary resuscitation before surgery.

Using perioperative critical event risk prediction tools is crucial in improving post-operative clinical outcomes in pediatric patients. 

The latest development uses artificial intelligence (AI) to identify the risk of severe perioperative critical events. 

Several studies have shown the benefits of machine learning in mapping post-operative complication risk factors.

According to Professor Widyastuti, assessing critical event risk is essential to minimize such risks. This effort should prioritize younger children. 

“In Indonesia, there is a need for a standardized predictive tool to forecast the risk of perioperative critical events in children, as well as a simple and practical clinical guideline that is easy to use,” she emphasized.

The Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada, Professor Ova Emilia, mentioned that Professor Widyastuti is one of 525 active professors at UGM and one of 72 active professors out of 102 professors that FK-KMK UGM has ever had.

Author: Jelita Agustine 

Editor: Gusti Grehenson 

Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya

Photographer: Donnie

Artikel UGM Professor Yunita Widyastuti Calls for Risk Prediction Tools in Pediatric Surgery pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Therefore, clean and disease-free eggs are essential to prevent the spread of diseases that can affect public health, such as typhoid. 

“This disease occurs in eggs contaminated with Salmonella bacteria,” said Salma Nur Azizah, a 2022 UGM Faculty of Animal Science (Animal Science UGM) student, Thursday (Feb. 6).

In response to this issue, Azizah, along with fellow student Mohammad Rizky Zulfahmi, proposed using ultraviolet C (UV-C) light to combat Salmonella bacteria in the layer chicken farming industry. 

Azizah explained that UV-C light has the shortest wavelength among other ultraviolet rays. Based on various references they studied, UV-C light is strong enough to damage bacterial DNA, including Salmonella. 

“Using UV-C light to combat Salmonella contamination is an effective and simple method. UV-C light stops the growth of pathogenic bacteria by breaking their DNA chains,” she explained.

Zulfahmi added that the UV-C system designed to combat Salmonella bacteria consists of several parts: a control panel, sterilization plastic, egg tray, machine wheels, frame, gear wheels, conveyor belt, and UV-C light. 

Specifically, UV-C light can kill Salmonella bacteria in 10-15 minutes, depending on the wavelength and exposure time. 

“Installing UV-C light on the conveyor after grading can optimize time efficiency in industrial-scale operations. Therefore, it is important to introduce this UV-C sterilization method to the layer chicken farming industry to enhance food safety and quality,” Zulfahmi elaborated.

The creative idea from these two Animal Science students, under the supervision of Galuh Adi Insani, won 2nd place in the Poultry Literacy Competition held by Universitas Padjadjaran’s Poultry Professional Group from Aug. 27 to Sept. 26, 2024.

Report: Animal Science UGM/Satria

Author: Agung Nugroho 

Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya

Photo: Freepik

Artikel UGM Students Propose Using UV-C Light to Combat Salmonella Bacteria in Chicken Eggs pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

This award was granted for her dedicated research on microprotein developed from soybean boiling water.

Dr. Wikandari has been conducting research on microproteins for approximately four years. According to her, microproteins are an alternative protein with nutritional content between meat and soybeans. 

Its amino acid content is also more complete than that of soybeans. Microprotein itself is made from the mycelium of tempeh mushrooms grown in a liquid medium. 

The harvested texture resembles dough, making it easy to shape into forms like meatballs or sausages. 

“However, there is still a need for development to make the texture of the harvested product similar to chicken meat,” Dr. Wikandari said on Tuesday (Feb. 4).

Regarding her expertise in food processing, Dr. Wikandari mentioned that this microprotein’s advantages go beyond its nutritional value. 

The production process is relatively short, taking just two days, and the yield can be up to one kilogram. Moreover, the reactor needed is only 1×1 meters in size, making it space-efficient. 

“The enzymes it contains can grow on various substrates, such as soybean boiling water,” she explained.

