Cinema as a pedagogical tool for empathy training in dental education: A qualitative study

Background: Empathy is a crucial component of effective patient-centred care and an essential soft skill for healthcare professionals. Although evidence-based clinical practices, and technical competencies form the foundation of health professions training, integrating arts and humanities perspectives offers substantial value in cultivating empathy. Cinema education has shown promise in enhancing empathy and emotional intelligence across healthcare disciplines, yet it is underexplored in dental curricula. This qualitative study addresses a critical gap in dental education by exploring cinema education as an innovative approach to empathy development and incorporation into dental curricula. Methods: This qualitative study involved 29 fourth-semester Bachelor of Dental Surgery students at International Medical University, Malaysia, who participated in a 10-week cinema education intervention. Students were recruited through convenience sampling from those who selected the cinema education module as a selective course option. The intervention included six movie sessions featuring carefully selected movie clips demonstrating empathic healthcare interactions. This was followed by facilitated discussions and interactive activities including empathy mapping, role playing, and reflective exercises. Data was collected through five focus group discussions lasting 60 to 90 minutes each. All sessions were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke's six-phase thematic analysis approach. The film selection process was grounded in Social Cognitive Theory and Transportation Theory to maximize observational learning and narrative engagement. Results: Five main themes emerged from the analysis, which included perceived impact of the module, acceptance of the module, perception of the module, suggestions for future modules, and other topics. Students reported significantly enhanced understanding and practice of empathy, with improved ability to recognize and respond to patients' emotions and appreciate different perspectives. All participants unanimously endorsed empathy education as essential in dental curricula.Students appreciated the refreshing and meaningful nature of the module, finding it valuable for developing communication skills, active listening, nonverbal communication awareness, and cultural competence. Participants suggested early introduction in the curriculum with reinforcement during clinical years, more dentistry specific scenarios, and inclusion of diverse patient populations. Conclusions: Cinema education emerged as a valuable, resource-efficient approach to developing empathy in dental students, with this study demonstrating its effectiveness. The intervention successfully enhanced students' empathic abilities and communication skills essential for patient-centred care. Students' acceptance suggests strong feasibility for curriculum integration.