Interview
A chat with Ronald Jung
Interview conducted by Marjan Gilani
In 2022 you took the reins as the University of Zurich ’ s new Chairman at the Clinic of Reconstructive Dentistry . Did you always want to be a dentist ? Prof . Jung : Not before my early 20s . As a young man I was a professional and passionate soccer player with Grasshopper Club Zurich until I had a serious injury in a match . I underwent surgery five times . In the end , doctors couldn ’ t fully rebuild my fibula , but I became very interested in orthopedic surgery and bone biology . I started to study medicine , and when I met a pioneer of bone and soft-tissue regeneration in Switzerland , Dr . Hans-Peter Grimm , he convinced me to study dentistry . Geistlich was partly responsible for my becoming a dentist .
Is your favorite topic clinical practice or fundamental research ? I am more the conductor who puts together the “ best possible team ” for doing “ what should be done ,” whether it is fundamental or practical . We do it all for one simple reason : to provide better oral healthcare to people worldwide . This keeps me getting up every morning with so much positive energy , and I look forward to going to work .
Individual , or teamwork ? Team , people and trust come first . It is important for me that my team members love going to work . After that , the performance comes by itself . I learned this in sports . For example , all championship level skiers are in pretty much the same physical condition . What delivers the best performance is always in the mind .
What ’ s the most important take-home when working with Prof . Hämmerle ? Fundamentally , great dentistry is not about knowing the most advanced techniques or having the most skilled hands , it ’ s about being able to make the right decisions at the right time .
Has oral regeneration research changed over the years ? There is a transition from hard- and soft- tissue dominated topics to interface science . Thanks to advances in imaging and modeling tools , we can better understand the mechanisms at the interface of bone , soft tissue and implants , even at the cellular and molecular level , which was not possible 20-years ago .
Has the pandemic impacted your daily work ? I used to travel a lot for work and meetings . Every time I had to sit in the airplane , my teenage daughter complained about my carbon
Prof . Ronald Jung is Chairman of the Clinic of Reconstructive Dentistry , University of Zürich and best known for his work in the field of hard and soft tissue management and his research on new technologies in implant dentistry .
footprint ( smiles ) – but now my travel is significantly less . Most lectures and training changed to an online format . I see a lot of potential . A hands-on like vLab ( at Geistlich + YOU ) can reach more dentists worldwide than we ever imagined .
What is special about today ’ s students ? They have a better sense of work-life balance . 20-years ago not everyone knew what the burnout is . I remember my father working all the time , either in his office or in the garden when he was home . And I am pretty much the same . You never find me sitting relaxed and reading a newspaper at home . But young people today know how to dedicate their resources in a more thoughtful way .
What do you miss the most when you go abroad for work ? I love to travel and learn about people , food , cultures , etc . I adapt to different situations easily – I do not have a rhythm or a morning routine , so jetlag does not bother me . But I must say , I miss my family !
Photos : Ronald Jung
38 GEISTLICH NEWS 1-2022