Foundation Healthcare Holdings Limited, Singapore’s largest private multi-specialty group, has announced the launch of the Foundation Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Centre at Farrer Park Medical Centre, a dedicated specialist centre that combines experienced oral and maxillofacial surgeons, advanced digital planning, and Singapore's first autonomous dental implant surgical robot to support the delivery of safer, more precise, and more predictable implant treatment for patients, particularly in complex cases.
Established in partnership with Beijing Yakebot Technology Co., Ltd., the Centre also marks the start of a strategic collaboration with the National University of Singapore Faculty of Dentistry to advance education, research, and the responsible clinical adoption of robotic implant surgery in Singapore.
Together, the partnership brings clinical practice, academia, and industry into a common platform to support innovation in oral healthcare while strengthening Singapore's position in digital dentistry.
Mr Liaw Yit Ming, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of Foundation Healthcare, said: “Today's milestone represents more than the launch of a new centre. It reflects our commitment to building an integrated healthcare ecosystem, bringing together clinical expertise, technology, and trusted partners to make high-quality care more accessible for our patients.”
Meeting the Growing Need for Complex Implant Care
As Singapore's population ages and people retain their teeth longer, the demand for dental implants continues to grow. At the same time, clinicians are seeing more patients with increasingly complex needs, including severe bone loss, multiple missing teeth, medically compromised conditions, and previous dental treatment that can make implant surgery more challenging.
Successful implant treatment depends on careful diagnosis, detailed planning, and precise surgical execution. Even small deviations can become significant when operating near nerves, the maxillary sinus, or in complex full-mouth rehabilitation cases.
The Foundation Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Centre was established to address these challenges by integrating specialist surgical expertise with advanced digital workflows and robotic technology. Every procedure is diagnosed, planned, approved, and supervised by a surgeon. Where clinically appropriate, the robotic system assists in performing the surgical plan with a high degree of precision and consistency.
"For us, robotics is not about replacing the surgeon, but about sharpening the surgeon’s ability to plan, execute, and deliver care with greater precision and safety. The newest technology should always serve the oldest duty of medicine: to help the patient and avoid harm," said Dr Winston Tan, Director of Winston Tan Oral Maxillofacial Surgery, a trusted facility of Foundation Healthcare.
Bringing Robotics into Clinical Practice
Developed by Beijing Yakebot Technology Co., Ltd., the autonomous dental implant surgical robot is the first dental surgical robot to receive European CE certification and approval through China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Innovative Medical Device pathway. More than 30,000 implant procedures have been completed worldwide using the system.
The robot combines three-dimensional digital treatment planning with autonomous surgical execution under continuous surgeon supervision. It is designed to achieve implant placement accuracy within 0.3 to 0.5 millimetres and incorporates intelligent safety features, including real-time visual tracking that follows patient movement, and force-feedback control capable of automatically adjusting movement or initiating an emergency stop when abnormal resistance is detected.
The system supports a broad range of implant procedures, from single-tooth replacement and full-arch rehabilitation to complex cases involving severe bone deficiency, zygomatic implants, and pterygoid implant surgery. By helping translate a carefully planned surgical approach into precise execution, the technology may support more consistent implant positioning and contribute to predictable restorative outcomes.
Dr Wang Lifeng, Founder of Beijing Yakebot Technology Co., Ltd., said: "We are extremely proud to partner with Foundation Healthcare to bring Singapore’s first autonomous robotic dental implant centre to life. Yakebot’s precision dental robotic system is designed to elevate safety, accuracy, and clinical consistency in implant surgery, helping clinicians deliver better, more predictable outcomes for patients. This milestone marks an important step forward in globalising advanced dental robotics and advancing digital dentistry across Asia."
Advancing Research, Education and Responsible Innovation
Beyond clinical care, Foundation Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Centre is a platform for education, clinical training, and research.
Its strategic collaboration with the NUS Faculty of Dentistry will support research into robotic implant surgery, education for clinicians and students, and the responsible development of new technologies in oral and maxillofacial surgery. The collaboration aims to ensure that advances in robotics are introduced with appropriate clinical governance, evidence-based research, and professional training.
"Everyone can have a bad day at the office. For surgeons, a bad day at the office can mean a poor outcome for our patients. The use of robotic technology improves good outcomes and increases the frequency of good outcomes,” said A/Prof Raymond Wong, Vice Dean (Graduate Studies and Lifelong Learning) of the NUS Faculty of Dentistry.
By bringing together medical specialists, researchers, educators, and technology partners, the Foundation Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Centre represents a new model for advancing implant dentistry in Singapore — one where innovation is guided by clinical expertise, strengthened through collaboration, and ultimately focused on improving patient care.
