A Reflection on the Populist Challenge for Oral Health Professions Education

Oral Health Professions (OHP) education is undergoing rapid digital transformation through the integration of artificial intelligence (AI), extended reality, haptic simulation, CAD-CAM technologies and additive manufacturing. Embracing these innovations is essential to prepare future OHP for contemporary clinical practice, enhance learning and improve patient care. At the same time, this transformation is unfolding within a societal landscape increasingly characterized by misinformation, declining trust in expertise and intensified commercialization of knowledge. This convergence creates conditions in which scientific credibility may become influenced by visibility, marketability and persuasive communication rather than methodological rigour and critical evaluation. We introduce academic populism as a conceptual framework to describe this shift and to articulate its implications for OHP education.

Predatory publishing, non-transparent industry influence, generative AI and the rapid dissemination of unverified content further challenge established mechanisms of quality assurance and evidence-based decision-making. Preserving academic integrity therefore requires responsible governance of emerging technologies, transparent collaborations, critical digital literacy and continued adherence to principles of research integrity, academic independence and ethical scholarship. Sustaining these values alongside technological innovation is essential for preparing OHP who can critically evaluate evidence, responsibly adopt new technologies and maintain public trust in the profession.