Objectives Administering anesthesia to the inferior alveolar nerve is 1 of the most stressful processes in dental training. Most studies using virtual reality (VR) for dental training have used non‐immersive technologies. The purpose of this work is to assess the impact of immersive technologies on skills training. Methods On May 2019, an experimental study was conducted with 163 clinical dental students, divided into 4 groups across 2 phases (preceptorship and training) with haptic feedback either On or Off. The participants trained on the inferior alveolar dental anesthesia procedure in a haptic VR simulator. Their technical skills were evaluated in terms of needle insertion features which were computed from a haptic device providing kinematic data. Also, the participants reported their subjective experience with syringe handling and simulator sickness. A machine learning method was implemented to automatically evaluate the needle insertion point performance of the student. Results Groups receiving immersive preceptorship and/or immersive training showed more accuracy and confidence in administering the anesthesia. Participants perceived a high sense of realism with the haptic feedback when handling the syringe. The machine learning method was validated, with an accuracy of 84%, as a good classifier to assess a student's needle insertion point performance. Conclusions The immersive VR simulator allows the practice of the inferior alveolar nerve block under near real conditions and with immediate feedback to the dental student with respect to the needle insertion point. This machine learning based automatic evaluation provides a method to improve technical skills, contributing to dental training.

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ResumoO treinamento de procedimentos médicos invasivos na etapa pré-clínica é um grande desafio educacional. A abordagem tradicional, com animais e cadáveres, apresenta problemas éticos e práticos. Uma solução promissora é a utilização de realidade virtual (RV), que permite simulações realistas de baixo custo, repetibilidade e feedback em tempo real. Tal constatação motivou o desenvolvimento do ambiente VIDA Odonto, o qual utiliza tecnologias avançadas de RV, modelagem realista do paciente e interação imersiva tridimensional. O protótipo desenvolvido, do módulo do ambiente virtual desse sistema, foi testado e avaliado por profissionais com experiência na prática clínica e principiantes, demonstrando a viabilidade de se tornar um recurso educacional relevante em cursos de odontologia. Palavras-chave: realidade virtual, odontologia, treinamento, imersão, interação 3D. AbstractTraining invasive medical procedures at the pre-clinical development is a considerable educational challenge. The traditional approach, with animals and corpses, presents both ethical and practical issues. So, the use of virtual reality (VR), which enables low-cost realistic simulations, repeatability and real time feedback, is a promising solution. Such ascertainment motivated the development of the virtual environment VIDA Odonto, which resorts to VR technologies, realistic modeling of patient and tridimensional immersive interaction. The developed prototype of the virtual environment of such system was tested and evaluated by professionals with clinical experience and beginners, demonstrating its viability to be a relevant educational resource in dentistry courses.

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