Abstract
AIM: Dental surgical skills training assumes critical importance for aspiring dentists. Our present study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of innovative DVRS approach in assessing competency and improving skill in preclinical dental surgical skill training. METHODS: A total of 142 students participated in this study. Within this cohort, 70 students from the 2017 intake were trained using traditional manikins (Group TM), while 72 students from the 2018 were trained using a Digital Virtual Reality Simulator for Dental Surgical Skills (Group DVRS). The scores of the training course between two groups were compared. Additionally, the experiences of students from Group DVRS were collected through a questionnaire survey regarding the use of DVRS in their preclinical training. RESULTS: Pedagogical outcome revealed that the average scores for Group DVRS were slightly higher than Group TM (P < 0.05). The feedback collected via questionnaires from Group DVRS participants reflected their satisfaction with the DVRS, praising its user-friendliness, clarity, training efficacy, and the resultant enhancement in their operational skills. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that DVRS is an effective and beneficial tool for preclinical dental surgical skill training.