One year's experience with virtual reality preclinical laboratory simulation at the University of Tennessee

Virtual reality-based preclinical simulation learning is a new teaching modality with significant potential. The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, College of Dentistry has completed its first year of student experience using 40 DentSim simulators, in conjunction with an 80-unit traditional simulation laboratory. This article describes this experience and relates both the positive and negative aspects as they impacted on the students, staff and school. The purpose of the article is to relay information pertinent to this new educational modality to other educational institutes interested in pursuing virtual reality dental simulation. The results of the first-year experience were encouraging, although certain areas proved problematic and frustrating for both students and staff.