INTERDISCIPLINARITY IN THE DENTAL CURRICULUM: IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLECTIVE HEALTH

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.25110/educere.v26i2.2025-12879

Keywords:

Collective Health, Dentistry, Higher Education, Interprofessional Education

Abstract

This study analyzes how interdisciplinarity and interprofessional education are addressed in the dental curriculum and their implications for Collective Health. A narrative literature review was conducted, with searches in PubMed and Google Scholar between April 9 and 30, 2026. Thirteen studies published between 2011 and 2026 were included, selected according to predefined eligibility criteria and analyzed using a qualitative, descriptive-interpretive approach. The findings were organized into three themes: students’ perceptions of interprofessional education; contributions of practical experiences within the Brazilian Unified Health System; and barriers and opportunities for interdisciplinarity. The studies indicate favorable student perceptions, appreciation of teamwork, and strengthened teaching-service-community integration. However, methodological heterogeneity, the predominance of self-reported perceptions, and the scarcity of longitudinal assessments limit conclusions regarding the effectiveness of these strategies. It is concluded that interdisciplinarity should be longitudinally incorporated into the curriculum, connected to real-world settings within the Brazilian Unified Health System, with institutional support, faculty development, and assessment of collaborative competencies.

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Author Biographies

Erik Vinicius Barros Guedes, Universidade Federal de Sergipe

Ph.D. candidate in Dentistry in the Graduate Program in Dentistry (PRODONTO/UFS) at the Federal University of Sergipe.

Mel Amélia de Souza Pereira, Universidade Federal de Sergipe

Master’s student in Dentistry in the Graduate Program in Dentistry—PRODONTO/UFS. Federal University of Sergipe.

Daniel Maranha da Rocha, Universidade Federal de Sergipe

Doctor of Dental Surgery – Júlio de Mesquita Filho State University of São Paulo. Associate Professor at the Federal University of Sergipe.

Janaína Araújo Dantas, Universidade Federal de Sergipe

Ph.D. in Dental Radiology—State University of Campinas. Adjunct Professor at the Federal University of Sergipe.

References

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Published

2026-09-14

How to Cite

GUEDES, Erik Vinicius Barros; PEREIRA, Mel Amélia de Souza; ROCHA, Daniel Maranha da; DANTAS, Janaína Araújo. INTERDISCIPLINARITY IN THE DENTAL CURRICULUM: IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLECTIVE HEALTH. EDUCERE - UNIPAR Education Journal, [S. l.], v. 26, n. 2, p. 319–331, 2026. DOI: 10.25110/educere.v26i2.2025-12879. Disponível em: https://revistas.unipar.br/index.php/educere/article/view/12879. Acesso em: 16 sep. 2026.

Issue

Vol. 26 No. 2 (2026)

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Artigos

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Copyright (c) 2026 Erik Vinicius Barros Guedes, Mel Amélia de Souza Pereira, Daniel Maranha da Rocha, Janaína Araújo Dantas

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.