Born in 2023 during a meeting at the Institute of Dentistry, University of Eastern Finland (UEF), Kuopio, Finland, the VR-Haptic Thinkers Consortium has rapidly evolved from a vision to a global, recognized force in dental education.
Our mission: to revolutionize dental training through the supportive power of digital and VR-haptic technologies. With two successful free, hybrid meetups and groundbreaking research, we have united educators worldwide, fostering global collaboration.
for your dental educational research paper is crucial for several reasons: Maximizing impact and visibility Enhancing credibility Advancing your career
Benefits and Challenges of the Integration of Haptics-Enhanced Virtual Reality Training Within Dental Curricula.
VR-haptics-enhanced training holds potential to transform dental education
http://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13800
VR-Haptic Thinkers from top-tier institutions have delved into 14 years of PubMed data, enriched by insights from a global survey.
http://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13800
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Our very own VR-Haptic Thinker Octave Bandiaky's work suggests that VR-H devices improve motor skill acquisition and show more encouraging results.
https://doi.org/10.1002/jdd.13426
Imagine a world where aspiring dentists can feel the subtle resistance of enamel as they drill, experience the delicate pressure needed for a perfect filling, and master complex procedures—all within the safety of a virtual environment. This is the promise of haptics-reinforced virtual reality in dental education, a groundbreaking approach that's set to revolutionize how we train the next generation of oral health professionals. Picture students donning VR headsets and haptic gloves, their hands steady as they navigate through intricate 3D models of teeth and gums. With each movement, they receive instant tactile feedback, mimicking the sensations they'll encounter in real-world procedures. This immersive experience isn't just engaging—it's transformative, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills like never before.
An international research team reviewed the current use of VR haptics and its effects on dental students' learning, guidance, and work. The review was published in the Journal of Dental Education. The researchers searched the PubMed database for research articles published between 2010-2024 that addressed dentistry, education, haptics, teaching, training, and virtual reality. Out of the 667 articles meeting the search criteria, 42 were selected for detailed analysis. Results from a then ongoing international survey of dental educators on the use of virtual-haptic training in teaching were also included.
The results indicated that virtual-haptic training has proven to be a useful tool complementing simulation teaching in dentistry. However, validation of VR haptic-based simulators is considered crucial, and their suitability as a primary teaching method for dental manual skills still requires further research. According to the researchers, in the future, this method could be used to assess the skills and competencies of dental students and dentists.
Although VR haptic training takes place in a digital virtual environment, students have been found to be able to effectively transfer the manual skills learned this way to real-life situations. For dental educators, this technology offers more options for practicing manual skills at different stages of education. VR haptic solutions provide individualized guidance and feedback, helping students master important manual skills. It also improves engagement with studies and learning motivation. VR haptics can offer solutions to challenges in dental education in both preclinical and clinical phases. It can address some shortcomings of current teaching methods.
However, further research and validation are needed before virtual-haptic training can be considered the primary teaching method for dental manual skills. As technology advances, it may become an increasingly important tool for learning and assessment in the field.
https://www.uef.fi/en/article/vr-haptics-enhanced-training-holds-potential-to-transform-dental-education
Mahmoud Bakr, a VR-Haptic Thinker from Australia, explores the integration of haptics-reinforced virtual reality technologies into dental education curricula in his review.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sdentj.2024.09.002
Important knowledge!
The emergence of cutting-edge immersive technologies is poised to transform oral health promotion and education. These innovative tools offer unprecedented opportunities to engage, educate, and motivate individuals in their oral health journey.
Discover more insights from the review authored by Dr. Amirul Faiz, our Young Ambassador.
Our Vice President Prof. Bencharit and his team unveiled a study comparing the accuracy of affordable non-dental 3D printers with specialized dental printers for creating diagnostic casts, challenging the notion that only dental-specific devices can deliver precise results. This research explores how budget-friendly alternatives may revolutionize in-house dental manufacturing, potentially making advanced 3D printing technology accessible to a broader range of dental practices.
This groundbreaking research challenges conventional wisdom, potentially revolutionizing accessibility to advanced dental technology and sparking a debate on the true requirements for clinical-grade 3D printing in dentistry.
Hello, I'm MengWei Pang from the College of Stomatology, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
🚀 UNLEASH YOUR HEALTHCARE HERO! 💥 Skills = Your ULTIMATE SUPERPOWER! 💪 Early start = MASSIVE BREAKTHROUGH! 🌟 Anatomy drawings? 🦷 Your secret weapon in DENTAL MASTERY! 🎨 Want to TRANSFORM your future? This training COMBO is PURE MAGIC! 🏆 LEVEL UP NOW! 📚🔬
https://www.uef.fi/en/article/vr-haptic-simulators-can-improve-preclinical-endodontic-training
Sila manages the communication affairs of our global Thinkers Team. She is our CCO.
She drives the work of others in order to operate efficiently and to make a echo for our thinkers.
She is and Endodontist.
Sila is confident, organized, honest and is able to make good decisions.
Szabi provides a buffer between our executive borad and our team, as a "Snow blower" = Secretary General
He usually works behind the scenes to solve problems, mediate disputes, and deal with issues before they are brought to our global network.
Szabi is responsible for efficiently organizing and making impactful actions for our Digital, VR, and Haptic Thinkers community.
Szabi is experienced and independent.
Professor Damiano Pasqualini is an Italian endodontist and academic renowned for his contributions to microendodontics and dental research, including VR & Haptics.
An article is like a conversation with your readers. And Damiano`s team just published in the No.1 Endodontic Journal: IEJ!
"Virtual reality and haptic simulation in modern
microsurgical endodontics: Case report and proof of concept"
DOI: 10.1111/iej.14239
One Team. One Heart. Unstoppable Success.
Prof. Damiano Pasqualini
A comprehensive global survey of 156 institutions has delivered a dose of reality to the burgeoning field of VR-haptic technology in dental education, revealing a stark contrast between its immense potential and the significant obstacles hindering its widespread adoption.
The survey underscores the transformative potential of VR-haptics, but it also serves as a critical wake-up call.
Only by confronting these challenges head-on can the dental profession hope to unlock the full power of these technologies and equip future practitioners with the skills they need to thrive in an increasingly digital world.