Dixon, J. orcid.org/0000-0002-3499-175X, Towers, A. orcid.org/0000-0002-2711-1160, Martin, N. et al. (1 more author) (2021) Re‐defining the virtual reality dental simulator: Demonstrating concurrent validity of clinically relevant assessment and feedback. European Journal of Dental Education, 25 (1). pp. 108-116. ISSN 1396-5883
Abstract
Introduction
Virtual reality (VR) dental simulators are gaining momentum as a useful tool to educate dental students. To date, no VR dental simulator exercise has been designed which is capable of reliably providing validated, meaningful clinical feedback to dental students. This study aims to measure the concurrent validity of the assessment, and the provision of qualitative feedback, pertaining to cavity preparations by VR dental simulators.
Methods
A cavity preparation exercise was created on a VR dental simulator, and assessment criteria for cavity preparations were developed. The exercise was performed 10 times in order to demonstrate a range of performances and for each, the simulator feedback was recorded. The exercises were subsequently three‐dimensionally printed and 12 clinical teachers were asked to assess the preparations according to the same criteria. Inter‐rater reliability (IRR) between clinical teachers was measured using a free‐marginal multirater kappa value. Clinical teacher assessment responses were compared with the VR simulator responses and percentage agreements calculated.
Results
IRR values for each exercise ranged from 0.39‐0.77 (69.39‐88.48%). The assessment of smoothness (κfree0.58, 78.79%) and ability to follow the outline (κfree0.56, 77.88%) demonstrated highest agreement between clinical teachers, whilst the assessment of undercut (κfree0.15, 57.58%) and depth (κfree 0.28, 64.09%) had the lowest agreement. The modal percentage agreement between clinical teachers and the VR simulator was, on average, 78% across all exercises.
Conclusion
The results of this study demonstrate that it is possible to provide reliable and clinically relevant qualitative feedback via a VR dental simulator. Further research should look to employ this technique across a broader range of exercises that help to develop other complex operative dental skills.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Dental Education published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Sheffield |
Academic Units: | The University of Sheffield > Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry and Health (Sheffield) > School of Clinical Dentistry (Sheffield) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Sheffield |
Date Deposited: | 25 Aug 2020 11:59 |
Last Modified: | 25 Jan 2022 10:06 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Wiley |
Refereed: | Yes |
Identification Number: | 10.1111/eje.12581 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:164738 |