InstaPower Opportunities for dental students to connect with patients without borders.

Abstract

Social media offers tremendous opportunities for professional communities and connecting with public. We would like to share our experience in the use of social media to boost the learning of dental students by connecting with patients and their families. Although not new, there is a growing trend to involve patients to teach medical students and it complements student-centred approaches to medical education. Providing opportunities to medical students for a dialogue with real patients fosters a patient-centred approach in medical education.1, 2 Such interactions support future healthcare professionals to partner with patients and their families to integrate evidence-based medicine with a commitment to humanism, and empathy.2, 3 Previous research on patient involvement in medical education has focused on opportunities provided to students through their institutions.