Haptic Feedback's Role in Dental Implantology Virtual Simulations: A Multicohort Analysis

This study explores the role of haptic feedback in dental virtual simulations by examining its effects on learner performance, usability, and self-confidence across novice and advanced students. Using a randomized crossover design, participants engaged with an implantology-related virtual simulation using Virteasy Dental software and Haply Robotics' haptic arm in both haptic-enabled and haptic-disabled conditions. Advanced students significantly outperformed novices, supporting construct validity, though all other performance effects were nonsignificant. Usability and self-confidence were significantly higher for students who experienced the haptic-enabled simulation after first using the haptic-disabled version, indicating an order effect. However, no other usability or self-confidence interactions reached significance. Agreement between expert-generated and software-generated scores was moderate to poor, highlighting limitations in automated scoring and the need for expert oversight during student assessment. Findings show the value of portable haptics and call for better validated assessment and usability tools, and that trainees may benefit from first trying haptic-disabled virtual simulations before learning with haptics.