A Finnish study led by the University of Eastern Finland surveyed 156 institutions in 53 countries to assess how dental educators use virtual reality (VR) in training and what barriers exist. The study, published in the journal Frontiers in Dental Medicine, collected 378 responses, with 57% of respondents holding a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and 59% holding a Doctor of Philosophy degree.
Currently, the use of VR in dental education is on the rise. For example, last year, New York University made headlines when it announced that it would begin using VR to help dental students practice anesthesia to overcome anxiety.
Here are the highlights from the Finnish global survey:
1. Preclinical training dominates VR use
94% of institutions use VR haptic trainers in preclinical training, compared to only 46% in clinical training.
Top courses: Restorative dentistry, prosthodontics, and endodontics.
Only 3% use VR for interprofessional education, suggesting that VR has untapped potential.
2. Most use VR as an assistive tool
37% of educators use VR only as an assistive tool, not a replacement.
Only 4% use it for specific purposes, such as manual dexterity testing or specialized training.
3. What educators want to improve
More diverse training scenarios (20%).
Better software (19%) and hardware (19%).
AI-driven personalized training (18%).
Gamification capabilities (10%).
4. Significant barriers: technology gaps and costs
35% believe VR has limited capabilities—such as the inability to reliably transfer skills to real patients.
28% highlighted high acquisition, maintenance, and space costs.
24% cited low teacher and student acceptance.
5. Resistance to new technology
35% cited lack of technical proficiency as a barrier.
13% said curriculum adjustments take too long.
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