In 2025, many JOMA authors make outstanding contributions to our journal. Their articles published with us have received very well feedback in the field and stimulate a lot of discussions and new insights among the peers.

Hereby, we would like to highlight some of our outstanding authors who have been making immense efforts in their research fields, with a brief interview of their unique perspective and insightful view as authors.

Outstanding Authors (2025)

Daisuke Oiwa, Hinode Makomanai Dental Hospital, Japan

Hitoshi Higuchi, Okayama University Hospital, Japan

Outstanding Author

Daisuke Oiwa

Daisuke Oiwa currently serves at the Department of Dental Anesthesiology and Perioperative Management, Hinode Makomanai Dental Hospital, and the Department of Public Health, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, Japan. His research areas include ultrasound-guided head and neck nerve blocks, abnormal gag reflex, dental anxiety, and prevention of early childhood caries. Recently, he is focused on studying the suppressive effects of glossopharyngeal nerve block and intravenous sedation on abnormal gag reflex, factor analysis of abnormal gag reflex, and the preventive effects of dental education on early childhood caries.

To Dr. Oiwa, a good academic paper is one that makes other researchers apply its findings to clinical practice immediately. In his personal experience, ensuring exchangeability and feasibility is the most commonly encountered difficulty in academic writing

“The enjoyment of conceptualizing ideas and the sense of accomplishment after completing a challenging manuscript are what make academic writing fascinating!” says Dr. Oiwa.

(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)

Hitoshi Higuchi

Hitoshi Higuchi, DDS, PhD, is the Associate Professor of Dental Anesthesiology, at Okayama University Hospital, Japan. His research has focused on the anesthetic management of patients with intellectual disabilities and/or autism spectrum disorder. Due to their disabilities, they have problems that need to be solved in anesthesia management, and Dr. Higuchi would like to contribute to the safe anesthesia management and health promotion by solving the problems.

JOMA: What role does academic writing play in science?

Dr. Higuchi: We always want to provide the best possible medical care to our patients, but we encounter a variety of clinical questions that are not always easy to resolve. Academic writing can help us find solutions to these questions, and patients can benefit greatly.

JOMA: How to ensure one’s writing is critical?

Dr. Higuchi: It is very difficult. I try to make decisions based on whether I can benefit the patients in light of my own experience.

JOMA: Why is it important for a research to apply for institutional review board (IRB) approval?

Dr. Higuchi: In the absence of IRB approval, researchers may put their own interests ahead of the interests of patients. Furthermore, they may not publish results that are unfavorable to themselves, and there will be no checks to ensure that the research is conducted in a manner that is fair to the patients.

(by Brad Li, Masaki Lo)