KKU Faculty of Dentistry Hosts “Outstanding Dent Star” Knowledge Management Project to Share Pathways Toward Academic Excellence

5 August 2025
17:16

On Wednesday, July 30, 2025, the Faculty of Dentistry, Khon Kaen University, organized a Knowledge Management (KM) event under the theme “Outstanding Dent Star: Teaching with Joy, Creative Research, and Learning for Well-being.” The session took place at the Nithipawee Srisuk Conference Room, 5th Floor, Chalermprakiat Building, and featured three distinguished speakers who shared their experiences and insights into achieving excellence in academia.

**Assoc. Prof. Dr. Waranuch Pitipat**, from the Division of Dental Public Health, spoke on the topic of **research that cultivates well-being**. She emphasized the three “P” principles that have guided her path to success: **Passion** (loving what you do), **Persistence** (persevering through challenges), and **People** (nurturing strong relationships with students and colleagues). She encouraged participants to ground their work in real data, value mentorship, build networks across disciplines, and embrace calculated risks to achieve meaningful, challenging goals. “The ultimate goal in life is to stay healthy. If we are to live long, we want to remain strong and independent until the very end. The key to happiness is doing what you love,” she shared.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Jarin Paphangkorakit, from the Division of Oral Biology, offered reflections on joyful teaching, recalling how his own academic struggles led him to discover a passion for teaching. “The subjects I found hardest, where the teaching lacked clarity, became the ones I did best in because I had to study independently and tutor others. That’s how I realized I enjoyed teaching,” he said. He stressed that a teacher must not only understand the content deeply but also empathize with students and support their development without imposing expectations. “The essence of being an educator lies in kindness. When students are happy, teaching gains meaning. Loving your job brings joy and success.”

Mr. Thanapat Thanomdumrongsak, from the Division of Periodontology, shared his perspective on learning for well-being, integrating the PERMA model of positive psychology into personal and academic life. PERMA includes Positive Emotion, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, and Accomplishment. He reflected on the perseverance required in dental school, stressing the importance of self-reflection in times of difficulty, choosing to persist, and practicing until gradual improvement is achieved. “Prepare yourself fully and then let go of the outcome,” he advised.

The event was designed to cultivate a culture of continuous learning within the Faculty of Dentistry, aiming to strengthen knowledge, capabilities, and vision among faculty and staff. Emphasis was placed on knowledge sharing through real-life experience, covering both explicit knowledge and tacit knowledge embedded within individuals. Through dialogue, reflective sessions, and shared learning, the initiative seeks to empower academic, professional, and support personnel across all units, embedding learning into the organizational fabric and promoting sustainable knowledge dissemination throughout the faculty.