China-ASEAN Forum on Dentistry (CAFD), a platform for dental cooperation between China and ASEAN member states, is sponsored by National Health Commission of China and the People's Government of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, and organized by College of Stomatology of Guangxi Medical University（GXMUCS） in cooperation with Chinese Stomatological Association, dental associations of ASEAN countries, Guangxi Health and Family Planning Commission, Guangxi Education Department, Guangxi International Expo Affairs Bureau, Guangxi Center for International Exchange of Personnel and Guangxi Medical University.

During the 1^st CAFD in 2008, representatives from all ASEAN member states reached a general consensus and jointly published the “China-ASEAN Forum on Dentistry 2008 Announcement”, which designated Nanning, Guangxi as the permanent venue of the Forum and set up CAFD Secretariat as a long-standing institution in GXMUCS. Each ASEAN member states appoints a representative to be member of the Secretariat, who is in charge of liaison and communication between the Forum and dental organizations and experts in each ASEAN member states as well as responsible for organizing and dealing with affairs related with the Forum. In general cases, the Forum is held biennially.

The Forum, involving keynote speeches and academic exchanges, aims at promoting dental exchanges and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries, actively exploring cooperative channels for China and ASEAN countries in the field of dentistry and continuously expanding the friendly relationship between China and ASEAN countries in an all-around way. Since 2014, a new program has been added to the CAFD, namely China-ASEAN Excellent Young Dental Student Forum, which aims to build a platform for the exchanges between young dental students from China, ASEAN member states, European countries and the United States to promote future cooperation in the field of dentistry.

Up to now, the CAFD has been successfully held for five sessions. The 6th CAFD, as one of the five panel forums of the 2nd China-ASEAN Forum on Health Cooperation: Towards a Health Silk Road, will be held in Nanning, Guangxi during October 19-20, 2018. Over the past decade, the Forum has attracted over 1,000 guests of dental schools (hospitals) both from home and abroad, of which over 400 were from ASEAN region including 10 (vice) ministers of health. As one of the 15 ministerial forums of the China-ASEAN Expo in “China's Regional Health Cooperation Projects” by the Ministry of Health of China, the Form has become a symbolic international conference with the highest profile and growing international influence in the field of dentistry in China-ASEAN region.

The CAFD remains committed to become a bridge linking China and ASEAN member states, with its main objective changed from building a platform to constructing a base since 2012. In 2015 and 2017, GXMUCS was designated by National Health and Family Planning Commission of China as the only unit to carry out China-Cambodia Health Collaboration Project and China-Laos Health Collaboration Project. In 2016, guided by Li Bin, former Director-general of National Health and Family Planning Commission of China, the dental expert team of GXMUCS went to Cambodia to provide voluntary dental service for local residents. After that, Director-general Li gave full affirmation and good appraisal to the activity, and pointed out that China would continue to strengthen the cooperation in the field of stomatology between China and ASEAN on the basis of existing achievement. During the visit, under the witness of Director-general Li and H.E. Dr. Mam Bunheng, Minister of Health of Cambodia, GXMUCS also signed a MOU with University of Health Sciences of Cambodia to jointly establish China-Cambodia Dental Health Collaboration Center in near future. The currently-building ASEAN International College of Stomatology of Guangxi Medical University will be built as an ASEAN-oriented center for dental education, patient care, public health, scientific research and personnel training, which will provide a comprehensive platform to exchange views between governments, academic institutions and industrial circles, playing a more important role in promoting the exchanges and collaboration in the field of dentistry as well as people’s health.