Lessons learnt and lessons missed from flight simulation

This article reviews progress in the development of technologies used in flight simulation and in the training of dentists, drawing out the similarities in training objectives and the limitations of the training devices. It summarises the advances in pilot training with recognised international standards for the construction and acceptance of training devices, noting the impact of flight simulation as a major contributor to the improvements in flight safety. Attention is drawn to the positive transfer of training from synthetic training to airborne operations. The evolution of training methods in dentistry is described covering virtual reality and haptic simulation. The distinction is drawn that tactile feel and visualisation, which is very different from other forms of simulation, is critical to the introduction of synthetic training in dentistry. In particular, progress in methods to provide haptic technologies is reviewed and the importance of novel methods of visualisation, specific to dentistry, are reviewed. This article concludes by outlining progress in flight simulation that is relevant to synthetic training in dentistry but also stresses the differences between the two disciplines. The progress and limitations of flight simulation and the current status and future of synthetic training in dentistry are described, highlighting the potential benefits of lower-cost haptic devices and the lack of standardisation.