Virtual Reality Training for Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block in Dental Students

NCT07653854 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: NEU-OMFS-VR-IANB-2026
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 132
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomized controlled study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality simulator-based training in teaching the inferior alveolar nerve block (IANB) technique to third-year dental students. Participants were randomly assigned to either a virtual reality simulator training group or a conventional training group. The outcomes evaluated include theoretical knowledge, anatomical understanding, procedural performance, self-confidence, and anxiety levels associated with IANB administration. The study aims to determine whether virtual reality simulation provides advantages over conventional educational methods in local anesthesia training.

Conditions

Dental Education; Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block

Keywords

Haptic Simulator; SIMtoCARE; Dental Education; Inferior Alveolar Nerve Block; Local Anesthesia; Dental Students; Simulation-Based Training; Randomized Controlled Trial

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in inferior alveolar nerve block education questionnaire score

  Difference in questionnaire scores assessing theoretical knowledge, anatomical understanding, self-confidence, and anxiety related to inferior alveolar nerve block administration between baseline and post-training assessments. The effect of virtual reality simulator-based training will be evaluated through changes in these scores.

  Baseline and immediately after completion of training

Study Arms (2)

Virtual Reality Training Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants completed the first questionnaire after the theoretical training. They then received virtual reality simulator-based training using the SIMtoCARE system. Following this training, they completed the second questionnaire. After the virtual reality training, participants also received conventional training and completed the third questionnaire.

Other: SIMtoCARE Virtual Reality Simulator; Other: Conventional Training

Conventional Training Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants completed the first questionnaire after the theoretical training. They then received conventional training and completed the third questionnaire at the end of the training.

Other: Conventional Training

Interventions

SIMtoCARE Virtual Reality Simulator OTHER

A haptic virtual reality simulator used for inferior alveolar nerve block training.

Virtual Reality Training Group

Conventional Training OTHER

Traditional theoretical and practical instruction for inferior alveolar nerve block administration.

Conventional Training Group; Virtual Reality Training Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Being a third-year student at our Faculty of Dentistry Willingness to participate in the study voluntarily

You may not qualify if:

• Having previously received local anesthesia training using a virtual reality simulator Unwillingness to participate in the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Konya Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi: lead

Study Sites (1)

Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Diş Hekimliği Fakültesi

Konya, 42090, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: No masking was used in this study. Participants and investigators were aware of group assignments.
• Purpose: BASIC SCIENCE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor, Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

Model Details: Participants were randomly assigned to either a virtual reality simulator-based training group or a conventional training group. Both groups completed the baseline questionnaire. The intervention group received virtual reality simulator-based training using the SIMtoCARE system and completed an additional questionnaire. The intervention group then received conventional training and completed the third questionnaire. The control group received conventional training and completed the third questionnaire at the end of the training. Outcomes were compared between the two parallel groups.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 11, 2026
• First Posted: June 17, 2026
• Study Start: August 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: May 22, 2026
• Study Completion: May 22, 2026
• Last Updated: June 17, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)