Dental Gone Digital
Alison MillerIssue date: 7/23/09 Section: News
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Faculty and students of the School of Dentistry at the Medical College of Georgia have created a new virtual dental implant training simulation program that will allow students to practice dental implant surgery using virtual technology.
Dr. Roman Cibirka, the visionary of the program, said he was looking for a new way to appeal to students of the millennial generation.
"It is purposely designed to focus on enhancing the diagnostics capabilities and skills of the students," Cibirka said.
Cibirka said he realized the opportunity that virtual technology and gaming had to offer, and wanted to apply it in a way that would help students learn better.
The game itself involves a high degree of decision making, and it is critical that students are competent in dental implant surgery to successfully complete the program, Cibirka said.
Cibirka said the program gives an opportunity for students to learn in a fun environment, which in turn leads to a better experience.
"My goal is not only to enhance their learning experience, but also to improve patient safety outcomes. If they are better trained, they are going to treat patients better," Cibirka said.
Cibirka says his program has already been warmly received, and is hoping to have a full launch by the end of the summer, reaching about 15,000 dental students.
"This is the first step of a much more sophisticated approach using virtual technology," Cibirka said.
Down the road, Cibirka sees his program being used in the general dentist community where a doctor can practice a procedure prior to treating an actual patient.
Cibirka's program isn't the only virtual technology that is working its way into dentistry schools.
The College of Dental Medicine at Midwestern University in Glendale, Arizona, has several applications where students are using 3-D virtual technology in their classes.
Dr. Robert Hasel, associate professor and pre-clinical faculty director at the College of Dental Medicine at Midwestern University, says dentistry schools are quickly moving toward using simulators.
Hasel says there are endless opportunities in using virtual technology in schools.
"The advantage for learning and amount of scenarios that you can create in a virtual world is unlimited," Hasel.
Virtual programs can also cater to individual learning styles and allow students to go through courses at their own pace, Hasel said.
"It is really transforming the landscape of education and the way we distribute information to students," Hasel said.
While Hasel says that many schools are slow to catch up to using virtual technology, he thinks that a majority of schools will eventually start to migrate toward these cutting edge programs.
"Students are paying a lot of money for tuition, and they are going to want to go to a school that offers the latest technology," Hasel said.
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