O25. Staging change: the use of interprofessional forum theatre to confront oral health inequalities for learning disability populations

Hannelie Edgar; Vicky Adams; Ailish McMeel; Gerard McWilliams; Gerry Gormley

doi:10.1186/s41077-025-00360-4

Abstract

Background: Adults with learning disabilities experience significant oral health inequalities due to accessibility barriers, limited staff training, and poor interdisciplinary working. Innovative educational approaches are needed to prepare future healthcare professionals to address these disparities.

Aim: To use interprofessional Forum Theatre to raise awareness of oral health inequalities, promote reasonable adjustments, and develop collaborative patient management skills among undergraduate students.

Methods: A two-hour Forum Theatre workshop was delivered to third-year dentistry and second-year learning disability nursing students at Queen’s University Belfast. Students observed and then actively reshaped a live-play depicting challenges faced by an adult with learning disabilities requiring dental care. Small-group discussions, re-enactment, and structured debriefing were supported by pre/post questionnaires and qualitative feedback.

Conclusion: This novel interprofessional use of Forum Theatre offers an engaging way to explore health inequity, foster empathy, and enhance inclusive, collaborative practice in undergraduate healthcare education.

Original language	English
Article number	35
Pages (from-to)	16 - 17
Number of pages	2
Journal	Advances in Simulation
Volume	10
Issue number	1 supplement
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-025-00360-4
Publication status	Published - 24 Jun 2025
Event	Society for Simulation in Europe (SESAM) Valencia 2025: 30th Annual Meeting of SESAM - Valencia , Spain Duration: 25 Jun 2025 → 27 Jun 2025 https://www.sesam-web.org/events/event/sesam-valencia-2025/

Keywords

Forum Theatre
Learning disabilites
Dentistry
Health inequalities

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Nursing(all)
Dentistry(all)

Access to Document

10.1186/s41077-025-00360-4Licence: CC BY

O25. Staging change: the use of interprofessional forum theatre to confront oral health inequalities for learning disability populations
Copyright 2026 the authors. This is an open access article published under a Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/.), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the author and source are cited.
Final published version, 443 KBLicence: CC BY

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s41077-025-00360-4#Sec121Licence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "O25. Staging change: the use of interprofessional forum theatre to confront oral health inequalities for learning disability populations",

abstract = "Background: Adults with learning disabilities experience significant oral health inequalities due to accessibility barriers, limited staff training, and poor interdisciplinary working. Innovative educational approaches are needed to prepare future healthcare professionals to address these disparities. Aim: To use interprofessional Forum Theatre to raise awareness of oral health inequalities, promote reasonable adjustments, and develop collaborative patient management skills among undergraduate students. Methods: A two-hour Forum Theatre workshop was delivered to third-year dentistry and second-year learning disability nursing students at Queen{\textquoteright}s University Belfast. Students observed and then actively reshaped a live-play depicting challenges faced by an adult with learning disabilities requiring dental care. Small-group discussions, re-enactment, and structured debriefing were supported by pre/post questionnaires and qualitative feedback. Conclusion: This novel interprofessional use of Forum Theatre offers an engaging way to explore health inequity, foster empathy, and enhance inclusive, collaborative practice in undergraduate healthcare education.",

keywords = "Forum Theatre, Learning disabilites, Dentistry, Health inequalities",

author = "Hannelie Edgar and Vicky Adams and Ailish McMeel and Gerard McWilliams and Gerry Gormley",

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day = "24",

doi = "10.1186/s41077-025-00360-4",

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journal = "Advances in Simulation",

issn = "2059-0628",

publisher = "BioMed Central Ltd",

number = "1 supplement",

note = "Society for Simulation in Europe (SESAM) Valencia 2025 : 30th Annual Meeting of SESAM, SESAM ; Conference date: 25-06-2025 Through 27-06-2025",

url = "https://www.sesam-web.org/events/event/sesam-valencia-2025/",

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T1 - O25. Staging change: the use of interprofessional forum theatre to confront oral health inequalities for learning disability populations

AU - Edgar, Hannelie

AU - Adams, Vicky

AU - McMeel, Ailish

AU - McWilliams, Gerard

AU - Gormley, Gerry

PY - 2025/6/24

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N2 - Background: Adults with learning disabilities experience significant oral health inequalities due to accessibility barriers, limited staff training, and poor interdisciplinary working. Innovative educational approaches are needed to prepare future healthcare professionals to address these disparities. Aim: To use interprofessional Forum Theatre to raise awareness of oral health inequalities, promote reasonable adjustments, and develop collaborative patient management skills among undergraduate students. Methods: A two-hour Forum Theatre workshop was delivered to third-year dentistry and second-year learning disability nursing students at Queen’s University Belfast. Students observed and then actively reshaped a live-play depicting challenges faced by an adult with learning disabilities requiring dental care. Small-group discussions, re-enactment, and structured debriefing were supported by pre/post questionnaires and qualitative feedback. Conclusion: This novel interprofessional use of Forum Theatre offers an engaging way to explore health inequity, foster empathy, and enhance inclusive, collaborative practice in undergraduate healthcare education.

AB - Background: Adults with learning disabilities experience significant oral health inequalities due to accessibility barriers, limited staff training, and poor interdisciplinary working. Innovative educational approaches are needed to prepare future healthcare professionals to address these disparities. Aim: To use interprofessional Forum Theatre to raise awareness of oral health inequalities, promote reasonable adjustments, and develop collaborative patient management skills among undergraduate students. Methods: A two-hour Forum Theatre workshop was delivered to third-year dentistry and second-year learning disability nursing students at Queen’s University Belfast. Students observed and then actively reshaped a live-play depicting challenges faced by an adult with learning disabilities requiring dental care. Small-group discussions, re-enactment, and structured debriefing were supported by pre/post questionnaires and qualitative feedback. Conclusion: This novel interprofessional use of Forum Theatre offers an engaging way to explore health inequity, foster empathy, and enhance inclusive, collaborative practice in undergraduate healthcare education.

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