This study explores how the SMILE Programme, a community-based learning (CBL) initiative in dental public health at Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), facilitated transformative learning among postgraduate students. Transformative learning is critical for developing socially accountable health professionals who integrate technical skills with empathy, reflection, and civic responsibility.
A qualitative design was employed, drawing on reflective narratives from 27 postgraduate dental public health students who participated in SMILE between 2020 and 2025. Students documented experiences in planning, implementing, and evaluating oral health initiatives with communities, NGOs, and interprofessional partners. Data were thematically analysed using Braun and Clarke's six-step approach, supported by NVivo software. Rigour was ensured through investigator triangulation, peer debriefing, and reflexive journaling.
Five overarching themes emerged: (1) Leadership and Professional Development, (2) Digital and Technical Skills, (3) Communication and Team Dynamics, (4) Public Health Values and Advocacy, and (5) Reflective Learning and Resilience. Students reported enhanced accountability, digital fluency, empathy, and adaptability. Reflections revealed a perceptual shift from viewing communities as passive recipients to engaging them as active partners, signalling a redefined sense of professional identity and social accountability.
This study is among the first in Southeast Asia to document transformative outcomes of a structured CBL programme in postgraduate dental education. By integrating experiential learning, interprofessional collaboration, and digital health promotion, SMILE illustrates how reflective CBL can cultivate both professional competence and socially responsive identities aligned with global health priorities.
