Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Dental Students and Practitioners towards Virtual Reality Based Technologies in Central India: A Cross Sectional Survey

Abstract

Background: Virtual reality based technologies, which are broadly used in aviation and telecommunication, is now emerging rapidly in the field of dentistry. This technology has progressed tremendously and is simultaneously being refined according to the requirements of the healthcare sector. Such technologies aid in better understanding in an educational setting and provide efficient learning ways which can reduce harm and help to improve patient treatment outcomes. Aim: To assess the knowledge, attitude and practice of dental students and practitioners towards Virtual reality based technologies in Central India. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study a total of 270 dental students and practitioners across Central India were included. A questionnaire consisting of 26 Questions with regard to VRBT’s was designed and the questionnaire was circulated through a web designed program. The responses were collected, and data were analyzed descriptively using SPSS Statistics for Windows version 24.0. Results: 90.37 % agreed that VRBT’s could offer many advantages in comparison to conventional technologies used in dental education and practice. 91.1% had not used dental simulators but 35.93% of them believed that dental simulators can be used as a reliable evaluation tool in developing preclinical skills. 75.93 % estimated that VRBT’s will gain popularity in dental practice within 5-10 years. Conclusion: Learning and including these VRBT’s as a part of undergraduate and continued education programmes could affect the willingness and utilization of these trends in future dental practice.