ABSTRACT Aim This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) haptic simulators and a multi‐layered dental preparation plate (CaviPrep) in developing manual dexterity among third‐semester dental students during preclinical training in restorative dentistry. Methods Seventy‐five dental students were randomly assigned to three groups ( n = 25). Students in Group 1 and Group 2 received initial training using a VR haptic simulator and CaviPrep, respectively prior to performing procedures on extracted human mandibular first molar teeth. Group 3 served as the control group, performing cavity preparations on extracted mandibular first molar teeth immediately following a conventional instructional demonstration. Manual dexterity was evaluated using educator assessments and students' self‐preclinical scores in terms of cavity preparations. The post‐training questionnaire was administered to gather data on students' perceptions of their training experiences. Results The CaviPrep group (Group 2) demonstrated significantly better performance in specific parameters, particularly cavity outline, retention form and cavity width, compared to the other groups ( p < 0.05). A statistically significant agreement was observed between self‐assessed and educator‐assessed preclinical scores across all evaluated criteria ( p < 0.05). Student feedback indicated that the CaviPrep training plate was favoured over the VR haptic simulator in terms of tactile realism, ease of use, manual skill improvement and overall training effectiveness. Conclusion CaviPrep was associated with better performance in key operative parameters and was perceived as a more effective training tool for developing manual dexterity. While VR simulators offer valuable digital feedback and guided learning, their current limitations in haptic realism restrict their standalone effectiveness. Therefore, integrating VR systems with physical simulation models may provide a more effective and balanced approach for preclinical dental education.
Yildirim-Manav et al. (Thu,) studied this question.