Integration of arts into dental education: Beauty in the histological photomicrographs

Chuan-Hang Yu; Chun-Pin Chiang

doi:10.1016/j.jds.2023.09.003

Integration of arts into dental education: Beauty in the histological photomicrographs

J Dent Sci. 2024 Jan;19(1):461-465. doi: 10.1016/j.jds.2023.09.003. Epub 2023 Sep 9.

Authors

Chuan-Hang Yu^{1

2}, Chun-Pin Chiang^{3

4

5

6}

Affiliations

¹ School of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
² Department of Dentistry, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan.
³ Department of Dentistry, Hualien Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, Hualien, Taiwan.
⁴ Graduate Institute of Clinical Dentistry, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁵ Graduate Institute of Oral Biology, School of Dentistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.
⁶ Department of Dentistry, National Taiwan University Hospital, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Abstract

Background/purpose: Integration of arts and humanities into dental education is important for developing holistically oriented dental professionals. This study aimed to survey dental students' perception of integrating arts and sciences into dental education with an innovative pedagogical approach through a photomicrograph competition.

Materials and methods: Students used digital imaging tools and creative approaches to capture photomicrographs that revealed hidden beauty in oral tissue sections. The photomicrograph works were posted online for scoring. The scoring activity, questionnaire survey, and complimentary comments of the participants were conducted online using a Google form.

Results: The photomicrograph competition garnered a 24% participation rate from the 490 undergraduate dental students. Of the 116 participants, 65% agreed that the photomicrograph competition increased their interest in learning microscopic lessons, 87% very strongly or strongly supported to hold the photomicrograph competition every year, and 72% believed that the photomicrograph competition could be adopted to the dental students in all dental schools in Taiwan. The overall satisfaction rate of the photomicrograph competition was 91%. The free comments from all participants were generally positive towards this photomicrograph competition.

Conclusion: The photomicrograph competition shows the transformative potential of integrating arts and humanities into dental education. Through the lens of photomicrography, the hidden wonders in oral tissue sections have been unveiled. This photomicrograph competition, a pioneering endeavor with no precedent in English literature, has proven to be a resounding success that unites the realms of scientific inquiry and artistic expression, and may be a transformative agent in nurturing holistic dental professionals.

Keywords: Dental education; Medical humanity; Oral histology; Oral pathology; Photomicrograph competition.