Virtual dental teaching and its effect on test success - A cross-over study

Liebermann, Anja; Seefelder, Julia; Nold, Ephraim; Huth, Karin Christine und Erdelt, Kurt (2021): Virtual dental teaching and its effect on test success - A cross-over study. In: Journal of Dental Education, Bd. 86, Nr. 5: S. 622-629

Abstract

Objectives The aim of this cross-over investigation was to analyze the effect of virtual teaching using virtual reality (VR) within a dental learning environment by preclinical students with or without dental professional experience on test performance. Methods Preclinical students (N = 82) were randomly divided into two groups for cross-over testing of tooth morphology knowledge: (a) anterior VR-group (group 1) using the VR-glasses as an additional learning tool for the anterior tooth morphologies and (b) posterior VR-group (group 2) using it for the posterior tooth morphologies also in addition to conventional learning. All students used the VR-glasses for 1 week independent of time and location depending on group. The students had to recognize teeth (anterior or posterior within two separate tests after three [anterior test] and 6 weeks [posterior test] of practical course) and note the tooth number and characteristics in written form. Former dental experience (dental technician/assistance) was noted. Test results were analyzed to quantify the effect of virtual teaching on test scores. Data were analyzed with the Kolmogorov-Smirnov and Mann-Whitney U test (p = 0.05). Results By differentiating the two student groups (use of VR glasses for anterior/posterior teeth) within the dental experience group, significantly better test results (p = 0.040) were shown for group 1 in the total posterior teeth test score. Furthermore, no other significant differences, but a possible tendency, in the test results and thus no effect of the use of the VR glasses on both VR groups could be analyzed (p >= 0.051). Conclusions Using the VR tooth learning environment predominantly did not lead to a significant improvement of test results. Anterior teeth test scores predominantly showed significantly better results than posterior teeth test scores.

• Dokumententyp: Zeitschriftenartikel
• Fakultät: Medizin
• Themengebiete: 600 Technik, Medizin, angewandte Wissenschaften > 610 Medizin und Gesundheit
• ISSN: 0022-0337
• Sprache: Englisch