Evaluation of surgical visualization headset in dental education for preclinical bone augmentation surgery

Effective preclinical training for complex procedures, such as oral bone augmentation, demands high-fidelity visual demonstration. The conventional “display screen combined with a dental microscope” model is limited by inconsistent sightlines, variable viewing angles, and instructor ergonomic challenges. The surgical visualization headset has emerged as a novel technology to provide an immersive, stereoscopic, and synchronized learning view. This study aimed to evaluate the pedagogical efficacy of this headset-based model in preclinical training for oral bone augmentation. Sixty undergraduate students were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 30 per group). Group A (control group) received training using a display screen combined with a dental microscope. Group B (experimental group) was trained using a surgical visualization headset combined with a dental microscope. Both groups performed bone augmentation procedures on porcine mandibles under the guidance of the same instructor. The training outcomes were comprehensively evaluated through objective scoring of surgical skills and subjective questionnaire feedback. Post-training assessments revealed that the final outcome scores of students in Group B were significantly higher than those in Group A. Furthermore, the scores of fine surgical steps (such as membrane fixation and tension release) in Group B were evidently higher than those in Group A. Students in Group B also reported significantly higher scores for the sharpness, fluency, and integrity of the live practical demonstration visuals. Furthermore, Group B demonstrated superior levels of interest, concentration, and satisfaction compared to Group A. However, students in Group B reported a significantly higher degree of visual fatigue. In comparison to the conventional method of using a display screen with a dental microscope, employing a surgical visualization headset combined with a dental microscope for hands-on training provides a superior pedagogical experience and contributes to more effective learning outcomes. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Number: ChiCTR2600116864). Registered at 21 November 2025.