Exploring Interdisciplinary Frontiers: Periodontist As A Design Mentor

The initiative aimed to enrich students' learning experiences and promote a sustainability-oriented approach to design in dentistry. The research focused on an Industrial Design Studio course when a periodontist served as a mentor addressing an oral health design project at Istanbul Medipol University. Ethical approval was obtained. In these courses, students developed projects within designated timeframes while working alongside experienced studio masters. The first project ran from May 16, 2022 to June 23, involving 40 Bachelor industrial design students. In 2024, a second project took place from January 4 to February 5, engaging 36 students. Students received project briefs that outlined the specifics. The periodontist advised students alongside other mentors throughout the creation stages of design i.e. problem definition, ideation, evaluation and final outcome. Students’ final product designs were assessed qualitatively by two experienced design mentors based on a criteria matrix including e.g. innovation, environmental sustainability, ergonomic design, ease of use, and symbolic content. Assessments were done through thematic analysis. According to the analysis, the mentor role of the periodontist helped students develop technical competency in all 4 stages supporting sustainability in the outset. This contribution was indicated as % 82 of students received full score in the sustainability factor. As a model simulating professional design processes, this study explores how dental professionals may adopt emerging roles when interacting with designers. It defines a certain methodological model representing how such an interdisciplinary collaboration may support advancing knowledge in sustainable dental design.