Comparison of Student and Faculty Perceptions of Dental Haptic Simulation in Caries Removal Training

OBJECTIVES: Traditional simulated caries removal training has limitations in realism and availability. Haptic dental simulators offer immersive, repeatable practice with tactile feedback. The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate both students' and faculty's perceptions of a simulator and its realism in caries removal. METHODS: Thirty third- and fourth-year dental students and 30 faculty members participated in this study. Participants used SIMtoCARE Dente (SDS) to perform virtual caries removal on tooth #2 distal-occlusal surface. Each participant was scheduled for a 40-min session, which included guided training and practice, an independent caries removal exercise, and a post-exercise Likert-scale survey on user experience and realism. Responses to the survey were analyzed by Mann-Whitney U test (α = 0.05). RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were observed between students' and faculty's responses across all 12 survey questions (p < 0.05). Students generally rated the SDS more positively than faculty, especially in ease of use, realism of tools, and educational value. A total of 83% of students found the simulator easy to use, versus 47% of faculty, and 84% of students viewed it as an effective learning tool compared to 33% of faculty. Faculty were more critical of the simulator's realism, particularly regarding tactile feedback and material simulation. CONCLUSIONS: Students perceived the SDS as user-friendly and effective for learning caries removal, whereas faculty were more skeptical. Students strongly supported its integration into early training, reflecting their enthusiasm for incorporating technology into education. Improving haptic realism may help narrow the perception gap between students and faculty.