Dental Education Digitalization: Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR)

Year 2024, Volume: 51 Issue: Suppl 1 (UDEG 2nd INTERNATIONAL DENTISTRY EDUCATION MEETING), 7 - 9, 31.12.2024

Merve Onder , Kaan Orhan

https://doi.org/10.52037/eads.2024.0030

Abstract

In dental education, the role of practical training is crucial. Dental students undergo numerous practical training sessions during the first three years to enhance their manual and visual skills. Technological advancements have found their place in the field of dentistry, as in every other area. Three-dimensional (3D) imaging and printing, computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), and augmented reality (AR) based applications are building a significant presence in both dental education and practice.
Objective and Method: Our aim in this review is to investigate the impact and significance of VR and AR in dental education. Therefore, a comprehensive literature review was conducted on the subject, and the results were evaluated and summarized
Results and Conclusions: One of the most significant advantages of AR and VR systems is their ability to facilitate manual skill acquisition and minimize errors with instant feedback. The major distinguishing feature of AR systems from VR systems in education is the absence of disconnection from reality in the former case. AR gives students the feeling of being in a real environment and guides them during dental treatment. Although AR and VR applications seem easily integrable into dental education, further research is needed for these emerging digital technologies.

Keywords

AR, Dentistry, Dentistry education, Digitalization, Digitalization in dentistry, VR

References

• Afrashtehfar KI, Yang JW, Al-Sammarraie A, Chen H, Saeed MH. Pre-clinical undergraduate students’ perspectives on the adoption of virtual and augmented reality to their dental learning experience: A one-group pre-and post-test design protocol. F1000Res. 2023;10:473. doi:10.12688/f1000research.53059.2.
• Dhopte A, Bagde H. Smart smile: revolutionizing dentistry with artificial intelligence. Cureus. 2023;15(6). doi:10.7759/cureus.41227.
• Erdilek D, Gümüştaş B, Güray Efes B. Digitalization era of dental education: A systematic review. Dent Med Probl. 2023;60(3):513–525. doi:10.17219/dmp/156804.
• Gugwad R, Basavakumar M, Abhijeet K, Arvind M, Sudhindra M, Ramesh C. Virtual articulators in prosthodontics. Int J Clin Dent. 2011;3(4):39–42.
• Al-Saud LM, Mushtaq F, Allsop MJ, Culmer PC, Mirghani I, Yates E, et al. Feedback and motor skill acquisition using a haptic dental simulator. Eur J Dent Educ. 2017;21(4):240–247. doi:10.1111/eje.12214.
• Correa CG, Machado MAdAM, Ranzini E, Tori R, Nunes FdLS. Virtual Reality simulator for dental anesthesia training in the inferior alveolar nerve block. J Appl Oral Sci. 2017;25(4):357–366. doi:10.1590/1678-7757-2016-0386.
• De Boer I, Wesselink P, Vervoorn J. Student performance and appreciation using 3D vs. 2D vision in a virtual learn-Digitalization in educationing environment. Eur J Dent Educ. 2016;20(3):142–147. doi:10.1111/eje.12152.
• Espejo-Trung LC, Elian SN, De Cerqueira Luz MAA. Development and application of a new learning object for teaching operative dentistry using augmented reality. J Dent Educ. 2015;79(11):1356–1362. doi:10.1002/j.0022-0337.2015.79.11.tb06033.x.
• Eve EJ, Koo S, Alshihri AA, Cormier J, Kozhenikov M, Donoff RB, et al. Performance of dental students versus prosthodontics residents on a 3D immersive haptic simulator. J Dent Educ. 2014;78(4):630–637. doi:10.1002/j.0022-0337.2014.78.4.tb05715.x.
• Suebnukarn S, Chaisombat M, Kongpunwijit T, Rhienmora P. Construct validity and expert benchmarking of the haptic virtual reality dental simulator. J Dent Educ. 2014;78(10):1442–1450. doi:10.1002/j.0022-0337.2014.78.10.tb05818.x.
• Quinn F, Keogh P, McDonald A, Hussey D. A study comparing the effectiveness of conventional training and virtual reality simulation in the skills acquisition of junior dental students. Eur J Dent Educ. 2003;7(4):164–169. doi:10.1034/j.1600--0579.2003.00309.x.
• Lamira JM, Wilson CS, Leppek NC, Orr CM, De la Rosa LM, Greany TJ. A pilot study of local anesthesia training using a mixedreality haptic fidelity model. J Dent Educ. 2023;87(4):583–591. doi:10.1002/jdd.13151.
• Samuel S, Elvezio C, Khan S, Bitzer LZ, Moss-Salentijn L, Feiner S. Visuo-Haptic VR and AR Guidance for Dental Nerve Block Education. IEEE Trans Vis Comput Graph. 2024. doi:10.1109/TVCG.2024.3372125.
• Toker S, Akay C, Basmaci F, Kilicarslan MA, Mumcu E, Cagiltay NE. Expectancy from, and acceptance of augmented reality in dental education programs: A structural equation model. J Dent Educ. 2024. doi:10.1002/jdd.13580.