Increasing empathy for children in dental students using virtual reality.

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Medical Simulation

Background:

• Virtual reality (VR) offers a unique method to simulate pediatric patient experiences for dental students.
• This technology allows trainees to virtually step into a child's perspective during dental visits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of VR simulation on dental students' empathy towards child patients.
• To evaluate the effect of VR on students' self-perceived comfort and ability in managing pediatric dental care.

Main Methods:

• Sixty dental students participated in a VR simulation designed to mimic a child's dental visit.
• Empathy was measured using the Jefferson Scale of Empathy (JSE) pre- and post-intervention.
• A questionnaire assessed self-perceived confidence, comfort, and the intervention's impact.

Main Results:

• JSE scores significantly increased post-VR (117.64 ± 10.03) from pre-VR (112.35 ± 9.34), returning to baseline after 3 months.
• Students reported enhanced confidence in communicating (p=.011) and interacting (p=.046) with children.
• 100% of students felt VR improved their empathy; those who revisited the simulation found it more beneficial for clinical practice (p<.001).

Conclusions:

• VR simulation can effectively enhance dental students' empathy and confidence in managing pediatric patients.
• Encouraging repeated use of VR simulations is crucial for maintaining long-term benefits in dental education.