Educational strategies to enhance dental students' social responsibility: a scoping review

Fostering socially responsible dentists is a fundamental goal of dental education. This scoping review aimed to identify and analyze educational programs designed to enhance dental students' social responsibility.

In January 2025, a comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, and Embase. Studies were included if they involved undergraduate dental students and described educational interventions explicitly aimed at promoting social responsibility. Key characteristics, assessment methods, and reported outcomes were extracted and synthesized. Based on the findings, a conceptual framework was developed using Engeström's activity theory.

Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria. Most programs adopted a community-based educational approach, involving dental or non-dental activities. Reflective writing was incorporated as a pedagogical tool. Program durations ranged from single-day interventions to multi-year curricular integrations. Surveys and reflective writing were the primary assessment methods and consistently indicated improvements in students' awareness of social issues, sense of responsibility, and intentions to serve underserved populations. Based on these findings, a conceptual framework was proposed to illustrate how community-based programs can support the development of social responsibility in dental students.

This review identified community-based education as essential for developing dental students' social responsibility, emphasizing the need for structured community engagement programs combined with critical reflection in dental curricula.