Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Virtual Simulation Platform for Apexification Learning

Area of Science:

• Dental Education
• Endodontics
• Virtual Reality Simulation

Background:

• Traditional apexification teaching methods struggle to meet dental students' practical training needs.
• Developing effective and engaging learning techniques for apexification is crucial for dental education.
• Virtual simulation offers a potential solution to bridge the gap in practical dental training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a virtual simulation learning platform for apexification.
• To assess the effectiveness of virtual simulation in improving dental students' understanding of apexification.
• To gather student feedback on the virtual reality platform for future improvements.

Main Methods:

• A virtual simulation learning platform for apexification was developed.
• Ninety-nine 4th-year dental students were randomized into a control group (conventional teaching) and an experimental group (virtual simulation).
• Theoretical tests were administered before and after training to assess learning outcomes, supplemented by a questionnaire for the experimental group.

Main Results:

• The experimental group using virtual simulation showed significantly higher scores on post-training tests compared to the control group (p < 0.001).
• Within the experimental group, post-training test scores significantly improved compared to pre-training scores (p < 0.001).
• Student feedback indicated positive reception of the virtual reality platform and provided constructive suggestions.

Conclusions:

• Virtual simulation learning platforms are effective in enhancing the quality of apexification education for dental students.
• This technology offers a promising avenue for improving practical skills training in endodontics.
• Further development and integration of virtual reality in dental curricula can optimize student learning experiences.