Abstract
The impact of innovative haptic technologies on dental assessment
Aim
To identify if the haptic virtual dental work-station provides a more precise measurement of students’ cavity preparation performance compared with traditional observation assessment methods.
Method
2 cohorts (2015 & 2016) of 144 Year–1 BDS students carried out the removal of carious tooth matter from a virtual tooth whilst maintaining healthy dental tissue. Computer log-files recorded every step in the procedure taken by each student over two laboratory sessions. These data were analysed using appropriate statistical tests.
Results
A positive correlation was seen between the percentage of carious lesion successfully removed and healthy dental tissue maintained and the increase in the usage of the hapTEL system amongst the BDS 1 novice dental students. The majority of dental students were able to successfully identify the carious lesion in the virtual tooth and remove it without causing perforation to the dental pulp within the time allocated for the tasks.
Conclusions
The use of a precise haptic recording procedure enables students to determine: the exact proportion of decayed tissue removed, healthy tissue remaining and the time it has taken. This provides a more precise and reliable assessment method compared with the traditional assessment which is limited to expert observation of the final cavity.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Title of host publication | ADEE/ADEA Shaping the Future of Dental Education, At London |
| Publication status | Published - May 2017 |