Akitoshi Hayashi, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Inaba Medical Corporation

Extending the life of your teeth extends your life. A job that directly impacts your life.

■ Profile

Born in Tottori Prefecture in 1973. After graduating from Meikai University School of Dentistry in 2001, he joined Miyata Dental Clinic, a medical corporation of Koshinkai. In 2003, he joined Shiodome City Center Dental Clinic, a medical corporation of Yuseikai, and became a director of Yuseikai in 2005. In 2010, he founded Inabakai Medical Corporation. In 2007, he became CEO of the Inabakai Group. He is a training instructor certified by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare. He is a member of the American Academy of Periodontology and an instructor for the International Implant Society.

　Dr. Akitoshi Hayashi, chairman of the Inaba-kai, operates eight dental clinics in the Tokyo metropolitan area, including Tokyo, Saitama, and Kanagawa. He is active in a wide range of fields, not only as a dentist but also as a consultant for starting a dental practice and even as a somen noodle shop owner. We asked him about the feelings he has when interacting with patients and customers, why he continues to take on new business challenges, and his passion for his work.

■ Work that touches people's lives

　I was a member of the rugby club in high school, and joined the American football club in college. Club activities in high school and college were very hard, and I think these experiences have shaped me into who I am today. When I think back to the practice sessions I went through at that time, no matter how difficult things get now, I think, "It's no big deal" (laughs). It's not widely known, but American football is a sport that requires intelligence. If you use your head, you can beat even strong teams. Through club activities, I learned to keep thinking, and to keep using my head to find a way forward.

I went to dental school in college, so it was a natural progression to become a dentist, but looking back, I feel it was my calling. Dentists must be able to instantly assess a patient's condition based on a single X-ray and provide consultation. This requires not only the ability to identify problems, but also the ability to communicate with patients and a sense of humanity, which I believe is what earns their trust. Meanwhile, dentistry is a job that influences people's lives, so extending the lifespan of their teeth directly translates into extending their lifespan. That's why, in an era where people are expected to live to 100, we must ensure that dental demand remains for around 120 years. In Japan today, there are many potential patients who are unaware of their dental problems. I believe that if we can identify these patients, we can increase demand for dental care and extend healthy lifespans. It's truly gratifying to hear patients say, 10 or 20 years later, "I'm glad I had my treatment done by that doctor."

■The most important thing is people

　Inabakai is also a nationally certified training facility, and in cooperation with universities, many trainees come to study here. Inabakai is equipped with apartments, commercial facilities, offices, and more, and by gaining a variety of experiences from training to opening your own practice, you can discover what you are suited to. If it were just me, 2-3 branches would be enough, but I have increased the number of branches to accommodate the doctors and staff who work there.

The most important thing when educating employees is to "treat only yourself and your family as you would." For example, even if you're getting a filling, you should recommend it to the patient as if it were something you would recommend to your own family. We make sure that no one does anything that you wouldn't want done to you. When hiring, we ask, "What kind of dentist do you want to be?" and "Is there anything you want?" We have the impression that greedy people will grow more, so we hire people who are ambitious. However, obligation and human feelings are also important, so we cherish people who don't betray us and try to repay our kindness as if they were family.

The appeal of our clinic is, as orthodox as it sounds, our people. Skill and communication skills are the most important, and I believe that if you have those, you can survive in anything. In my work, I also value formulating hypotheses between questions and results and verifying them. In fact, I have participated in projects with Harvard University and New York University. In fact, in a project with Harvard University, I conducted research to measure the durability and cleaning ability of toothbrushes, and I also conducted research and development on toothbrushes.

■ Use your experience to create something new

　We also use our accumulated know-how to provide consulting services for dental practice openings. There are many consultants who start dental practices, but many of them are not dentists. In our case, we have a track record and data of actually opening a practice, which is a major advantage. If an inexperienced dentist were to suddenly try to work with a major developer, there would be various issues and construction work that could easily lead to problems. For this reason, we are highly valued because we act as an intermediary between the developer and the dentist, and can explain things in an easy-to-understand way. If we can create a nationwide network in the future, we believe that patients will be able to transfer or move with peace of mind. We also want to continue to get involved in not only dentistry, but also in interesting things and things that will please customers.

Another surprising thing is that I run a shop that specializes in somen noodles. I noticed that although somen is the oldest Japanese noodle, there are udon, ramen, and soba restaurants, but no somen shops. Also, as the customs of year-end and mid-year gifts fade, there is a possibility that somen culture will decline, which is why I decided to go into the restaurant industry. It is also nice to see customers happy right in front of you when you eat and drink.

Feelings for the local area

　I'm originally from Tottori Prefecture, and our company name is Inaba, the former name of Tottori. While world-class technology wasn't available in Tottori, we wanted to revitalize the Tottori region and raise the level of dental care, so we invited a dental factory to come here. We've gathered dental technicians with both skill and a good heart, and they're making dental products for orders received in the Kanto region. We were even asked to buy the dental technician school.

■Message to students

　In today's world, there are endless things to do and many different career paths to choose from. However, I feel that this is actually having a negative impact on the career paths of today's young people. I hope that you will decide where to make your decision. Also, meet many different adults and see many different worlds and occupations. In Japan, people decide their career path at university, but overseas, they decide from high school. This results in a lot of wasted study. If you can make a decision early, you can move toward what you want to study at university without wasting time. I think it is important to think for yourself early, and to look at and consider job opportunities early. It is young people who will create the future, so I hope you will be determined and do your best.

Interviewed by Student Newspaper Online on August 25, 2022 by Daiki Shimada, a third-year student at Kokugakuin University