COMIC STRIPS IN DENTISTRY: USE OF STORIES IN THE TEACHING OF DENTAL ETHICS AND LEGISLATION

Abstract

This study evaluated the use of comic stories as a collaborative methodology in the teaching of Dental Ethics and Legislation from the perspective of undergraduate students in Dentistry. This was a cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, approved by the Research Ethics Committee. Initially, students were presented with the proposal to use comic strips (CS) to approach the Code of Dental Ethics (CDE). In groups, students were guided on how to create stories that should portray one of the CDE's chapters. Afterwards, the CS produced were shared and the moment allowed the discussion of the different CDE topics among the class, then the questionnaires were applied. The data obtained were tabulated and analyzed descriptively. The survey response rate was 78.26% and the sample comprised 36 students, 69.4% (n=25) female, with an average age of 24.2 years, studying in the 4th to 8th semesters of the course. Most participants (86.1%; n=31) reported having already used collaborative methodologies in other disciplines, however, only 12.5% (n=4) had used CS. 80.6% (n=29) of the students did not use the website proposed by the professors to create the stories and only 11.1% (n=4) had significant difficulties in carrying out the activity. In addition, 69.4% (n=25) evaluated that this methodology contributed a lot to the assimilation of the subject content. The CS comprised an approach that was well evaluated by the students and that contributed to the effective learning of the content of Dental Ethics and Legislation.