• Student & Alumni
• Expressions Summer 2024

Well-being of Dental Peers

HKU Distinguished Service to the Community Award

From left: Professor Michael Botelho, Charlotte Chan, Elise Fok, Ophelia Ng and Rosealeen Lo work on a project to improve the well-being of dental students.

Our dental students are dedicated not only to academic and clinical excellence, but also to the well-being of their fellow peers. A student-led initiative focusing on the well-being of undergraduate dental students has been honoured with the “Distinguished Service to the Community” award during the HKU Recognition Ceremony on April 27, 2024.

The project “Holistic Well-being of Undergraduate Dental Students: Findings and Future Directions”, is part of the HKU’s “Students-as-Partners” initiatives. Guided by Professor Michael Botelho, Clinical Professor in Prosthodontics, the project team consisting of BDS 6 students: Charlotte Chan, Elise Fok, Rosealeen Lo and Ophelia Ng conducted a survey to dental students from Years 1 to 6.

The survey results revealed concerning levels of overall well-being among the students, which further deteriorated as they advanced in their clinical studies. Key sources of stress identified were examinations, long schedules, and the physical burden of dental work. Despite these challenges, the findings also unveiled that a majority of students enjoyed positive relationships with both peers and tutors.

Through the survey and interviews, we were able to put ourselves into others’ shoes, and practice multi-perspective thinking.

Based on student’s feedback, the team explored various strategies to enhance well-being, including the publication of orientation booklets and setting up a peer mentoring “buddy system” pairing senior and junior students. The students have gained valuable insights from the project. Charlotte Chan remarked, “This is a chance to contribute to the student community and ensure that their voices are heard.”

Ophelia Ng reflected, “Through the survey and interviews, we were able to put ourselves into others’ shoes, and practice multi-perspective thinking.” Rosealeen Lo highlighted the importance of teamwork, “Recognising everyone’s strengths and weaknesses is crucial to fully harness our skills.” Elise Fok noted, “Research is merely the initial step. There are many challenges ahead to promote well-being within the BDS learning environment.”

The findings have been published in the European Journal of Dental Education. The students have also presented their findings at local and international events, such as South East Asia Association for Dental Education (SEAADE), Association for Dental Education in Europe (ADEE), and Universitas 21 (U21).