Dental surgery

According to Maurizio Tonetti, a university professor and dentist whose family has operated a dental practice in Genoa since 1922, there is a growing interest among Chinese people in Italian healthcare.

At 63 years old, Tonetti has spent the past nine years in Asia － five of which were in Hong Kong as a professor of periodontology at the University of Hong Kong, followed by four years at Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, where he serves as the director of the Institute for Integrated Craniofacial and Multisensory Oral Health.

There are extraordinary research opportunities for Italian universities in collaboration with China, which could also translate into prospects for Italian companies, particularly in the realm of chronic diseases. But where is Italy in all of this? In my field, there are seven robotic systems used in oral surgery, and six out of those seven are developed by Shanghai Jiao Tong University. Unfortunately, Italy has missed this opportunity, he said.

From a pathological standpoint, the situation in China is alarming. "It seems to mirror the challenges Italy faced a few decades ago: 70 million elderly individuals are struggling to eat well, and an additional 400 to 500 million are on a similar trajectory," he said.

Maurizio Tonetti

The primary culprit is periodontities, a condition characterized by tooth loss due to the accumulation of plaque and tartar. Those most affected are often genetically predisposed and face risk factors such as smoking, uncontrolled diabetes, and a traditional non-Mediterranean diet that lacks sufficient fiber, vegetables, and fruits, Tonetti said.

Jiao Tong Hospital performs approximately 12,000 periodontal and implant surgeries each year. Tonetti is actively contributing to the development of a new wave of technologies related to oral health.

"The project we are working on in Shanghai aims to merge innovation with health transformation, particularly in health-related products, which may include medications or equipment," he explained.

This initiative is taking place in Zhangjiang Science City, the largest technological park in the world, home to 500,000 professionals. Within this park, there are several specialized areas, including a pharmaceutical valley and a robotics valley. Numerous multinational companies operate here, including some Italian firms, collaborating on the development of technologies and products tailored for the Chinese market, Tonetti said.