Tokashiki Village gets resident dentist

Dentist Takumi Takano recently moved into and opened a dental clinic in Tokashiki Village, becoming the first dentist to reside in the village.

There has been a dental clinic on Tokashiki, but it has been open only on weekends with a dentist from Itoman visiting to see patients on weekends for the last 13 years. There has never been a dentist who resides on Tokashiki.

57-year-old Takano is originally from Niigata, and lived in Fukushima Prefecture for a long time. He has worked dental clinics in Shiga, Kyoto, and Fukushima, but says that over recent years, he has been longing something different, and has pondered about his next destination in life, and wanted to have a dental clinic of his own. He also had dreams of a place in a warm climate and by a beautiful ocean. One day, he happened to see an advertisement seeking a dentist willing to open a dental clinic on Tokashiki Island, Okinawa. He immediately contacted Tokashiki Village Office, and visited there last February. He says he totally fell in love with the place and made a decision to move in.

The village donated all dental tools and equipment for the facility. Takano appreciates his luck, the beautiful nature and environment. He is eager to contribute to the village, and is looking forward to get to know many people there. He says, “I have found my destination in life. I look forward to my life here enjoying my service to Tokashiki people and fishing and diving.”

Tokashiki Village Representative Yoshikatsu Matsumoto is happy to have a resident dentist settle on Tokashiki. “We all welcome him and his wife. I believe that being able to receive dental treatment any day of the week will make the life here much easier, and the financial burden on each household of this village a little lighter,” Matsumoto says.

 

Shiraishi6.2

21:20 29 Mar , 2024