Abstract
The concept of unseen sustainability emphasizes the importance of recognizing and mitigating less obvious factors that threaten sustainable development. This principle is particularly relevant in dental education, where fostering awareness of sustainability in daily practice can significantly influence the profession’s long-term environmental and social impact. Dental students are often trained to focus on immediate clinical outcomes. However, integrating sustainability into their curriculum highlights the hidden risks associated with resource-intensive practices. Case-base and Service-Learning approaches are interactive and student-centred teaching methods, which help fosters sustainability awareness. A 4-year case study presenting the implementation of the sustainability vision of the Division of Dentistry, the University of Manchester, UK. The benefits of utilising Case-based and Service-Learning to equip future dentists to deliver patient care that balances environmental responsibility with community well-being. Participating students demonstrate a deeper understanding of the hidden environmental associated with dental practice and an increased commitment to promote oral health in underserved communities. The impact includes actionable insights into embedding sustainability and service learning into dental education.
Presenters
Vitalia KinakhSenior Lecturer, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health, The University of Manchester, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Education, Assessment and Policy
KEYWORDS
Sustainability, Environment, Dental Education
