Instructional design of a clinical photography course for undergraduate dental students

Abstract

Clinical and dental photography is an acquired skill. It is learned, developed and practised at post-graduate level by medical photographers across the U.K. But where does the medical photography profession stand in terms of transmitting slowly acquired skills to a wider clinical audience? If some or all skills need to be passed on, how and to whom should they be taught? This paper considers how dental practitioners may benefit from training in specific aspects of clinical photography and suggests a tried and tested model of instructional design for a clinical photography course utilised and implemented for undergraduate dental students studying at the University of Leeds. The authors found a course of this nature demanded skills and theoretical understanding of cognitive architecture beyond the purview of most clinical field experts. A collaborative approach to instructional design between a field expert and clinical educator was implemented, which allowed the design of a dental photography course that worked effectively by linking new to prior knowledge.