Ziauddin College of Dentistry workshop helps students build confidence

KARACHI: The Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnosis at Ziauddin College of Dentistry, Ziauddin University, organised an interactive workshop for third-year BDS students to help them manage anxiety, strengthen resilience and develop more confident communication skills for clinical practice.

Titled “From Fear to Focus: Managing Anxiety, Building Resilience & Communicating with Confidence,” the session focused on challenges commonly faced by dental students, including examination anxiety, fear, self-doubt and interactions with anxious patients.

Prof. Dr. Afifa Razi, Head of the Department of Oral Medicine and Diagnosis, led the workshop, with Dr. Aeman Ali and Dr. Amina Ali serving as facilitators.

The workshop adopted an activity-based approach, allowing students to explore anxiety and communication through group exercises, reflection and simulated clinical situations. Mentimeter was also used to facilitate anonymous participation and encourage students to openly share their experiences and perspectives.

A central component of the programme involved five team-based activities and role-plays in which students assumed the roles of clinicians, patients, counsellors and observers. The exercises enabled participants to experience clinical interactions from different perspectives while practising communication, empathy and responses to stressful situations.

Students acting as clinicians worked through simulated patient interactions, while those assigned patient and counsellor roles explored different aspects of anxiety and communication. Observers provided constructive peer feedback on communication, empathy and the handling of challenging situations.

The activities linked students’ ability to manage their own anxiety with their capacity to communicate effectively with patients, particularly those who may experience fear or anxiety about dental treatment.

The session also addressed examination-related stress, encouraging students to recognise fear and self-doubt and consider practical ways to develop resilience and confidence under pressure.

The workshop concluded with a reflection and discussion session in which students revisited the issues explored during the activities and shared their experiences. E-certificates were subsequently presented to participating students.

The initiative highlighted the role of experiential learning in dental education, particularly in developing interpersonal skills that students can apply alongside their clinical knowledge during future patient care.