She added that in addition to its nutritional benefits, microprotein production can help address the waste problem generated by the tempeh industry and increase income for tempeh vendors. 

Currently, Dr. Wikandari is working on a sterilization model for the medium, and further research is being conducted on the reactor to simplify it for commercialization.

Dr. Wikandari’s research not only led her to win the Hitachi Award but also earned her several other awards, including the L’Oreal – Unesco for Women in Science National Fellowship 2024 Award Academy.

Dr. Wikandari noted that this award motivated her even more to continue making tangible contributions to society. She acknowledged that introducing this research to the public posed its challenges. 

The lecturer explained that Indonesian society tends to be resistant to new food products, a phenomenon known as food neophobia. However, the mushrooms used in microprotein are the same as those found in tempeh, so there is no need to be concerned about consuming microprotein products. 

“It does need to be cooked beforehand, as it contains RNA that could potentially cause gout, but the microprotein product is safe to consume, just like tempeh,” she said.

In December 2024, Dr. Wikandari introduced microprotein to the public by collaborating with a chef to prepare it as spaghetti. The public response was positive, and many enjoyed the microprotein dish. They remarked that its texture was similar to sausage.

Dr. Wikandari hopes that the research on alternative food potential she has developed can help solve societal problems by exploring and utilizing local food resources.

Author: Jelita Agustine

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya

Photos by: Firsto and Shutterstock

Artikel Investigating Microprotein Benefits in Tempeh Mushrooms, Dr. Rachma Wikandari Wins Hitachi Award pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

Issues have arisen regarding budget allocation, menu choices, and the readiness of catering providers. 

Addressing these concerns, Dr. Revrisond Baswir, a senior economist from UGM’s Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB UGM), stated that this program is an extraordinary breakthrough that should have been started long ago. 

“The nutritious meal program is an extraordinary breakthrough in my view. Why? Because it asserts that the essence of development is human development,” he said during an interview at his home on Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025.

Dr. Baswir further explained that development should not be separated from people, as many often think that development and people are unrelated.

But in reality, they go hand in hand and influence each other.

From an economic standpoint, Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia clearly mandates that the nation carry out what is referred to as economic democratization.

Therefore, the people should be positioned as subjects, not merely objects, within the Indonesian economy. 

Operationally, this means that people as subjects must have access to means of production and capital to support economic growth. 

“In Indonesia, it’s not enough for the people to just be workers,” he clarified.

Dr. Baswir identified three types of capital that people should possess:  intellectual, institutional, and material capital. 

These should be fulfilled sequentially, starting with intellectual capital, which can be cultivated through the nutritious meal program. 

Furthermore, he added, this program can empower people, especially those in regions outside the capital. Indonesia’s varied regional conditions cannot be treated the same.

Dr. Baswir believes that the free nutritious meals program can lead to decentralization, where local governments manage the program based on their region’s specific conditions. 

This would allow the circulation of money to stay within the regions, helping to balance the local economy. 

Additionally, this opens up opportunities to empower local communities by recruiting people through cooperation, volunteerism, and various job opportunities related to the program. 

However, he emphasized that this program should not burden the people or local budgets. 

“Don’t just shift the responsibility to the regions because (they) don’t have the funds. The program is significant, and some are worried—what is the maximum allocation limit?” Dr. Baswir asked.

The economist, who is also the former head of UGM’s Center for People’s Economy Studies, urged the government to save money, avoid wastefulness, and be more selective in spending. 

The government should find ways to increase revenue to fund the program without resorting to borrowing or cutting other budget areas that would burden the people. 

“The people should not become the victims. The challenge is to provide nutritious meals at an affordable cost,” he added.

One cost-saving measure the government could take is dissolving unnecessary institutions, particularly within the government. 

He said many of these institutions are not essential but continue to receive funding that could be better allocated to this program.

Finally, he reminded the public that sovereignty lies in the hands of the people. Citizens should not remain passive about government policies, as their voices are essential in a country that belongs to them. 

