Introduction:

Education in dentistry has provided simulation scenarios for training students to develop motor skills since its beginning, now days, high-fidelity 3D haptic virtual simulators are being used as a didactic tool, allowing dentistry students to perform activities of the professional discipline, in a safe and controlled simulated environment.

Aim:

To determine the perception on the usefulness of haptic virtual simulators for training in Dentistry, by dental students (4th, 5th and 6th year), practitioners and academics.

Subjects and methods:

Non-experimental, descriptive, observational, quantitative study, that involved 127 participants (dental students, dental practitioners and academics), that practiced on a cross preclinical exercise for 5-10 minuts and performed a Black's class II cavity in a 3D haptic virtual simulator. A 12-question questionnaire was constructed regarding the usefulness of the dental simulator and the answers were statistically analyzed.

Results:

University students, local dental practitioners and dentists/academics rated as positive their experience with the haptic virtual simulators and its usefulness as a teaching tool in manual skills development, and realism of sensation and use of the simulator.

Conclusion:

Participants regardless of their previous experience with a virtual simulator, video-gaming, age, 3D experience, or gender considered positive their perception of usefulness of the VirTeaSy haptic virtual reality simulator in dental education, with the possibility of better feedback.

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