The Impact of Virtual Simulation Experiments on Dental Education: A Systematic Review and Analysis

Abstract

Dental education is characterized by the need to integrate theoretical knowledge with high-precision clinical skills, but traditional training models are limited by factors such as high risk, scarce resources, and uneven skill mastery. Virtual simulation (VS) technology, as an emerging educational tool, has gradually been applied in dental education to address these limitations. This study systematically reviews the application of virtual simulation experiments in dental education, analyzes their impacts on clinical skill acquisition, teaching efficiency, and educational equity, and discusses existing challenges and future development trends. Through sorting out relevant literature and empirical research results, it is found that virtual simulation can provide a risk-free, repeatable practice environment for dental students, significantly improve their clinical operation accuracy and confidence; optimize teaching resource allocation, realize personalized learning, and narrow the educational gap between different regions and institutions. However, the technology still faces problems such as insufficient simulation fidelity, high application costs, and lack of unified evaluation standards. Future research should focus on improving technical performance, reducing application thresholds, and establishing standardized teaching and evaluation systems to better promote the modernization and high-quality development of dental education.