Role of cadaveric dissection in enhancing clinical skills and anatomical knowledge in dental education

INTRODUCTION

Cadaveric dissections have been a significant part of the education modules designed for learning anatomy. It is considered to be one of the best media of learning, but its role in learning human anatomy has always been under steady debate.

In ancient India, there was a surgeon Sushruta, who taught in the 6^th century BCE at the Banaras University by the River Ganga. He is most famous for his treatise on surgical wisdom, tools, and instruments; his works include a detailed plan for the dissection of the human body.^[1] His groundbreaking work laid the foundation for our understanding of human anatomy and marked a significant step forward in medical science. Dissections were also practised in many countries, such as in Italy (13^th century) performed by Mondino de Liuzzi, and in France (14^th century) by Henri de Mondeville.

Intellectual Madhusudan Gupta (1800–1856) is credited with conducting the first human cadaver dissection in India, which took place on October 28, 1836, at Calcutta Medical College in Calcutta. This historic event not only marked a milestone for medical education in India but also stood as the first recorded cadaveric dissection in all of Asia.^[2] It was a groundbreaking moment that paved the way for anatomical studies in the region.

The number of cadavers available for donation declined, modern dental colleges were established without the facilities to dissect cadavers, and financial stress imposed led to teaching of anatomy without cadaveric dissections. The institute is under immense pressure with regard to time in making cadavers available to the students, as there is excessive documentation. Back in the day, learning anatomy was not just about reading books; it was a hands-on experience.^[3] Students would listen to detailed lectures and then dive into dissecting the entire body, all under the close guidance of a personal mentor. It was a deeply immersive way to understand the complexities of the human body. The technique has become technologically advanced by incorporating uncommon ponder modules, problem-based workshops, computers, plastic models, and other teaching aids. Due to this shift, the practice of dissection training is nearly disappearing worldwide, as newer methods and technologies take its place. It is a fading tradition in dental education, making way for modern approaches.

Many therapeutic schools have switched to prosection-based instruction as the main teaching tactic. Anatomical dissection is all about carefully studying preserved human cadavers by methodically separating tissue layers and removing fat and connective tissue to reveal specific structures.^[4] It is a hands-on way for students to see and feel the intricacies of human anatomy. However, in some colleges, the staff may not have enough experience or deep knowledge of the human body, which can leave students without proper guidance. This often leads to a lack of excitement or interest in dissection. This study aims to hear directly from students, how valuable they find the dissection module in helping them understand the complexities of human anatomy, especially in today’s world of modern teaching and learning.^[5]

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study targeted three main groups, which comprised dental faculty members, dental students, and dental practitioners. The questionnaire included five sections, with each section assessing the demographic information of participants, their experience of cadaveric dissection, it is perceived value and effectiveness, emotional experience during cadaveric dissection, and its future perspectives, respectively.

A 5-point scale was used to measure how strongly people agree or disagree with statements, ranging from “strongly agree” to “strongly disagree.” For other questions, we used a 3-point scale to collect responses as “yes,” “no,” or “neutral.”

RESULTS

A total of 380 responses were collected. Out of them, 130 were undergraduate students, 125 were practitioners, and 125 were postgraduate students. The majority of them were female (69.2%, n = 263).

The current study uncovered some fascinating insights into how students feel about anatomical dissection, highlighting both the upsides and the challenges.^[6] It gave us a clearer picture of what students’ value and what they struggle with when it comes to this hands-on learning experience.

Most people did not get a chance to attend a cadaveric dissection of the rest of the body other than the head and neck [Table 1]. Many were satisfied with their experience, few were neutral, and the rest were not satisfied [Table 2 and Figure 1]. Although most of them agree that cadaveric dissections are important in the dental curriculum and think that it has enhanced their respect towards the human body [Table 2]. Most people believe that it makes learning more engaging while offering a three-dimensional, hands-on perspective that helps students grasp the complexities of human anatomy on a much deeper level [Table 2].^[6]

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Figure 1:

Perception of graduates, postgraduates, and practitioners toward cadaveric dissection. The majority of postgraduates agreed that dissections are essential and make learning more interesting.

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When we looked at how students responded to practical concerns, it became clear just how much they value hands-on learning. Their feedback highlighted the importance of real-world experience in strengthening their understanding and skills, showing that they mostly experienced excitement, and curiosity during dissection, and not many felt much anxiety, fear, disgust, and nausea.

Approximately 53.1% people showed agreement with difficulty in identifying structures, while 30.7% of all participants agreed that inadequate teaching led to not knowing which structures to look for [Table 3]. This shows that most dental colleges do to have experienced teachers, and students always face difficulty while learning. This can also be due to less number of cadavers available for students. Approximately 68.2% of all participants agreed or strongly agreed that the cadaver-to-student ratio should be decreased to aid better understanding [Table 3]. The dissection tables are often packed with too many people, making it feel crowded and overwhelming. Every day, it seems like the same few students get to do the dissecting, while others end up sitting on the sidelines, left to just read or watch. It can be frustrating for those who do not get a chance to participate as much as they would like.^[5]

One of the unique challenges of this hands-on learning approach is figuring out how to find and understand the right information. While it can be tough, this very struggle is what helps students grow, it pushes them to think critically and develop both their physical and mental skills.^[6] Over time, they learn to tackle obstacles head-on and come up with solutions, which is all part of the learning process.

