Smiles, science, and spark: Why creativity matters in dental education — Azwatee Abdul Aziz
APRIL 28 — Every year on April 21st, the world observes World Creativity and Innovation Day (WCID) – a day designated by the United Nations to encourage creative thinking and innovation as essential tools for solving global challenges. In an era marked by rapid technological transformation, WCID holds increasing significance for academic fields that must continuously adapt to shifting landscapes—and dental education is no exception. As dentistry integrates emerging tools like artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics, the need for creative and forward- thinking approaches in dental academia has never been more urgent.
Creativity and innovation in dental education
Dental education is undergoing a metamorphosis, driven by evolving technologies, societal needs, and new healthcare challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic, for example, necessitated remote learning innovations and accelerated the adoption of digital platforms. But beyond crisis adaptation, there'S a broader call for integrating creativity into the foundation of dental Education.
Creativity, defined as the generation of novel and useful ideas, is essential for developing innovative pedagogies that respond to modern demands such as interprofessional collaboration, sustainability, and equity in dental care. Byrne and Glasser (2023) emphasise that cultivating creativity in dental academics is key to ensuring that future dental professionals are not only technically proficient but also adaptive and reflective thinkers capable of addressing diverse community needs.
Recently, these ideals were powerfully embodied during the 26th Dental Students' Scientific Conference (DSSC) and the 2nd Dental Students' Talent & Innovation Competition (DSTIC) 2025 with the theme 'Innovate, Educate, Elevate: Digital Technology Impact on Learning and Research in Dentistry'. It is an annual event where final-year dental students from the Universiti Malaya showcase their research findings through oral or poster presentations. These events brought together forward-thinking students and academics to showcase innovative research, technology-driven projects, and creative approaches to dental practice and education. From AI-based diagnostic tools to artistic interpretations of oral health awareness, the conference echoed the very spirit of WCID: celebrating originality, curiosity, and bold thinking in academic spaces.
The celebration of WCID thus becomes more than a symbolic gesture. It serves as an annual checkpoint for dental institutions to assess how well they are nurturing creativity and innovation within their programs. Fields (2022) underscores that WCID has inspired educational initiatives worldwide that combine fun, imagination, and hands-on problem-solving to stimulate learning environments that foster original thinking.
Dental robots offer incredible precision and efficiency, but the author notes they lack the ability to make empathetic, ethical, and context-driven decisions — elements that remain at the heart of patient-centred care. — Unsplash pic
The Rise of Robotics and AI
The rise of robotics and artificial intelligence represents one of the most exciting yet debated advancements in dental innovation. With machines capable of conducting procedures with unmatched precision and consistency, the question arises: Can robots replace human dentists? The integration of robotics into dentistry is already well underway. Robots are being used for implant placement, orthodontics, maxillofacial surgery, and even routine diagnostics. A recent review by Xia et al. (2024) details how robotics, paired with AI, can automate complex procedures, minimise human error, and improve patient outcomes — creating a paradigm shift in oral healthcare delivery.
However, most researchers argue that robots will augment, not replace, human dentists. Kathuria (2024) notes that while dental robots offer incredible precision and efficiency, they lack the ability to make empathetic, ethical, and context-driven decisions — elements that remain at the heart of patient-centred care.
Another example, AI algorithms can analyse radiographs and clinical data to assist in early detection of dental caries, pulp diseases, and structural anomalies. This allows for faster and more accurate diagnoses in operative procedures like fillings, root canals, and restorations (Pandey & Lakhanam, 2024).
This viewpoint is echoed by Lubart et al. (2021), who present a model in which robots act not as independent replacements, but as collaborators—or 'Humbots'— in a creative partnership with human professionals. This co-creative model sees robots supporting dental practitioners by handling repetitive tasks and enhancing the precision of complex procedures while leaving diagnosis, ethical judgment, and interpersonal care to humans.
The Gap Between Perception and Practice
Despite the technological promise, there remains a significant gap in knowledge and acceptance among dental professionals. A 2023 study found that while a majority of dental practitioners believe that AI will improve dental care, over 50% fear it could eventually replace human dentists. Yet, most respondents lacked practical experience with these technologies (Alanya-Beltran et al., 2023).
This calls for an urgent curriculum shift. Dental schools must not only teach the technical use of robotics but also foster critical and creative thinking to explore the ethical, social, and psychological implications of these tools. Creativity is not optional — it's a necessity for navigating the complexities of a technology-driven future.
Events like DSSC and DSTIC 2025 offer a blueprint for this shift. By providing platforms where students can apply creativity to real-world challenges, these conferences go beyond theory and stimulate active innovation. They affirm that the next generation of dentists will need to be innovators, communicators, and collaborators—not just clinicians.
Conclusion: A Future Forged in Creativity
World Creativity and Innovation Day is a powerful reminder that progress in dental education must be fuelled by imaginative thinking, technological literacy, and ethical insight. As robotics and AI continue to revolutionise clinical practice, dental academics are called to lead with innovation, not fear.
By embracing creativity, dental educators can ensure that future dentists are not only technically equipped but also humanistically grounded — ready to collaborate with machines, not be replaced by them. The success of events like DSSC and DSTIC 2025 underscores that creativity is already thriving in dental education — and with the right support, it can shape the future of the profession.