“People often feel like beggars in the economic field, but it’s their right. This program is part of their basic human rights, not just political and social rights,” he emphasized.

According to him, the program is not an act of government charity but rather a fulfillment of the people’s basic human rights. Therefore, he hopes that the people will become more aware of their role and actively participate by voicing their opinions and ideas.

Author: Leony  

Editor: Gusti Grehenson  

Post-editor: Lintang

Photographs by: Jelita

Artikel Free Meal Program and Budget Efficiency Should Not Come at People’s Expense pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The event was held online through The Conversation Indonesia’s YouTube channel on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025.

In the Most Productive University category, UGM was recognized for producing 43 publications on The Conversation Indonesia, followed by Universitas Indonesia (UI) with 41 publications and Universitas Islam Indonesia (UII) with 38 publications.

UGM’s Director of Research, Professor Mirwan Ushada, expressed appreciation for the award, which encourages UGM researchers to continue disseminating new knowledge to enhance national education. 

“As a higher education institution, UGM remains committed to building collective intelligence from upstream to downstream,” he said.

He emphasized that university research publications can help validate and clarify misinformation circulating on social media. 

“These publications reflect researchers’ work and as tools for validating data and facts,” he added.

The TCID awards night featured 13 categories. In addition to the Most Productive University award, Ronny Soviandhi, an assistant researcher at the UGM Center for Tropical Medicine, received the Editor’s Choice Award in Health.

Soviandhi expressed his happiness, pride, and gratitude for receiving the award, which motivates him to continue raising awareness about diseases often overlooked, such as leprosy, tuberculosis, and HIV. 

“We aim to keep spreading knowledge, especially to communities with low literacy. Knowledge is key to empowering communities and guiding better decision-making,” he said.

This year’s TCID saw 700 articles from more than 600 researchers from universities, ministries, and institutions. 

The awards were given to honor researchers who contribute to improving public knowledge through their publications.

Author: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Lintang

Artikel UGM Wins Most Productive University in Publications Award pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The two professors are Professor Tri Satya Mastuti Widi, inaugurated as professor of livestock production systems, and Professor Panjono, inaugurated as professor of livestock production at Animal Science UGM.

These two animal science experts complemented each other and discussed the importance of animal science for society’s broader needs. 

In his inaugural speech, “Development of the Livestock Industry Towards a Golden Indonesia 2045,” Professor Panjono explained that the fulfillment of the meat supply as part of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) Program, which aims to improve the quality of education and children’s health by providing nutritious food, is crucial to supporting the program. 

“Meat contains many essential nutrients for the body, such as proteins, iron, zinc, selenium, and vitamins,” he said.

Chicken, beef, and buffalo meat primarily dominate meat consumption in Indonesia. However, unlike broiler chickens, which can meet demand due to a surplus, beef and buffalo meat still experience a deficit. 

This deficit arises from the lower production of beef and buffalo meat, which stands at 496.25 thousand tons compared to the national demand of 759.67 thousand tons.

This shortfall has been met through meat or live cattle imports. However, relying on imports is not ideal for national food independence, according to him. 

“Meeting meat demand by increasing domestic production will enhance food sovereignty and provide added value for the livestock industry,” he stated.

He further elaborated that strategic steps must be taken to develop a livestock industry that meets national needs and increases farmers’ income. 

These include improving genetic quality, applying efficient farming techniques, developing production systems, and optimizing business scales. 

“These steps must be outlined in short, medium, and long-term programs so that the goal of independently meeting national meat demand can be achieved alongside the realization of the Golden Indonesia 2045 Vision,” Professor Panjono concluded.

Similarly, Professor Tri Satya Mastuti Widi raised related issues in her inaugural speech, “Designing Sustainable Livestock Production Systems with a Holistic Approach Based on Local Wisdom.” She explained that a sustainable livestock production system could help address food security issues in Indonesia.

