Department history

The Department of Prosthetic Dentistry began its work on the basis of Order No. 203 of the Ministry of Health of the Kazakh SSR dated 20 May 1962. The leadership of the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry was entrusted to Rashida Sabirovna Usmanova, Chief Dentist of the city of Alma-Ata and Head Physician of the 1st Municipal Dental Polyclinic, who came to Alma-Ata after graduating from the Dental Institute in Leningrad.

From 1963, the department was headed by Associate Professor Georgiy Timofeevich Sukharev, who joined from the Tashkent Medical Institute. All educational, methodological and research work was carried out thanks to the extensive experience of G.T. Sukharev. He is the founder of the educational, scientific and clinical school of prosthetic dentistry and orthodontics in Kazakhstan.

From 1975, Associate Professor Anatoliy Andreevich Sedunov (Professor since 1989) was appointed Acting Head of the Department. In 1989, by Order No. 214 of the Rector of Kazakh State Medical University (KazGMU) dated 11 July 1989, a second Department of Propedeutics of Prosthetic Dentistry was established, headed by Doctor of Medical Sciences, Professor S.R. Ruzuddinov.

Since 1992, the departments were renamed Department of Prosthetic Dentistry No. 1 and Department of Prosthetic Dentistry No. 2 (Order No. 223 of 18 September 1992). In 2001, Doctor of Medical Sciences K.D. Altynbekov was appointed Head of the Department of Prosthetic Dentistry No. 1 (term of office 2001–2004). In 2003, following the merger of Departments of Prosthetic Dentistry No. 1 and No. 2, Professor S.R. Ruzuddinov was appointed Head of the unified Department of Prosthetic Dentistry.

In accordance with Order No. 1323 of the Rector of KazNMU dated 12 July 2011, the department was reorganized into two modules: the Module of Prosthetic Dentistry, headed by Doctor of Medical Sciences K.D. Altynbekov, and the Module of Propedeutics of Prosthetic Dentistry, headed by Candidate of Medical Sciences A.A. Yesirkepov.

The Department of Prosthetic Dentistry was re-established in accordance with the order of the Rector of Asfendiyarov KazNMU, Professor A.A. Akanov, by merging the two modules: the Prosthetic Dentistry Module and the Propedeutics of Prosthetic Dentistry Module. Doctor of Medical Sciences Kubeisin Duisenbayevich Altynbekov was appointed Head of the Department (Order No. 542 of 4 February 2015).

Research topic of the department: “Development and implementation of innovative technologies and dental materials of domestic production.” The teaching staff actively participates in the implementation of scientific and technical programmes under the Ministry of Education and Science of the Republic of Kazakhstan on the topic: “Innovative methods of diagnosis and prosthetic treatment of various defects of the dentition.”

The academic staff of the department has participated in international scientific and practical conferences in both near and far abroad countries, including Sweden, Turkey, Germany, Slovenia, Russia, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Tatarstan. Master classes on current issues in prosthetic dentistry using innovative technologies are held annually. The department’s staff have developed dental alloys “Stomet-1kz” and “Stomet-2kz.”

There are 6 implementation acts for the introduction of developments into the educational process and practical health care, 5 innovation patents have been obtained, and study guides have been published in both the state (Kazakh) and Russian languages.

Within the framework of the scientific and technical programme “Innovative methods of diagnosis and prosthetic treatment of various defects of the dentition,” and in collaboration with the Research Institute “Institute of Nuclear Physics,” the “National Center for Expertise of Medicines, Medical Devices and Medical Equipment,” the “Privatclinica” laboratory, and LLP “Celsim,” dental materials for medical use – the alloys “Stomet-1kz” and “Stomet-2kz” for prosthetic dentistry – were developed for the first time. The developed alloys have successfully passed preclinical testing, and further studies are underway to assess their performance characteristics under conditions of dental clinical practice.

The teaching staff of the department, together with students, makes a significant contribution to providing dental care to the residents of Almaty: leading professors, associate professors and assistants provide consultative care and prosthetic dental treatment to the city’s population. The department also provides prosthetic dental care to patients with defects of the maxillofacial region.