Kobe Municipal Kobe City Dental Center
About
Located on the 2nd floor ofasta Kunidzuka Building 5 in Nagata Ward, Kobe City, Kobe City Dental Center is a specialized dental facility serving patients who have difficulty receiving treatment at general dental clinics. Established by Kobe City and operated by the Kobe City Dental Association, the center has a long history dating back to 1978 when it was founded as a dental clinic for persons with physical and mental disabilities. The facility welcomes a wide range of patients, including those with intellectual, physical, and mental disabilities, dental phobia, severe gag reflex, or those requiring special care due to heart conditions. Treatment methods are diverse, including visual aids such as picture cards for treatment explanation, gradual desensitization training, positioning support with cushions, treatment under vital monitoring, and dental procedures under general or intravenous anesthesia. A key feature is the well-staffed team led by certified physicians, specialists, and dental hygienists from the Japanese Dental Society of Anesthesiology and the Japanese Society for Disability and Oral Health, along with dispatched dentists from each ward and hospitals, and nurses. The facility is equipped with wheelchair-accessible units and barrier-free design, and English support is available. Operating hours are 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM, with a referral letter from a primary dentist required for first-time patients. The center's initiatives have been recognized as pioneering since its establishment and have served as a model for oral health centers across Japan.
