Effectiveness of the "Artistic Expression" Course in the Development of Soft Skills in Dentistry Students

Soft skills (SS) are essential in dentistry, fostering effective communication, teamwork, and empathy. Artistic expression, through activities like theater and music, enhances these competencies. A private dentistry institution in Peru incorporated an "artistic expression" elective course to strengthen communication, critical thinking, and leadership in dental students. This study evaluates the course's effectiveness in developing SS, aiming to support art-based strategies in dental education and promote well-rounded professional training for improved patient care and interdisciplinary collaboration.

An analytical, longitudinal, pre-experimental design was used, where the impact of the course was measured through a pre-test and post-test. The post-test was administered immediately after the 16-week course concluded. The questionnaire was validated through expert judgment, and a pilot test was conducted to ensure its reliability. The McNemar non-parametric test was used in the study, and significance was obtained through a Spearman correlation.

The results showed a significant increase in positive responses between the pre-test and post-test, with significant differences in three items (11, 14, and 30): students indicated that they were able to manage conflicts, lead activities or projects, and remind peers of established times (p > 0.05). Additionally, a significant difference was observed in the intergroup analysis, with a tendency toward a high level in the post-test (pre-test: 28.67 ± 3.51 vs. post-test: 30.03 ± 2.50; rho = 0.68), but without significant intragroup changes by application level, as well as in the dimensions of communication skills, leadership skills, and initiative, showing a moderate effect (p > 0.05).

The findings suggest that the "Artistic Expression" course effectively contributes to the development of SS in future health professionals, which is crucial for their performance in the job market.