Feedback and motor skill acquisition using a haptic dental simulator.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effect of qualitatively different types of pedagogical feedback (FB) on the training, transfer and retention of basic manual dexterity dental skills using a virtual reality (VR) haptic dental simulator.


METHODS
Sixty-three participants (M = 22.7 years; SD = 3.4 years), with no previous dental training, were randomly allocated to one of three groups (n = 21 each). Group 1 received device-only feedback during the training phase, that is the visual display of the simulator (DFB); Group 2 received verbal feedback from a qualified dental instructor (IFB); and Group 3 received a combination of instructor and device feedback (IDFB). Participants completed four tasks during which feedback was given according to group allocation as well as two skills transfer tests. Skill retention was examined immediately after training, at 1 week and at 1 month post-test.


RESULTS
Statistically significant differences were found between the groups in overall performance (P < 0.001) and error (P = 0.006). Post hoc comparisons revealed the IDFB group produced substantially better performance and fewer errors in comparison with DFB and IFB training. This difference translated to improved performance in skill retention and generalisation of knowledge to novel tasks.


CONCLUSIONS
These data indicate that the acquisition and retention of basic dental motor skills in novice trainees is best optimised through a combination of instructor and visual display (VR)-driven feedback. The results have implications for the utility and implementation of VR haptic technology in dental education.
School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.|School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.|College of Dentistry, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
L M
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6522-8549
LM
Al-Saud
School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
F
F
Mushtaq
Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
M J
MJ
Allsop
School of Mechanical Engineering, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
P C
PC
Culmer
School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.|School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
I
I
Mirghani
School of Dentistry, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, Australia.
E
E
Yates
School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
A
A
Keeling
School of Psychology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK.
M A
MA
Mon-Williams
School of Dentistry, University of Leeds, Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.
M
M
Manogue
D003198:Computer Simulation; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D056228:Feedback, Sensory; D006801:Humans; D009048:Motor Skills; D014110:Touch; D055815:Young Adult
dentistry; feedback; motor learning; skill acquisition; undergraduate dental education; virtual reality