Professor Widi stated that food and energy availability are crucial and longstanding issues for many countries worldwide, and Indonesia is no exception. 

She explained that red meat, particularly beef, is a traditional source of animal protein in Indonesia, but there is still a gap between production and consumption. 

“Reflecting on projections of beef production and consumption in Indonesia for 2023–2027, a gap between production and consumption remains,” Professor Widi explained.

She further noted that this deficit is partly due to differences between government programs and farmers’ goals. 

Professor Widi then discussed various efforts to meet food needs, explaining that every effort to increase food production has impacts on the environment, biodiversity, animal welfare, and human health. 

Therefore, a sustainable approach that appreciates local wisdom is needed to ensure that future food production does not compromise human health, biodiversity, animal welfare, or the environment. 

“Research and development should be directed towards the contribution of agricultural/livestock production systems to sustainable development through a holistic approach that recognizes farmers’ dual objectives and related trade-offs,” she emphasized.

In her closing remarks, Professor Widi presented several ideas related to the sustainability of livestock production systems, particularly in livestock development. 

These include paying attention to local production systems and local wisdom, analyzing trade-offs and impacts in every production system’s progress, improving local production systems, land use sharing, and utilizing marginal land, as well as synergistic, comprehensive, and conducive government policies. 

She added that the success of this design requires collaboration from all stakeholders and government support to make it a reality.

Author: Leony

Editor: Gusti Grehenson

Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya

Photographer: Firsto

Artikel UGM Professors Discuss Livestock Industry Strategies for Golden Indonesia 2045 pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

In fact, understanding these benefits and prescribing exercise as part of disease management has been practiced for over 2,500 years in various parts of the world. 

However, over time, exercise has received less attention as a component of disease treatment and prevention. 

“Exercise is often considered merely as a form of entertainment, a way to fill leisure time, or to shape the body,” said Professor Denny Agustiningsih from the Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing at Universitas Gadjah Mada (FK-KMK UGM), who was inaugurated as professor of sports physiology on Thursday (Jan. 30).

In her inaugural speech, “Does Exercise Always Bring Health Benefits?” Professor Agustiningsih presented various studies on factors contributing to the high incidence of chronic diseases, ultimately reemphasizing the importance of physical activity in the medical field. 

Researchers believe no other intervention, such as physical activity, can positively impact multiple organs and body systems. 

“In 2007, integrating physical activity into routine healthcare emerged as a way to prevent and treat chronic diseases. The main principle of this initiative stressed that exercise is not only a means to improve fitness but also an essential tool in preventing and treating various chronic diseases,” she explained.

According to her, exercise can indeed be an extraordinary means of maintaining and improving health, but it must be done wisely—following the right dosage and always paying attention to the body’s signals that require recovery time and repair. 

A proper understanding of the benefits and risks, along with policies supporting safe and inclusive sports, will ensure that exercise truly brings health benefits to all individuals. 

“There is still much work to be done in promoting awareness campaigns about the importance of proper exercise and the risks of excessive exercise without making people afraid or hesitant to engage in physical activity,” she remarked.

Professor Agustiningsih noted the increasing efforts by the government, academics, and various community groups to promote exercise. 

Additionally, she observed the public’s growing enthusiasm for participating in and attending various sports-related events. This shows that society is becoming more aware of and attentive to the health benefits of exercise. 

Moreover, on social media, there are also groups of people who are highly enthusiastic about exercising and regularly share their activities online. 

On the other hand, reports of accidents and even deaths during exercise have surfaced, sparking various comments, both scientific and non-scientific. 

“We need to understand and address the other side of exercise, which requires careful attention to ensure that everyone can fully benefit from exercise as one of the pillars of health,” she said.

Author: Agung Nugroho

Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya

Photographer: Donnie

Artikel UGM Professor: Physical Activity Can Prevent and Treat Chronic Diseases pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.

The event began with a joint exercise with the FKG UGM academic community and a healthy walk around the health cluster campus. 

