Validity and User Experience in an Augmented Reality Virtual Tooth Identification Test

Abstract

By leveraging emerging technologies in augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), a Virtual Dental Library and AR virtual tooth identification test were developed at a U. S. dental school. The AR virtual tooth identification test is a vision- based AR application that uses three-dimensional models of extracted human teeth as test items. The aims of this study were to investigate the validity of the AR virtual tooth identification test and evaluate the users' experience with the virtual testing method. The AR virtual tooth identification test scores were compared with real tooth identification tests, scores on three quizzes, final exam, and final grade for the course to assess its validity. In addition, a survey was used to assess students' perceptions of the AR tool. In 2018, all 109 first-year dental students who had completed the dental anatomy course were invited to participate in the study. Of the 93 participants, 61 (56% of total students) were included in the correlation analysis (32 were excluded due to incomplete test answer sheets or missing criterion measures). All 93 could respond to the survey and provide comments. In the results, the AR virtual tooth identification test had a positive correlation with the real tooth identification test (r=0.410, p<0.01), a combined score of two real tooth identification tests (r=0.545, p<0.01), the final exam (r=0.489, p<0.01), and overall grade for the dental anatomy course (r=0.661, p<0.01). On the tests, the students had some difficulty in viewing and manipulating the images and experienced technical difficulties related to their smartphones, and their survey responses expressed little support for the AR tool. Nevertheless, this study demonstrated criterion validity of the AR virtual assessment tool for tooth identification.