The emergence of virtual reality as a teaching tool in health care – DentistryIQ

In the course of history, dental education has progressed tremendously. Advanced teaching and learning methods have been developed and refined. Today, they aid greatly in the understanding of the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of human diseases and conditions. But in dentistry, there is still a lack of an efficient and comprehensive methodology for proper patient carei.e., having a way to understand human anatomy in depth before treating live patients in a dental or dental hygiene program.

Enhancing tactile perception and assessment in education could greatly improve existing learning methods that complement a variety of teaching and learning methods. Virtual reality (VR), which is broadly used and is fundamental in fields such as aviation and telecommunication, is now emerging as a viable training tool in the health-care professionand dentistry stands to benefit.While providing an overview of the use of VR in dental education, this article will also explore the interrelationship between VR simulation and current pedagogical knowledge.

Traditional teaching and learning methods may not be as efficient or suitable for today's technologically advanced educational world, as students today most often rely solely on their tablets and laptops for their educational resources and academic success. Today, the internet has become a valuable supplement to education, forcing traditional lectures to become interactive, visual, and collaborative. The advantages of VR within dental education are continuously evaluated as a method to improve fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination within the clinical setting to surmount the financial and creative challenges that may be involved with such complex training.

Virtual technology in the medical profession is anticipated to flourish to $3.8 billion by 2020, according to a report by Global Industry Analysts.2 An additional report by Grand View Research concludes that the virtual industry will grow to $5.1 billion by 2025.2 This technology will further transform the health-care industry, with applications from training future and current health-care professionals to diagnosing and treating various conditions. Possessing the capability to lend complete, immersive 3-D virtual simulation for clinicians, VR technology continues to be perceived as an effective diagnostic and salutary tool for diseases and conditions such as fear and anxiety, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder, desolation, and pain managementparticularly severe pain in burn casualties.2

The implementation of virtual technology into training health professionals is changing the future of education and how students learn. VR provides virtual hands-on experiences for clinicians as they seek to reduce harm on live patients and offers opportunities to learn efficiently with long-term memory. By connecting an array of distinctive technologiesalong with an oculus headset containing a head-tracking system, headphones, and guidance with exploration devicesvirtual reality technology provides a multisensory and three-dimensional environment that helps users become completely immersed in an artificial environment.5

Virtual simulators have now become the norm in the fields of aerospace, aviation, and a few medical fields for neurosurgery, cardiovascular procedures, laparoscopy, vascular procedures, and certain biopsies to offer realistic, safe practices while providing feedback to the practitioner.1 Aside from creating realistic graphical feedback, illustrations, analysis, and renditions of the anatomical structures, simulators re-create all of the tactile sensations experienced during procedures and provide accessories to supplement instruments for grasping6 and palpating tissues so that clinicians can truly feel while performing the procedures.

In a best-evidence medical education (BEME) systematic review, researchers studied the capability of simulation technology in educational science. The study revealed that high-fidelity medical simulations are academically sufficient, simulation-based discipline complements to medical academics in a patient care setting and facilitate trainee learning.4 The study emphasized the importance of emulating real-life, regulated educational experiences in which learners are active participants in the process. Curriculum amendments are being directed by worldwide integration and global standardization, including new and advanced technologies such as oculus virtual simulation systems that provide unique capabilities for clinical training in medical academia.7

A current study by Johns Hopkins University claims that more than 250,000 people in the US perish yearly from medical failures, making it the third-leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer.3 The study outlined deaths due to medical error that were caused by an insufficiently trained staff, errors in judgment or care, and system defects. This includes computer malfunctions, botched medication types or doses administered to patients, and possible surgical complications that may go undiagnosed.3 The US patient-care study, released in 2016, investigated eight consecutive years of data for death rates. Analysts found that based on a total of 35,416,020 hospitalizations, there was a combined occurrence rate of 251,454 deaths annually derived from medical flaws. In 2018, two years later, the numbers remained the same.3

These virtual instructional programs will personalize learning to the individual needs and requirements of each student and provide prompt feedback and support once the problem area is identified. These technology-based simulation software programs can improve education and clinical skills, as well as minimize potential harm to living patients while simultaneously providing individualized virtual learning. Herbert Spencer, an English philosopher in the 1800s, stated, The great aim of education is not knowledge but action.8 The action Spencer argues is that students, the academic environment, and the instructors clout will devise change. Education involves the actions taken to utilize these educational resources. The fundamental objective of adept education is for students to become life-learners.

References

Staci Violante, DHSc, RDH, graduated from the New York University College of Dentistry Dental Hygiene Program in 1997. She went on to complete her masters degree at the Fones School of Dental Hygiene at the University of Bridgeport. She has been a practicing clinical dental hygienist for the past 20 years, as well as serving as clinical professor in the dental hygiene department at New York University College of Dentistry.