Advantages and disadvantages of digital technologies in dental medicine education

Abstract

Digital technologies have begun their journey in dentistry in recent years. Thanks to this development, clinical practices and laboratory techniques are moving to digital processes. The merging of these digital puzzles into one whole is the logical continuum of this trend - the creation of a 3D virtual patient. In the context of medical education, the virtual patient is defined as an interactive computer simulation of a real-life clinical scenario for the purpose of teaching, learning and evaluation. This review is limited to one area of e-learning in dentistry. It is a fact that few studies have been published as to compare the effectiveness of new virtual and augmented reality systems in dental education. Advanced simulation technology shows the potential to improve training methods and quality. With the widespread adoption and integration of these technologies into the curriculum, students can achieve a higher level of competence before embarking on a clinical practice. Scientific researches will continue to offer a variety of technologies and effective treatments. To take full advantage of modern science, new knowledge and technology must be incorporated into the core of dental education. The aim of this study is to present the advantages and disadvantages of digital technologies and virtual simulators in dental education.