The Faculty of Dentistry is internationally renowned for innovative and high-quality undergraduate and postgraduate education, cutting-edge research and knowledge transfer activities, with students hailing from 39 countries. Housed in the Prince Philip Dental Hospital, the Faculty has so far trained more than one half of dental practitioners and specialists currently serving in Hong Kong. Spearheaded by Professor Jin, the Faculty pioneered the establishment of the first ever conjoint postgraduate clinical programme between the Mainland and Hong Kong. 

Professor Jin is an internationally renowned expert in periodontal disease – the most common form of disease in humans. Over 25 years in the field he has built a distinguished record of commitment to education, innovative research, clinical service and community engagement. 

He joined the University in 1994, having obtained two doctoral degrees from Peking University (PKU) and the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden. He is currently Professor in Periodontology, Postgraduate Programme Director in Periodontology (HKU-PKU Conjoint Programme) and Associate Dean for Research, Innovation & Enterprises in the Faculty of Dentistry. In 2007 he was honoured by the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh with its prestigious Fellowship in Dental Surgery ad hominem. 

His research team has been engaged in the study of periodontal etiopathogenesis and novel molecular mechanisms of host-innate defence in human gingiva and their implications in periodontal disease, as well as the pioneering work in periodontal medicine. The team’s studies have been frequently funded by the Research Grants Council of Hong Kong, and recently by the National Institute of Health in the USA through international collaboration. 

He and his team have been recognised with numerous international awards including the best paper award in Periodontology & Microbiology Research from the International Association for Dental Research (IADR), South-East Asia Division, in 2004, the IADR/GlaxoSmithKline Innovation & Oral Care Award in 2006, and other IADR prizes. In recognition of his outstanding services to the dental community in Hong Kong and Mainland China, he received the prestigious Professional Exchange & Collaboration Award from the Chinese Stomatological Association in 2010. 

Professor Jin has currently served on several major international bodies including the IADR in the USA as the Chair of its Periodontal Disease Task Group, and the largest non-governmental organisation in dentistry – FDI World Dental Federation in Geneva as the Vice-Chairman of its Science Committee, and has been elected President of the Asian Pacific Society of Periodontology. He is also the Founding Member and Secretary of the Periodontology Specialty Board of the College of Dental Surgeons of Hong Kong. As an internationally respected scholar, he serves as an associate editor or on the editorial boards of numerous leading international journals in dentistry and periodontology. He has primarily supervised 20 master/PhD graduates and published over 120 journal papers and book chapters. Since 2000, he has delivered more than 110 scientific presentations as an invited speaker in more than 15 countries.