Humanization in oral health: A bioethical perspective on dental training at the Faculty of Dentistry, University of the Republic (Udelar)

Abstract

Objectives:

To analyze the meanings, formative experiences, and ethical tensions surrounding the humanization of dental care from a critical bioethical perspective, among students (3rd to 5th year) and clinical instructors at the Faculty of Dentistry, Udelar.

Methodology:

Qualitative, exploratory-descriptive approach, with a flexible single-case study design based on situated narratives. Participants: Purposive sampling of third-, fourth-, and fifth-year students and faculty members of the Doctor of Dentistry program. Technique: In-depth, semi-structured interviews. Thematic content analysis with informant triangulation and contextual description.

Expected Results:

Persistence of a “hidden curriculum” that prioritizes technical productivity over relational engagement, as well as narratives that reveal ethical tensions between institutional demands and values of care. Empirical evidence will be generated to support ethically informed curricular transformations aimed at integrating humanizing competencies into dental education.