Integrating haptic simulation in dentistry: faculty insights and future directions

Area of Science:

• Dental Education Technology
• Virtual Reality in Medicine
• Simulation-Based Learning

Background:

• Haptic virtual reality simulation (HVRS) offers immersive training experiences.
• Understanding faculty knowledge and perceptions is crucial for adopting new educational technologies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate dental faculty knowledge of HVRS.
• To assess faculty perceptions of HVRS in dental education.

Main Methods:

• An interventional study with pre- and post-workshop questionnaires administered to 29 dental faculty members.
• Statistical analysis using IBM SPSS version 26 with chi-squared tests.

Main Results:

• Prior to the workshop, 69% of faculty had heard of HVRS, but only 14% had used it.
• Post-workshop, faculty showed increased willingness to integrate HVRS into pre-clinical and clinical training.
• High satisfaction was reported with the simulator's design and usability, with agreement that HVRS enhances manual skills and self-evaluation.

Conclusions:

• Dental faculty at Taibah University demonstrated positive perceptions and willingness to adopt HVRS.
• Integration of HVRS into dental curricula requires ongoing faculty training.
• Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term impact of HVRS on learning outcomes.