Jawnatomy
Although there are existing computer and internet-based 3D models used to teach anatomy, they lack the specific details unique to dental education. Furthermore, the existing models fail to incorporate insights into cellular physiology, oral microbiology, and oral pathology dynamics and interactions, which are critical in oral health education. Jawnatomy is a multipurpose computer-based application used to teach oral and facial anatomy, oral pathology, and oral microbiology in an integrated manner. Jawnatomy is a 3D graphic representation of the human head and oral cavity, including hard and soft tissues. Jawnatomy has three learning modules: anatomy, pathology, and microbiology. Users can easily switch between different learning modules and interact with the model by rotating the model to any possible angle and magnifying it to visualize structural details. Jawnatomy is password-protected and locked to our institution. If you are a member of the University of Alberta, School of Dentistry, please contact us to learn how to get full access to Jawnatomy. We hope to make this tool more widely available in the future.
Figure: Jawnatomy offers three learning modules: anatomy, microbiology, and pathology. (A) In the microbiology module, learners can explore the normal microbial flora of the oral cavity. Each oral region shows the list of bacterial species found in that area when selected. (B) In the anatomy module, Jawnatomy allows learners to view the anatomical structure of a healthy tooth. (C) Students can also remove external facial structures to visualize internal oral structures.