U-M Also Initiates Presence on YouTube

Ann Arbor, MI — September 23, 2009 — More than 650 videos from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry’s learning resources archives are drawing considerable interest worldwide since becoming available for free viewing on the Internet.  The School, which launched its YouTube Channel in March (www.youtube.com/umichdent), was recently the second most-viewed educational channel on the popular website, topped only by Stanford.

Using her iPhone, Emily Springfield, above, views some of the 650 videos available to the public on the School of Dentistry YouTube Channel. Views have been steadily increasing and are averaging 4,500 views per day. The School of Dentistry's videos are included on the University of Michigan's new YouTube Channel (www.youtube.com/um) that was launched September 14.  The University's portal includes videos focusing on special speakers and events, classroom lectures, and other highlights.

The School of Dentistry’s videos are the result of an effort that began several years ago to digitize more than 1,200 videotapes that were created in the School’s television studios in the 1970s. Ana Iacob, a research associate in Dental Informatics, has been working on this project from the start and is adding more items to the digital archive each week. 

Dr. Lynn Johnson, professor of dentistry and assistant dean for Informatics and Innovation, says the School’s videos are a part of the “Open.Michigan” initiative, an effort designed to create and share the University’s and the School’s knowledge, resources, and research with the global learning community.

Among the School of Dentistry videos that are available include those dealing with occlusion (78), anatomy (69), oral surgery (52), prosthodontics (22), and others. “We’re adding between 15 and 20 videos a week, so I would encourage oral health care professionals to visit our Web site frequently,” Johnson said.  “My hope is that by the end of the year we will have more than one thousand videos from the dental school available for viewing.”

 Favorable Reaction

Springfield, an instructional technology designer with the School of Dentistry who played a major role in ensuring content from the videos could be transferred from the videotapes for viewing on the Web, said, "the channel currently averages about 4,500 hits a day, and the average increases every week. Our videos have been viewed more than 360,000 times to date."   While most views are from people in the US, the channel is viewed by people around the world.

• “Such a good site.  WOW!!  Thanks for all of these. I have suffered from TMD for 14 years.  Please do more.” (United States)
• “I’m not even a dental student and these videos are very interesting to me.” (Canada)
• “This is best video I have ever seen on caries removal.  Thank you so much.” (Egypt)
• “Thank you so much!!!  This video has helped me a lot.  Thank you so much U-M Dentistry for sharing.” (Philippines)
• “Wow...seeing a video that was shot 37 years ago is amazing.  Keep it up Michigan :) ...These videos really help me a lot as a new graduate.”  (Egypt)
• “Very useful video indeed.  I hope there will be more.”  (Sudan)
• “I think I want to be a dentist...” (United Kingdom) 

Although knowledge about the oral cavity has grown significantly since the 1970s, its physical structure and elements have not changed.  “That’s what makes our videos timeless,” Johnson said, “because a dentist in Asia or Europe or Africa can use what they see in our videos and apply that knowledge in their clinical environment.”

However, Johnson was quick to note that those in the U.S. who view the videos will see how regulations have changed.  For example, when the videos were created in the 1970s, dental students and faculty members did not wear glasses, facemasks, or gloves when treating patients.  A note advising viewers about those and other regulatory changes appear at the beginning of those videos.

In addition, those who want to download content to a video iPod can access approximately100 videos at the School’s iTunes U portal: www.dent.umich.edu/media/itunes/index.html.

Contact: Sharon Grayden, Communications Director (734) 615-2600, dentistry.communications@umich.edu, or Jerry Mastey, Editor, School of Dentistry (734) 615-1971, jmastey@umich.edu.