On October 8, “Denture Day,” a memorial service was held for dentures that had served their purpose. The annual lunch gathering with patients was also revived for the first time in five years.

2026.09.29 12:30

コンフォート入れ歯クリニック

The Musashi-kai Comfort Denture Clinic (Headquarters: Sapporo, Hokkaido; Chairman and Director: Akira Ikeda), a medical corporation specializing in denture treatment, will hold its 8th annual “Denture Memorial Service” at Hokkaido Jingu Ton-gu on Thursday, October 8, 2026—“Denture Day.”Following the memorial service, a social gathering for patients and staff will resume for the first time in five years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The used dentures will be sold at a later date, and the proceeds will be donated to local disaster relief organizations.

役目を終えて供養される入れ歯達

Dentures that have served their purpose and are being honored

[It’s not just about making dentures. It’s about connecting with patients, holding memorial services, and supporting local disaster relief.]

October 8 is “Denture Day.” According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare’s Reiwa 6 Survey on the Status of Dental Diseases, the percentage of people aged 80 who have 20 or more teeth—known as “8020 Achievers”—has increased to 61.5 percent.At the same time, the survey found that more than half of those aged 60 and older—and 90.1% of those aged 80–84—wear prosthetics such as bridges, dentures, or implants. This shows that dentures are not merely medical devices but essential tools for daily life, supporting everything from eating to conversation.

Comfort Denture Clinic in Sapporo, which specializes in denture treatment, will hold a “Denture Memorial Service” on Thursday, October 8, at the Hokkaido Jingu Tongo Shrine. Following the service, the proceeds from recycling the metal parts of the dentures will be donated to the “Kita no Kuni Disaster Support Team,” a local disaster relief organization.The memorial service has been held annually since 2019, and this year—marking its eighth iteration—a luncheon will be held following the ceremony. The clinic will also resume social gatherings between patients and staff, which had been suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

During the memorial service, dentures that have served their purpose or were used by deceased individuals will be placed on the altar alongside offerings, and a Shinto priest will perform the memorial rites by waving a large ritual banner (ōnusa). On the day of the event, in addition to the clinic director and staff, one patient participating in the luncheon is scheduled to attend. After the priest performs the memorial rites, the attendees will offer their respects.While dentures are worn and used for many years, some families struggle with how to dispose of them, as they cannot always be cremated. “They feel like a part of the body, so we can’t just throw them away as trash,” say some people—including those who are not patients at our clinic and those from outside Hokkaido—who send their dentures to us. This year, we plan to perform memorial rites for approximately 50 sets, including dentures from our partner dental clinics.

神主が大幣を振って供養

The Shinto priest waves a large sacred banner during the memorial service

厳かに執り行われる

The ceremony is conducted with solemnity

参拝者も拝礼

Worshippers also bow in reverence

[“Past Dentures” and “Current Dentures”: Staying with Your Dentures Until the Very End]

Since 2017, we have held social gatherings not only at restaurants but also in-house via catering. At times, patients have hosted guitar recitals, and conversations about hobbies have livened up the atmosphere; some even expressed eagerness for the next event.This year, four patients, the clinic director, and three staff members are scheduled to attend. Rather than holding a special event, we will enjoy conversation over a meal together and check to see if the dentures currently in use are functioning properly and if there is any pain or discomfort.

患者によるギター演奏

Guitar Performance by a Patient

院内でケータリング

Catering at the Clinic

A Message from the Director: “Dentures are not merely artificial objects. They are tools that people have used for years—even decades—to eat, talk with others, and go about their daily lives. To ensure our work doesn’t end with the initial creation, we honor dentures that have served their purpose by sending them off to be reused, and we continue to support patients with their current dentures until the very end. We believe this is our role as specialists in dentures.This time, we’re also resuming our patient social gatherings for the first time in five years, after they were suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. While enjoying a meal, I hope patients will feel free to talk not only about their dentures but also about their daily lives.”

コンフォート入れ歯クリニック院長_池田昭