Using virtual microscopy to deliver an integrated oral pathology course for undergraduate dental students

Dental students in the United Kingdom usually study histopathology as part of their undergraduate curriculum and this has traditionally been delivered using light microscopes in laboratory classes. Beginning in 2005, the oral pathology course in Sheffield was gradually modified by the introduction of virtual microscopy with a focus on creating a more integrated, clinically orientated and dynamic approach to student teaching and learning in histopathology. The purpose of this paper is to describe how virtual microscopy has been used to enhance dental students' learning of oral pathology, and its role in facilitating an integrated oral disease curriculum in Sheffield.