A comparison of two-dimensional prediction tracing and a virtual reality patient methods for diagnosis and treatment planning of orthognathic cases in dental students: a randomized preliminary study

Virtual reality patient (VR patient), a simulated patient module in a virtual reality environment allowing manipulation of the upper and lower jaws and chin in three planes of space, was developed to help students understand diagnosis and treatment planning of orthognathic surgical procedures. The objective was to compare student understanding in diagnosing and treatment planning complex orthognathic cases using the VR patient versus a conventional 2D prediction tracing method and to determine feasibility of utilizing VR methods. Thirty third year dental students were assigned randomly to an experimental (VR patient) or control (2D tracing) group. The dependent variables were a multiple choice question (MCQ) examination, baseline and exit surveys, and written case analysis of two cases. Student–teacher interactions were recorded for both length and type of interaction. Data were evaluated using descriptive and inferential statistics. The students’ performance on the MCQ examinations improved immediately following the educational intervention ( p .928). Dental students were able to improve their understanding of diagnosis and treatment planning of orthognathic cases using both 2D prediction tracing and the VR patient methods. The method of scoring the written responses was reliable and reproducible and should be used for future full-scale studies.