Performance of dental students versus prosthodontics residents on a 3D immersive haptic simulator.
This study evaluated the performance of dental students versus prosthodontics residents on a simulated caries removal exercise using a newly designed, 3D immersive haptic simulator. The intent of this study was to provide an initial assessment of the simulator's construct validity, which in the context of this experiment was defined as its ability to detect a statistically significant performance difference between novice dental students (n=12) and experienced prosthodontics residents (n=14). Both groups received equivalent calibration training on the simulator and repeated the same caries removal exercise three times. Novice and experienced subjects' average performance differed significantly on the caries removal exercise with respect to the percentage of carious lesion removed and volume of surrounding sound tooth structure removed (p<0.05). Experienced subjects removed a greater portion of the carious lesion, but also a greater volume of the surrounding tooth structure. Efficiency, defined as percentage of carious lesion removed over drilling time, improved significantly over the course of the experiment for both novice and experienced subjects (p<0.001). Within the limitations of this study, experienced subjects removed a greater portion of carious lesion on a 3D immersive haptic simulator. These results are a first step in establishing the validity of this device.
Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, 1 Kneeland St., DHS-1512, Boston, MA 02111;. Nadeem.Karimbux@tufts.edu.
Elizabeth J
EJ
Eve
Samuel
S
Koo
Abdulmonem A
AA
Alshihri
Jeremy
J
Cormier
Maria
M
Kozhenikov
R Bruce
RB
Donoff
Nadeem Y
NY
Karimbux
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003731:Dental Caries / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D003737:Dental Cavity Preparation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D003743:Dental Enamel / Q000473:pathology; D003804:Dentin / Q000473:pathology; D003814:Dentistry, Operative / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008963:Molar / Q000473:pathology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011476:Prosthodontics / Q000193:education*; D013335:Students, Dental; D013663:Teaching / Q000379:methods; D014584:User-Computer Interface
computer simulation; dental caries; dental education; haptics; operative dentistry; preclinical dental training; virtual reality