As one of the oldest and leading faculties in Indonesia, FKG UGM has made significant contributions to education, research, and community service in the field of dentistry. 

This Dies Natalis celebration is an important moment for reflection, evaluation, and planning strategic steps to achieve the faculty’s vision and mission in the future.

“Various events will be held during the 77th Dies Natalis of FKG UGM. The most important aspect of all activities is togetherness. We aim to enhance the sense of unity among the academic community and strengthen the relationship between FKG UGM and the public,” said the Dean of FKG UGM, Professor Suryono, at the FKG UGM parking lot on Friday (Jan. 24).

Dean Suryono hopes to increase public awareness of dentistry with this year’s celebration. He emphasized that collaboration, innovation, and integrity are always prioritized in every FKG UGM activity. 

“These principles have been the foundation of FKG UGM’s success to this day. We hope that through this Dies Natalis celebration, we can all collectively embrace a brighter future, with a commitment to continue developing dental science and services for the progress of the nation and the country,” he added.

The opening ceremony was marked by the cutting of a tumpeng by the Dean of FKG, accompanied by the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, Public Health, and Nursing (FKKMK UGM), the Dean of Pharmacy, faculty leaders, lecturers, students, and staff within the health cluster. 

The event was enlivened by the opening of Pasar Kangen, tug-of-war competitions, Angguk dance performances, music by lecturers and students, and the distribution of door prizes.

Dr. Isti Rahayu Suryani, as the organizing committee chairperson, stated that the theme for the 77th Dies Natalis of FKG UGM is “Digital Dentistry: Enhancing Efficiency in Indonesia’s Health Transformation.” 

She believes that increasing her understanding of Digital Dentistry will provide deeper insights into the development of digital technology in dentistry. 

“Of course, this poses a challenge—how to implement such technology to improve the efficiency and quality of dental health services in Indonesia,” she explained.

Dr. Suryani expressed her hopes that the series of events for the 77th Dies Natalis of FKG UGM would strengthen the relationship between FKG UGM and the community. The academic community of FKG UGM is expected to build closer ties with the wider community, particularly in the field of dentistry. 

“We aim to increase the faculty’s tangible contribution to advancing the health sector in Indonesia. Through this Dies Natalis, we hope that FKG UGM can make a significant contribution to the progress of dentistry in Indonesia, which is in line with the current digital transformation,” she added.

Following the opening, a number of events are set to enliven the 77th Dies Natalis celebration of FKG UGM. 

These include community service activities in the form of outreach conducted by all elements of the academic community of FKG UGM on Feb. 8, 2025, in Pagilaran, Central Java. 

There will also be a Fun Run and Family Gathering on Feb. 22, 2025. The Fun Run, themed “Together in Healthy Steps,” is expected to be a sports event that fosters camaraderie and strengthens family ties. 

Meanwhile, the FKG UGM Family Gathering will be a reunion event that strengthens the bonds between alumni, the extended family, and the academic community of FKG UGM.

The Dies Natalis event will be highlighted by a Symposium, Hands-on Workshop, and Dental Exhibition on Feb. 27 and 28, 2025, at the UGM Innovation and Creativity Center (GIK UGM). 

Around 500 participants are expected to attend, including students, dental hygienists, dentists, dental specialists, researchers, and practitioners in the field of dentistry. 

Other activities include a spiritual gathering (tirakatan) and a communal iftar on Mar. 4, 2025, in the OECF Building Atrium. 

The climax of the event will be the Open Senate Meeting for the 77th Dies Natalis of FKG UGM and a Wayang Orang performance on Mar. 5, 2025, at the Margono Soeradji Auditorium of FKG UGM.

Author: Agung Nugroho

Post-editor: Afifudin Baliya

Photographer: Donnie

Artikel UGM Faculty of Dentistry Marks 77th Anniversary with Digital Dentistry Commitment pertama kali tampil pada Universitas Gadjah Mada.