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Development and Validation of a Haptic Virtual Reality Simulator for Tooth Extraction and Inferior Alveolar Nerve
YingQi Ren1, YiHan Xu1, ZiYa Yuan1
1College of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering of Higher Education, Chongqing, China; Chongqing Municipal Health Commission Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedical Engineering, Chongqing, China.
A new virtual reality simulator for tooth extraction and local anesthesia training improved dental students' skills and retention compared to traditional methods. This haptic simulator offers a risk-free environment for practicing essential dental procedures.
Area of Science:
- Dental Education Technology
- Virtual Reality in Medicine
- Surgical Simulation
Background:
- Integrated simulators for exodontia and local anesthesia are lacking in dental education.
- Haptic virtual reality platforms can immerse learners in complete clinical workflows.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a Tooth Extraction and Local Anaesthesia simulator (TELA-sim).
- To assess the TELA-sim's effectiveness in skill acquisition and retention compared to traditional training.
Main Methods:
- Developed a haptic virtual reality simulator (TELA-sim) for tooth extraction (TE) and inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB).
- Assessed face and construct validity with 155 dental students (novices and intermediates).
- Evaluated skill transfer in a cohort comparing TELA-sim training with traditional methods via simulator metrics, questionnaires, and practical skills examinations (PSE).
Main Results:
- TELA-sim demonstrated strong face and construct validity, with novices unexpectedly outperforming intermediates in protocol adherence.
- The TELA-sim group showed significantly higher PSE scores 6 months post-training compared to the control group.
- The simulator facilitated superior skill retention and transfer to clinical practice.
Conclusions:
- The TELA-sim is a valid and effective tool for dental education, enhancing skill acquisition and retention.
- The simulator provides a risk-free environment for practicing standardized protocols, potentially reducing errors.
- TELA-sim shows promise for objective skills assessment and continuous professional development for clinicians.