Guide to sound teeth: a syllabus-informed instructional session to provide targeted insights into the history of dentistry

Background: This case report details an exploratory instructional session for dental students led by librarian-instructors at the University at Buffalo. Using historical source materials from the Robert L. Brown History of Medicine Collection, an hour-long session was developed to introduce year-one dental students to the history of their profession and its ongoing collaboration with important clinical populations. Case Presentation: At the request of course faculty, the University at Buffalo’s Dental Liaison Librarian, History of Medicine Curator, and History of Medicine Archivist were invited to develop and lead a session on the history of dentistry for a first-year course, Profession, Practice, and Community Dentistry (PDO 801). A core feature of this course is the introduction of students to eight underserved dental patient populations—referred to as “communities of focus.” To supplement student learning, library staff utilized the holdings of the Robert L. Brown History of Medicine Collection to bring together stories, artifacts, and printed materials that spoke not only to the history of the profession, but also to the history of the communities of focus. Thought prompts were developed to guide students during a textual analysis activity that analyzed representative materials. Conclusions: Overall, this interdisciplinary collaboration provided the opportunity to develop and implement a syllabus-informed historical instructional session that offered targeted insights into dentistry’s past. Through guided discussions, hands-on exploration, and textual analysis of historic materials, instructors worked to inspire and educate participating dental students as they progress further along their path as providers of patient-forward care.