Are haptic dental trainers better than phantom heads for dental curricula?

The COVID-19 pandemic and the immediate need to control aerosolised pathogens have led to a reduction in face-to-face training, necessitating the exploration of safe and sustainable alternatives. With the funding received for digital transformation, the institute has invested in advanced virtual reality haptic stations and intraoral scanners, with the aim of enhancing the dental curriculum based on clinical competences. Simodont's haptic dental trainers were chosen to introduce this haptic technology, and the addition was guided by a simulation-based dental education framework that focuses on the acquisition of psychomotor skills and the collective impact on faculty, curriculum and facilities.

Curriculum development followed a phased approach, rooted in the concept of deliberate practice, a method that emphasises active involvement in task-focused training with immediate feedback. This approach was extended to haptic simulation training, aligning with the school's existing educational pedagogy and aiming to improve psychomotor skills through structured, repetitive practice and feedback.

The integration process involved collaborative work between the e-learning team and a newly appointed tactile sensation teacher, with a focus on transitioning pre-clinical students' psychomotor skills to a virtual reality environment. Staff and students underwent comprehensive training to familiarise themselves with haptic technology. This included face-to-face presentations, online materials and practical sessions. Staff involvement was crucial in adapting the curriculum and creating new haptic cases that mirrored traditional training, while taking advantage of the benefits of virtual reality simulation. Utilising existing Simodont cases helped ensure that the curriculum was designed to progressively develop the students' manual dexterity and technical skills.

The use of haptic simulators is considered far superior to working with artificial teeth in a phantom head; however, the study pointed to the need for additional, comprehensive research to establish the long-term benefits and pedagogical effectiveness of haptic training. Given the substantial financial investment required for haptic technology, it is crucial to understand its impact on traditional training methods and patient clinics and to ascertain whether it offers any measurable advantages in terms of patient safety and educational outcomes. The study's authors suggested that answers to these questions are vital to justify the investment to professional funders and regulators in the UK and worldwide.

The study, entitled "The integration of haptic training into the QMUL dental curriculum", was published online on 24 October 2023 in the European Journal of Dental Education, prior to inclusion in an issue.