Approximately 56.6% of all participants agreed or strongly agreed that participation in cadaveric dissections should be voluntary, as few people still feel anxiety, fear, nausea, and disgust while attending dissection. More than 82.4% people disagreed that cadaveric dissection should be eliminated from the curriculum. About 58.4% people showed disagreement with its replacement by virtual and haptic feedback models, but about 18.4% agreed [Table 3]. Leaving cadaveric dissection out of the curriculum could make it harder for students to use the scientific method when diagnosing patients. This study supports that idea and emphasizes that dissection should not be removed from training programs, because dissection classes bring anatomy to life. They give students a hands-on, practical experience that deepens their understanding and complements what they learn from textbooks. It is a vital part of becoming a skilled and confident dental professional.^[5]

Dental students are not acquainted with the anatomy of the whole body apart from the head and neck, and about 66.4% of participants agreed or strongly agreed that every student should learn whole-body anatomy [Table 3 and Figure 2].

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Figure 2:

Comparison of perceptions of graduates, postgraduates, and practitioners toward cadaveric dissection. Most participants disagreed with eliminating dissection from the curriculum and agreed it enhances anatomical understanding and surgical skills.

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Around 81.8% of students feel that understanding anatomy through cadaveric dissection helps one become a good dental surgeon [Table 3]. Through the act of dissecting a cadaver, students come face-to-face with the profound realities of life, illness, and death. It is a powerful reminder of the weight of a physician’s responsibility and the human side of medicine. This experience helps them connect deeply with the journey of becoming a healer.

Dissection helps break down the complexity of the human body, making it easier to see how everything fits together, both in structure and function. It is like getting a 3D map of anatomy, which textbooks just cannot fully capture. Plus, since everybody is unique, students get to see firsthand the natural variations that can be crucial in surgeries and other medical procedures. For many, it is their first real look at what surgical work involves, as they explore different cadavers and learn from what they find. It is a hands-on way to prepare for the realities of medicine.^[5]

DISCUSSION

The study sought to determine how graduates, postgraduates, and practitioners perceived the function, difficulties, and emotional impacts of cadaveric dissection. This research provides valuable insights into students’ attitudes towards cadaveric dissection, a traditional and longstanding method in education. As a whole, most of the subjects have a positive acknowledgment of the worthiness of dissections of cadavers as an effective approach toward anatomy research. A prominent component in the syllabus of the dental course is gross anatomy, which is generally taught using dissection modules.

However, dissection has fallen in disrepute lately due to limited cadaver availability, ethical and legal constraints, introduction of new technologies, rising reliance on virtual models, inadequate infrastructure in dental colleges, reduced faculty emphasis, and time constraints within the curriculum.

Dental students are exposed to the head and neck only through dissection; most believe that each student must dissect all sections of the body. Students prefer dissection over prosection.

This aligns with previous research emphasizing the importance of hands-on, tactile learning experiences in anatomy education, which also aid in developing critical clinical skills such as hand-eye coordination and spatial awareness that are important surgical skills and have great clinical relevance.

This study also attempted to find the behaviour in students while undergoing the dissection. Many students found this to be an adventurous and exciting experience. More than 80% of students rated their excitement and interest at level 4 or 5, indicating high emotional engagement, which is consistent with the data. Fear, anxiety, and nausea were comparatively low, whereas curiosity remained high, indicating that students gradually adjust to the experience positively [Table 4]. Most students believe that only through cadaveric dissection can anatomy be learnt properly, as it develops a sense of respect for the human body, while all other 3D models and virtual classes can be used as a supplement to the learning process. The perceived clinical significance of cadaveric dissection was highlighted by the fact that more than 80% of participants in all groups concurred that it is crucial in helping them grow into competent dental surgeons.

While many appreciated the exercise of dissection, others fainted during the process; besides, the smell of formalin emitted during dissection was also a sore point. This could be avoided if other methods of preservation or less pungent fixatives were used. It may also be due to poor ventilation in the room. Medical colleges are pretty well advanced, but dental colleges are not well-equipped for dissections. Furthermore, the ratio of cadavers to students is quite high, which makes the activities inaccessible and the identification of structures challenging. A lot of people do not even get a chance to attend a dissection, and those who do often struggle to see the execution clearly [Figure 3].

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Figure 3:

Responses of graduates, postgraduates, and practitioners regarding opportunities for cadaveric dissection. Most participants reported limited hands-on experience, with fewer having performed or attended full-body dissections beyond the head and neck.

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Yet, this slow and steady nature is helpful for research and understanding of vast anatomical territories such as content, complexity, and limbs, which are difficult for those with new terms. Considering the major temporary constraint and with emphasis on the clinical applicability of basic sciences, such as anatomy, it is a truly significant aspect to learn and identify various structures to be a good doctor and surgeon.^[7]

CONCLUSION

Cadaveric dissection continues to hold a special and irreplaceable place in dental education. Even with the rise of virtual and simulation-based learning, this study shows that the experience of working on real human bodies offers something deeper — a true sense of connection between theoretical knowledge and clinical understanding. It allows students to see, touch, and appreciate the intricate design of the human body while developing empathy and respect for those who have donated themselves to science.

Although challenges such as limited cadaver availability and resource constraints remain, these issues call for better support and integration of modern tools rather than abandoning traditional dissection. Virtual models can complement the process, but they cannot replace the human element that cadaveric learning provides. Preserving this practice ensures that future dental professionals grow not only in skill and knowledge but also in compassion and humility — qualities that lie at the heart of good healthcare.