Impact of Virtual Reality and Haptic Simulators in Dental Education and Training Among Dental Students: An Umbrella Review

Key Points

• This research addresses the effectiveness of virtual reality and haptic simulators in improving dental education outcomes.
• Conducted an umbrella review of existing studies on virtual reality and haptic simulators in dental training.
• Assessed the effects on preclinical skill acquisition and learner confidence among dental students.
• Evaluated methodological differences and overall strengths of the included studies.
• Findings indicate that virtual reality and haptic simulators significantly enhance skill acquisition in dental learners.
• Improvements in learner confidence are noted when these technologies are included in training.
• Methodological weaknesses and inconsistencies across studies limit the certainty of conclusions.