The use of 360-videos to bridge the gap between pre-clinical and clinical dental teaching.

Background: The transition from pre-clinical to clinical teaching is often a time of heightened anxiety for students. With the shift to bi-modal teaching during the pandemic there was an opportunity to explore the use of 360-degree videos and virtual reality (VR) simulation teaching to enhance educational experience and smooth the transition from pre-clinical to clinical teaching. The aims of this study were to understand students' perceptions of face-to-face and virtual simulation teaching during the recovery phase of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: Two groups of students were recruited all of whom were about to have their clinical introduction to the periodontology department. All 20 students received current standard induction programme. One group (n = 7 students) received standard teaching only. One group (n = 13 students) in addition to standard teaching methods also received access to 360-degree video and VR headset prior to standard teaching. Focus groups were then conducted with the students. A topic guide was developed and piloted. Focus groups were conducted online, audio was recorded and transcribed verbatim. Transcripts were analysed codes and themes were developed using thematic analysis as a framework for analysing the focus groups.

Results: The 3 key themes identified were: the importance of familiarity with the clinical environment, preparation prior to attending clinical sessions and the benefit of practical experience.

Conclusion: This study demonstrates how 360-videos and VR technology may enhance dental education, provided it is implemented appropriately and at the correct time in training. Overall, students had a positive attitude towards using 360-videos and acknowledged its value in meeting a range of learning objectives, including infection control, IT training, and clinic orientation.