Nauman Ammarah Muhammad, Mohiuddin Sidra, Panhwar Maryam, Altaf Yousra
Department of Community and Preventive Dentistry, Ziauddin University, Karachi, Pakistan.
BMC Med Educ. 2025 May 12;25(1):695. doi: 10.1186/s12909-025-07221-8.
Dental education blends theoretical concepts with practical tasks, where preclinical simulations using manikins have long been integral. However, the limitations of manikin-based training, such as cost, material restrictions, and inter-rater reliability concerns, have led to the integration of emerging technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) to enhance learning. VR provides an immersive environment to practice clinical skills, offering potential flexibility, engagement, and tactile learning advantages. This study compares dental students' perceptions of VR and manikin training at Ziauddin University, Karachi.
This cross-sectional study was conducted at Ziauddin University College of Dentistry, Karachi, Pakistan, involving 229 dental students enrolled in various levels of the BDS program. A structured questionnaire assessed students' experiences and perceptions of VR simulation and manikin training. Data was analyzed using SPSS version 22, with descriptive statistics and independent T-tests to evaluate differences in perception across student groups.
Both VR and manikin training were effective in improving learning. Manikins were preferred for realistic clinical scenarios, while VR was favored for engagement and tactile learning. 68.6% of students found both methods equally useful for reinforcing knowledge, 77.7% felt more confident after manikin training, and 97.4% found VR effective for understanding tooth textures.
This study highlights the complementary strengths of VR and manikin-based training in dental education. Both methods should be integrated to provide a more effective and well-rounded learning experience. Further research is needed to explore VR's cost-effectiveness and use in resource-limited settings.
牙科教育将理论概念与实践任务相结合，长期以来，使用人体模型的临床前模拟一直是其中不可或缺的一部分。然而，基于人体模型的培训存在局限性，如成本、材料限制以及评分者间信度问题，这促使虚拟现实（VR）等新兴技术被整合进来以提升学习效果。VR提供了一个沉浸式环境来练习临床技能，具有潜在的灵活性、参与度和触觉学习优势。本研究比较了卡拉奇齐亚乌丁大学牙科学生对VR和人体模型培训的看法。
这项横断面研究在巴基斯坦卡拉奇齐亚乌丁大学牙科学院进行，涉及229名就读于不同层次BDS课程的牙科学生。一份结构化问卷评估了学生对VR模拟和人体模型培训的体验和看法。使用SPSS 22版软件对数据进行分析，采用描述性统计和独立样本t检验来评估不同学生群体在认知上的差异。
VR和人体模型培训在促进学习方面都很有效。人体模型在逼真的临床场景中更受青睐，而VR在参与度和触觉学习方面更受喜爱。68.6%的学生认为两种方法在强化知识方面同样有用，77.7%的学生在人体模型培训后感觉更有信心，97.4%的学生认为VR对理解牙齿纹理有效。
本研究凸显了VR和基于人体模型的培训在牙科教育中的互补优势。两种方法都应整合起来，以提供更有效、更全面的学习体验。还需要进一步研究来探索VR的成本效益以及在资源有限环境中的应用。
