Technology and teaching go hand in hand these days. A while back, DentalBlogs told you about Simroid, a lifelike robot that responds to dental students like an actual patient might. We also let you know that NYU School of Dentistry went to completely digital textbooks in 2007. This year’s cool technological training innovation leverages video games to teach implant dentistry.
Medical College of Georgia reports a team effort with BreakAway, a video game developer, in which an implant simulation game introduces students to patients with various clinical situations. The game allows students to examine and ask the virtual patient about medical history. Because each case is different, dental students must consider the virtual patient’s personality and clinical condition for optimal diagnosis and treatment planning. For qualified implant patients, student dentists must determine the proper type of implant, location for the implant, anesthesia, and tools to use.
The Virtual Dentist Implant Training Simulation Program utilizes Pulse!! Virtual Learning Lab, which was created by Texas A&M and BreakAway. The Virtual Implant Training and Simulation Program came to being because of a $6.5 million grant by Nobel Biocare. Twenty schools in the Nobel Biocare University Partnership Program are evaluating the implant simulation software. Soon, 25 universities, and potentially 15,000 dental students will use the instructional video game, primarily for third and fourth-year students.
4 responses so far ↓
1 Pete Volk // Jun 22, 2009 at 11:45 pm
I always knew playing video games would come in handy! Blast away the evil caries, travel down the root canal purging it of pulp…Nobel is good about granting money into research, I’ll say that! Should be a good training tool.
2 Pete Volk // Jun 22, 2009 at 11:45 pm
I always knew playing video games would come in handy! Blast away the evil caries, travel down the root canal purging it of pulp…Nobel is good about granting money into research, I’ll say that! Should be a good training tool.
3 Dentist Vaughan // Jun 29, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Video games develop hand and eye coordination that an important skill for a dentist.
4 Dentist Vaughan // Jun 29, 2009 at 5:24 pm
Video games develop hand and eye coordination that an important skill for a dentist.
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