NUS students cut teeth on virtual models
SINGAPORE – From next year, dentistry students at the National University of Singapore (NUS) will hone their clinical skills on “virtual patients”.
Currently, they practise on plastic dental models. But the faculty of dentistry at NUS plans to incorporate Moog Simodont Dental Trainers – virtual-reality machines that simulate the textures of a patient’s teeth – into the curriculum.
Ms Sandra Chen, a second-year dentistry undergradute who has been trying out the equipment since June, said this provides a far more realistic learning experience.
“Everything feels the same with plastic teeth, but with this machine, we can actually feel the difference in texture between enamel and decay,” she said.
Associate Professor Kelvin Foong, vice-dean of the faculty of dentistry, said the simulator will also allow dentistry instructors to give more comprehensive feedback on students’ progress.
He said: “Previously, we could see only the end product of practical sessions. But this machine will record the whole process digitally, so that instructors can show students exactly where they went wrong.”
The simulator is one of several technological treats that the NUS faculty of dentistry has in store for undergraduates next year. It will also replace plaster teaching models with digitised ones that students can magnify, annotate and view in 3D.
Additionally, it will be launching a handheld camera that allows students to take comprehensive digital impressions of patients’ mouths, instead of plaster ones.
Associate Professor Grace Ong, dean of the faculty of dentistry, said the changes are part of the faculty’s ongoing drive to use technology.
“We’ve got to go with the flow,” she said.
“Today’s students are more tech- savvy, so we have to help them learn in a style that suits them.”
This year marks the faculty of dentistry’s 85th year, a milestone that it is celebrating with a dinner tonight for more than 600 guests, including the guest of honour, Education Minister Heng Swee Keat.
Source: Asia One
Published: 01 Sep 2014
Category: Features, Technology & Devices
