Development and Student Perception of Virtual Reality for Implant Surgery

Abstract

(1) Introduction: New and innovative approaches to dental education have continued to improve with time. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced dental education to change as social distancing implementations were enforced. Virtual reality was used as a resource before the COVID-19 pandemic, and it has become more essential due to social restrictions. Virtual reality can allow students to be fully immersed in a clinical environment without leaving their homes. (2) Methods: The development of virtual reality (VR) for implant surgery was described. Selected students filled out a survey before and after using the program. Then, a focus group discussion for the students was held to analyze the program further. (3) Results: Seven dental students enrolled in the Advanced Predoctoral Implant Program (APIP) participated in the study. Qualitative analysis of this study suggests that virtual reality can be used as a supplemental resource to enhance student learning of specific topics. Additionally, the students had positive outlooks for using virtual reality as a resource in dental education and were hopeful to use it in the future for particular topics and subjects. (4) Discussion: The advantages and disadvantages of VR application in education were described. This application allows the students to be immersed fully with virtual dental operatory. The application provides the student with an enhanced learning experience in implant dentistry. Students displayed supportive attitudes towards the applicability of VR in dental education but considered this application as an adjunctive tool for learning. (5) Conclusion: The application of this technology in dental education is promising. The use of virtual reality in teaching and learning implant dentistry offers positive enhancement, especially during these challenging times.