口腔組織病理学における仮想シミュレーションソフトウェア：歯学実習生による歯の研磨切片作製支援と歯硬組織知識の向上

To evaluate the effects of a novel software developed to assist dental students in mak-ing tooth ground sections and gaining knowledge of dental hard tissues.

Students were divided into three groups (class-use group, after-class-use group and control group) and taught how to make real sections or allowed to use the aforementioned software to make virtual tooth ground sections on the computer. The present authors then assessed the efficiency of making the first tooth ground sections, the quality of ground sections and performance skills.

The sectioning time for the class-use group was less than that for the after-class-use group and control group (P = 0.027), and the quality of sections for the class-use group was higher (P = 0.036). In the objective test 1 week later, the after-class-use group performed better than the control group (P = 0.019). Users agreed that the software stimulated their interest and improved their learning results.

This software is an efficient tool to help students to make tooth ground sections and study the histology of dental hard tissues in a simple and functional way.