Integrating digital health education in dental curricula

Iveta Ramonaite, Dental Tribune International

Mon. 9. June 2025

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MELBOURNE, Australia: Encompassing innovations such as virtual care, remote monitoring, mobile health apps and artificial intelligence (AI), digital health technologies are transforming patient care around the globe. As dentistry continues to evolve in the digital age, researchers from the University of Melbourne have taken a significant step towards standardising digital health education in dental curricula. Their recently published framework outlines a discipline-specific approach to preparing future dental professionals for the challenges and opportunities of digital health—a rapidly evolving field to which dental education has been slow to adapt.

Dr Michelle Mun is the lead author of a recent study conducted in response to a lack of dentistry-specific digital health frameworks and recent competency updates by the Australian Dental Council. (Image: Dr Michelle Mun)

The study was the result of a collaboration between the Centre for Digital Transformation of Health and the Melbourne Dental School at the University of Melbourne. Unlike medical and allied healthcare disciplines, which have begun to adopt structured approaches to digital health instruction, dentistry still lacks a unified educational model tailored to its unique clinical and technological context. However, lead author of the study Dr Michelle Mun, who is a lecturer in digital health transformation, explained to Dental Tribune International that recent updates to the Australian Dental Council’s competencies now require dental graduates to use digital technologies and informatics to manage health information—an expectation not yet fully reflected in most dental curricula.

The newly proposed framework is intended to support the integration of digital health education into undergraduate dental education programmes. It is aligned with Australia’s National Digital Health Strategy, a nationwide framework for integrating digital technologies into healthcare, and aims to build workforce capability from the ground up.

“We found that existing digital health frameworks were primarily designed for medicine and didn’t fully address dentistry’s unique context,” Dr Mun said. “A tailored approach ensures that graduates can effectively navigate local contexts, aligned with national digital transformation goals, rather than learning concepts that may not translate to their actual practice environment.”

Australia ranks among the world’s most developed health systems in terms of digital integration, and the authors argue that preparing future dentists to thrive in a digitised healthcare system requires rethinking how digital health is taught. Their framework highlights four key domains essential for a future-oriented curriculum:

digital transformation of health, covering core technologies and data systems, including electronic health records, intra-oral scanning, CAD/CAM and the role of AI in dental care;
legislation, policy and governance, focusing on data privacy, cybersecurity and regulatory literacy;
digital health for patients, addressing patient engagement, digital health equity and online health literacy; and
digital professionalism, encompassing ethical conduct, social media use and the development of a professional identity in digital spaces.

“These areas look at moving beyond just technical skills to encompass data-driven decision-making, broader concepts of health equity and system-wide improvements in care,” said Dr Mun.

To inform the development of their curriculum model, the researchers drew on two established digital health education frameworks and adapted their elements to fit dental practice. They also posed guiding questions to help curriculum developers shape discipline-relevant learning objectives that reflect the fast-changing digital health environment and its impact on clinical care.

Co-author Dr Samantha Byrne, an associate professor of oral biology, highlighted the framework’s potential adaptability. She told Dental Tribune International: “The core principles and domains we’ve outlined are quite universal when it comes to digital health in dentistry. That said, some tweaking would likely be needed to align with specific national strategies, regulations and local digital health maturity levels.”

However, integrating such a curriculum into already dense dental programmes presents challenges. “Dental programmes are notoriously intensive,” Dr Byrne noted. “Making room for something new usually means that something else in the curriculum needs to go.” She also pointed to a lack of teaching staff expertise in digital health and to the rapid pace of technological change as additional barriers. The focus, she said, should be on teaching foundational concepts and fostering adaptability rather than on specific tools that may quickly become obsolete.

According to Dr Samantha Byrne, the digital health framework she co-developed for future dental professionals can be adapted internationally, particularly in countries with similar healthcare systems. (Image: Dr Samantha Byrne)

Preparing for a data-driven future for dental care

Looking ahead, Dr Byrne anticipates that digital health will become a cornerstone of dental practice. “We’re already seeing AI-assisted diagnostics and teledentistry making their way into clinics. Predictive analytics and electronic health records could further transform how dental professionals collaborate with other healthcare providers, leading to more holistic, patient-centred care.”

Data literacy and ethical awareness will also be critical, she added. As dentistry becomes more data-driven, she believes that future dental professionals will need to understand how to responsibly interpret and apply health data in order to improve patient outcomes.

Dr Mun echoed this perspective, stressing that digital competencies—such as developing AI literacy, managing digital misinformation and understanding data governance—will be vital for the next generation of dental professionals. “Ultimately, it’s the mindset that’s most important,” she said. “We want future dental professionals to maintain an open-minded but balanced approach to new technology, where the main focus always stays on delivering safe, effective and quality care for patients.”

The study, titled “Digital dentists: A curriculum for the 21^st century”, was published online on 8 January 2025 in JMIR Medical Education.