* The author is associate professor at the Department of Restorative Dentistry, Faculty of Dentistry, Universiti Malaya, and may be reached at [email protected]
** This is the personal opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
8 hours ago
- The Sun
Four million people have fled Sudan since start of war: UN
GENEVA: More than four million people have fled Sudan since the start of the conflict in 2023, the United Nations said Tuesday, calling the figure a 'devastating milestone'. UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, said that if the war continues, the outflow of people would threaten regional and global stability. Sudan's regular army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a battle for power since April 2023. The war has killed tens of thousands of people and created the world's largest hunger and displacement crises. 'Four million people now have fled Sudan into neighbouring countries since the start of the war, now in it's third year,' UNHCR spokeswoman Eujin Byun said at a press briefing in Geneva. 'It's a devastating milestone in what is the world's most damaging displacement crisis,' he added. 'If the conflict continues, thousands more people will continue to flee, putting regional and global stability at stake.' UNHCR figures showed that 4,003,385 people had fled Sudan as refugees, asylum seekers, and returnees as of Monday. Of those, 1.5 million have fled to Egypt; more than 1.1 million to South Sudan, including nearly 800,000 returnees who had been refugees themselves in Sudan; and more than 850,000 to Chad. - Strain on neighbouring Chad - The UNHCR described a deepening humanitarian emergency in eastern Chad, where the number of Sudanese refugees has more than tripled since the war broke out. The country was already hosting more than 400,000 Sudanese refugees before the conflict began, and the figure has now surpassed 1.2 million. This is placing 'unsustainable pressure on Chad's ability to respond', said Dossou Patrice Ahouansou, UNHCR's principal situation coordinator in Chad, speaking from Amdjarass in the country's east. He said there had been an influx across the border since late April following violent attacks in Sudan's North Darfur region, including assaults on displacement camps. In just over a month, 68,556 refugees have arrived in Chad's Wadi Fira and Ennedi Est provinces, with an average of 1,400 people crossing the border daily in recent days, he said. 'These civilians are fleeing in terror, many under fire, navigating armed checkpoints, extortion, and tight restrictions imposed by armed groups,' Ahouansou said. He said the emergency response was 'dangerously underfunded', with people living in 'dire' shelter conditions, and tens of thousands exposed to extreme weather, insecurity and water shortages. UNHCR said there was an 'urgent need' for the international community 'to acknowledge, and act to eradicate, the grave human rights abuses being endured in Sudan'. 'Without a significant increase in funding, life-saving assistance cannot be delivered at the scale and speed required,' Ahouansou said. The war has effectively split Sudan in two, with the army holding the centre, east and north, while the paramilitaries and their allies control nearly all of Darfur and parts of the south.
The Star
9 hours ago
- The Star
1.6 million people fall ill daily from unsafe foods, a warning from WHO
UNITED NATIONS (Bernama-Anadolu): Every day, 1.6 million people around the world fall ill due to unsafe food, the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned on Tuesday, urging stronger global efforts to ensure food safety through science-based policies and practices, Anadolu Ajansi (AA) reported. "Food safety is a global responsibility," said Simone Moraes Raszl, the scientist at WHO's Department of Nutrition and Food Safety, during a UN press briefing in Geneva ahead of World Food Safety Day on Saturday. "These illnesses are preventable, and the science to prevent them already exists. What we need is action, coordinated, evidence-based, and inclusive action," she added. Raszl stressed that responsibility for food safety lies with all sectors of society. Policymakers must invest in science-based regulations and strong data systems; food businesses need to adopt rigorous safety practices and embrace transparency; academia should continue to innovate and educate; and consumers must stay informed and practice safe food handling at home. "Every one of us is a risk manager. Because if it's not safe, it's not food,' she said. - Bernama-Anadolu
The Star
11 hours ago
- The Star
Health Ministry debunks fake news on Singapore doing first Covid-19 autopsy and jailing those unvaccinated
MOH urged the public to not spread unsubstantiated claims that may cause public alarm. - ST SINGAPORE: Two pieces of fake news made about Covid-19 in Singapore have been debunked by the Ministry of Health (MOH), as it urged the public to not spread unsubstantiated claims that may cause public alarm. On Tuesday (June 3), the ministry said it is aware of 'two pieces of misinformation' currently being spread on social media. The first has to do with a message claiming that Singapore was the first country to conduct an autopsy on a person who had tested positive for Covid-19, which it said was found to exist as a bacterium and not a virus. The claim was first circulated in 2021, and re-emerged recently. 'This is false. As clarified by the ministry then, Singapore has not performed such an autopsy, and it is also not true that Covid-19 is caused by a bacterium,' said MOH. It also said social media posts alleging that Singapore had enacted laws to mandate vaccines and jail those unvaccinated after Microsoft founder Bill Gates visited the Republic in early May are not true. The Straits Times found that such claims had been published in articles on two websites – Slay News and The People's Voice – which tout themselves as news sites. Slay News describes itself as 'unapologetically pro-America and pro-free speech', while The People's Voice says it covers 'topics the mainstream media won't touch'. A search online shows that Slay News' website is registered in North Carolina, and a check of its address in Google Maps shows what looks to be a small farmhouse on a highway stretch. The People's Voice, meanwhile, has its website registered in Arizona, although it has no listed company address. Most of the articles published on both sites centre around right-wing ideology, conspiracy theories and anti-vaccine rhetoric, with fact-checking website Snopes labelling The People's Voice as a rebrand of disinformation-spreading site NewsPunch. For accurate and up-to-date information, members of the public should visit the MOH website at instead. - The Straits Times/ANN
