Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39920652›Full record

ArticleBMC oral health2025

Effects of a narrative medicine program on empathic ability of dental students: a comparative study.

Chufang Liao, Ting Zhong, Mengxue Xu, Yingzhi Zhan, Xiangning Liu

Abstract readComparative Study
In one paragraph

Article in BMC oral health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Chufang Liao *School of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Ting Zhong *Department of Endodontics, School and Hospital of Stomatology, Guangdong Engineering Research Center of Oral Restoration and Reconstruction & Guangzhou Key Laboratory of Basic and Applied Research of Oral Regenerative Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, China.
Mengxue XuSchool of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Yingzhi ZhanSchool of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China.
Xiangning LiuSchool of Stomatology, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China. liuxiangning2003@126.com.

Funding

the Clinical Frontier Technology Program of the First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, China a01210the Science and Technology Projects in Guangzhou 2023A03J1030the Science and Technology Projects in Guangzhou 2024A03J0229
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNarrative medicine (NM), a model for medical humanism, has become an effective educational tool to cultivate medical students' empathy. However, the role of NM in dental education still lacks experimental evidence. This study aims to analyze the effects of NM on dental students' empathic ability and explore the correlation between empathic ability and academic performance.

methodsA comparative study was conducted at Jinan University, China, during 2023 to 2024 year. The NM education program was integrated into the fixed prosthodontics course. The participants of this study were senior undergraduate dental students in pre-clinical stage. Control group students received traditional teaching and experimental group students received NM-integrated teaching. Self-report questionnaires of empathic ability and perceptions about NM as well as academic performance were analyzed in two groups.

resultsA total of 134 participants were recruited. Empathy scores in the experimental group (n = 62) were higher than those in the control group (n = 72). In the experimental group, students writing parallel charts as coursework received higher empathy scores than students writing reflection reports on medical novels or films. Empathic scores were positively correlated to theoretical exam scores but almost uncorrelated to skill exam scores. Most dental students held positive perceptions towards NM, especially regarding self-development.

conclusionIn dental education, NM as an educational tool for empathy is feasible. It might provide insights for dental educators in planning and managing dental courses that integrate humanities.

Indexed as

Education, DentalEmpathyNarrative MedicineStudents, DentalAcademic PerformanceAdultChinaFemaleHumansMaleSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultDental educationMedical humanismNarrative medicineParallel chartUndergraduate education

Identifiers

PMID39920652
PMCPMC11806884

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.