VR-haptic and phantom head dental training: Does the order matter? A comparative study from a preclinical fixed prosthodontics course.

Aim: Learning tooth preparation techniques and the finesse required is an important part of preclinical dental education. Being able to practice surgical skills without loss of Frasaco teeth while being provided with performance analysis data is a boon to students and educators. The present authors investigated the combination of haptics-enhanced virtual reality (Simodont) and conventional phantom head practice in a preclinical dental course, evaluating the students' performances and perceptions.